Content created in partnership with Elevit and Menevit
Gracie Hitchcock only gave birth to her son, Frank, six weeks ago, but she’s “so full of love” that she’s already thinking about doing it all again.
“Now that I’ve had Frank, I kind of wish I was a mother sooner,” says the podcast host and content creator, 31. “Like, what have I been waiting for? This is amazing.”
Of course, she admits, not every moment is amazing. “The first couple weeks, it was just wild. And just like, oh my god, what have I got myself into?” Issues with her milk coming in, recovering from an intense birth experience and discovering that sleep is no longer guaranteed were all challenges to work through for Gracie and her husband, Ali Hitchcock, 31.
Conception wasn’t without its challenges either. Gracie had been on hormonal birth control for nine years, and it took around eight months for her to ovulate again after she stopped using the contraceptive. Knowing this could be the case, she allowed lots of time before trying to conceive. She also visited a naturopath to help with her hormone levels. “I really wanted to feel my body again. Like my feminine energy, you know?”
After her period returned it was another six months before she conceived. “That first period is amazing. I was just excited to get it back,” she says. The couple were happily surprised when they found out about the pregnancy. “We weren’t consciously trying for a baby, we were just having sex whenever. And like having fun with it, being relaxed.” She knew conception wasn’t a guarantee, so was keeping an open mind. “I thought maybe by 2023, if I hadn’t naturally got pregnant, I would look into other ideas.”
Ali, who works in commercial real estate, is also an excellent cook who shares his culinary creations at Hitch Cooks, so eating healthily during Gracie’s pregnancy wasn’t a concern. The couple “eat the rainbow,” making the most of their big veggie garden and including red meat, fish, eggs and nuts in their diets. Cravings for any and all kinds of potatoes abounded, as well as lots of toast. She was lucky to avoid morning sickness, but struggled with fatigue.
Eventually she realised the fatigue needed addressing. She says that she would look into taking pregnancy multivitamin Elevit for any future pregnancies, as it contains the recommended dietary intakes of iron, folic acid, and iodine as well as 16 other vitamins and minerals to help meet the extra nutritional needs of a pregnant person or someone trying to conceive.
Gracie kept up her schedule of yoga, HIIT pilates and walking while pregnant, but is not in a hurry to get back into exercise postpartum. “I’m just going to be really kind to myself,” she says.
To mentally prepare for the birth, she listened to a lot of birth stories and also did a hypnobirthing course, which helped to calm any worries. “Hypnobirthing is like mindfulness and meditation. And reminding yourself [birth] is very natural.” It also helped her to come away from what could have been a traumatic birth, “thinking I was still really powerful in that experience.”
Once she was home from hospital, she rode the “waves of emotion. You feel like you could conquer the world and you feel so proud of yourself but you feel vulnerable and weak.”
Just as many parents struggle in the postpartum period, Gracie has been noticing some anxiety creeping in. “In the afternoons I get scared about what the night brings. But the mornings are my favourite because the sun is rising and the coffee is hot and the day is fresh.”
Taking turns with Frank, and having Ali do most of the cooking is helping the couple to navigate the exhaustion of being new parents. “Ali is an active relaxer, so he’s always whipping up something yummy, while I’m getting my boobs out! It’s all a circle of life.”
She’s also doing a lot of late-night online shopping, sharing #DITL updates on TikTok, and getting back into the podcast she co-hosts, The Girls Uninterrupted. (She’s currently on maternity leave from her job in advertising). All while thinking about her next motherhood move. “I don’t think I ever want to be on contraception again. It’s quite a bold statement, but I don’t know. I feel like I’m keen to have a few more kids. I’m keen to get pregnant again if I can.”
Elevit is a pre-conception and pregnancy supplement with 19 vitamins and minerals that are formulated to meet the increased nutritional needs of women who are trying to conceive or are pregnant. Always read the label and use only as directed. Bayer New Zealand Ltd, Auckland. TAPS NP19120
Evidence shows that the first 1000 days of a baby's life (from conception to age 2) are the most important to ensure your baby has the healthiest start to life and that adequate nutrition during this period can positively influence life-long health [1]
Currently, there is no pregnancy multivitamin that contains more folic acid and iron than Elevit. [2] It is New Zealand's number one pregnancy multivitamin that meets the recommended dietary intakes for folic acid, iron, and iodine. [3]
Menevit is a male fertility supplement that has an antioxidant formulation to support sperm health and male preconception health.
For more information about Elevit and Menevit, visit elevit.co.nz/products/elevit and elevit.co.nz/products/menevit. For helpful pregnancy planning information, click here.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Vitamin and mineral supplements are not a substitute for a balanced diet. If you have a baby with a neural tube defect/Spina Bifida, seek specific medical advice. Bayer New Zealand Ltd., Auckland. TAPS NP19120
TAPS NP19120
