A Guide for the Pregnant Adventurer
Whilst you are pregnant, you may want to take time off. But, if you are like me, as I suspect you probably are, the adventurer’s life stops for nothing and no one; not even when you’re growing an entirely new being.
After 4 pregnancies on the job, here’s some knowledge I have amassed.
Your blood is extremely valuable and tasty to various beings and creatures, you will want to brush up on your protection charms and technique.
If you dabble in spellwork, your blood will give everything you do a boost.
Never offer your blood as payment to the shadows or their puppets.
Never sign your firstborn over, I mean ethically you shouldn’t sign any of your children over, but firstborns have a sacred magic.
Newly pregnant? You already smell stronger (hormones are fun) and you’ll only get more unwanted attention the bigger you get; wearing a satchel of strong smelling plants will do you good.
And YOUR nose is getting keener as well, the strong smelling plants won’t smell nice to you at all (but you’d rather stay alive, yeah?)
It is a very good idea to call in your favors, hopefully you’ve made some good friends and business partners on your travels.
Always carry silver and iron on you, in whatever way pleases you, and know who to use it on.
Music is your friend, as well as your little one’s.
Morning sickness is a bitch and, contrary to the name, also happens ALL DAY, keep loads of ginger tea stocked up.
You will be nauseous and hungry at the same time, especially during your first trimester, keep snackies (and healthy ones, though I know the personal struggle of craving copious amounts of nachos in the middle of a jungle)(12-16):
Dates are good for keeping your iron levels up.
Granola-based mixes are easy and you can add so many things!
You can never go wrong with berries.
Garlic is really good, but not a lot, it’s a natural vasodilator; you could bleed out.
Honey is okay, as long as it’s pasteurized.
Sleeping is generally not comfy while adventuring, even less so while pregnant, invest in a good maternity pillow (I would say that even if you stayed at home though).
Adventuring away from your family doctor or midwife is no excuse, don’t you dare shirk your checkups, find one in every town you get to.
A pregnant woman has long been a symbol of a bridge between the spiritual and physical, that is still true.
If you possess psychic abilities, these will probably strengthen, the veil may permanently lift whilst you carry and even some time after you give birth.
If this happens, I advise you stay away from places where a lot of death permanently resides, don’t go searching for vampires and don’t take strolls through cemeteries.
If you begin to see auras around people and beings, stay far far away from yellow and pink.
Pick up white feathers for protection, cleanse them with willow smoke, rinse them with moonwater, and wear them about your head.
If birds start appearing in your weirdo pregnancy dreams (oh those are coming, I promise) pay attention and write down every detail you can remember, especially the type of bird.
Go to a dream shaman you trust and get them translated.
Whilst you are pregnant, your appeals will be favored by fertility deities and you will be welcomed and protected in whatever place of worship is dedicated to them, even if you don’t worship them (also, besides home or the hospital, there’s like no better place to give birth, they are very professional).
The fae have a little known law that if a woman carrying a son enters their forest olde, she is to be fed; but be careful, it doesn’t specify what to feed her, not all fae will favor you little mother.
The life you carry is a massive well of destiny, as such, your aura will change whilst you carry and you may react differently to totems and magics that you once could use with ease.
Last bit, very important, read carefully: nothing protects a young mother more than her tribe; find your tribe.
I wish you the best of luck, sisters.
A guide to working the night shift
A Guide to Surviving American Suburbia
If you are a researcher or adventurer and want to share a guide, join our subreddit!