Emily Deschanel plans hypnobirth, remains vegan during pregnancy

fitpregnancy
It seems like Emily Deschanel, 34, has been pregnant for an awfully long time. Like I even forgot that she was pregnant we haven’t heard from her in so long, and it seems like she was far along the last time we heard anything about her. The Bones star has a new interview in Fit Pregnancy, where she reveals her birth plan and how she’s been exercising and eating healthy during her first pregnancy. Emily last made headlines for revealing that she’s eating vegan during her pregnancy. She explained to Fit Pregnancy how she’s getting enough nutrients and protein, and it sounds like she has it all under control.

Highlight the empty space below for a Bones Spoiler
We hear that your pregnancy is being written into the show
Yes, it will be revealed that I’m pregnant and that it is Booth’s child. So now we are living .together, trying to figure it all out – the couple thing, the parents thing – and how it will affect our working relationship.

What has been most challenging for you?
The fatigue is the hardest part. We work 14 to 16 hour days and, for the first trimester, we weren’t telling people about the pregnancy, so it was hard. Now it’s just things like putting on shoes, getting up off the ground. It’s comical.

You’re a committed vegan. Has keeping up that way of eating been a challenge?
I don’t think it’s any more challenging for me than for anyone else. You have to make sure you get all those essential nutrients. The real challenge for a vegan is getting vitamin b12, and omega-3s, but you can get those in a vegetarian supplement. I’ve increased my protein intake with beans and brown rice, and shakes made with almond milk and hemp powder. The funny this is, I love kale and always used to put it in my breakfast shakes, but for some reason I can’t stand it right now.

Any cravings?
Lemonade! I want it all the time. That and grapefruit. Those cravings I indulge. But I also crave chocolate all the time, and I try to ignore that.

What kind of prenatal exercise do you do?
I’m still Spinning and doing yoga – right now it’s a prenatal yoga DVD I do at home – but I really love classes. I like the music and the motivation you get from the people in class with you. And I’m walking a lot these days.

How do you plan to balance motherhood with your busy life?
I have no idea, but I’m lucky because I’ll have a nanny and I’ll also be able to bring the baby to work. Otherwise I’d never seen him or her. [The couple is not revealing the baby’s gender before the birth?

Will you breastfeed?
Absolutely, for a year, maybe longer. I’m a total hippie, so we will co-sleep and breastfeed. My mom breastfed me for more than a year, and I can’t imagine doing it any other way. It’s cheap and much better for the environment, and you don’t have to lug all that stuff around. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but I’m determined, even if it’s hard at first.

What are your plans for the birth?
We’ve been taking HypnoBirthing classes, and I plan to do that. David will be with me, and also a doula.

[From Fit Pregnancy, print edition, via ONTD]

I’ve mentioned before that I did a hypnobirth at a birth center. ONTD ran this story with the caption “Emily’s doing a hypnobirth with only her husband and a doula!” but she didn’t say that, just that she would have a doula there. A doula doesn’t deliver the baby, their role is to be like a coach to the mom while the midwife or doctor does the delivery. We hired a doula when I had my son (my only kid). I assume Emily will be using a birth center, although she could be planning a homebirth (I didn’t use a birth center for some noble reason, I just fear hospitals and have had bad reactions to medication. Everyone should do their own thing when it comes to having their babies.) I will say that it was way harder than I thought it would be, but that I really didn’t need the doula. It was kind of a waste of money to hire her since there was a midwife and my husband was there with me.

I’m not a huge Bones fan and don’t watch a lot of crime-type shows (like Kaiser!), but I get why people like Emily. She seems like a very nice person. She’s into natural living and is a vegan, but she’s not preachy about it at all and is even a little self deprecating. She even admits that she’ll have a nanny. I bet she’s due soon and we’ll be hearing about her new baby any day now!

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32 Responses to “Emily Deschanel plans hypnobirth, remains vegan during pregnancy”

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  1. Dana M says:

    Yay! Another Hynobirthing Mom! So great. Glad celebrities are speaking out about the class. Great exposure. ( my friend teaches it and I’ve taken it before all of my births).

  2. Lila says:

    Cute. She’s obviously put some time and thought into her decisions. Wish there were more actresses like her.

  3. Samigirl says:

    I wish I could tell her what a TERRIBLE idea co-sleeping is. I loved every second of it with my son-until it was time for big boy to have his own bed… Very hard habit to break. Baby number 2 will NOT be sleeping with mommy and daddy. Anyways, I really like Emily and I am super psyched for her, and I cannot WAIT to see this season of Bones!

  4. Jenny says:

    I’m also interested in having a hypno/water birth…even though I’ve never been and am not currently pregnant, but I hope to be in a few years. I just have an irrational fear of drugs and needles and I want to avoid them at all costs.

  5. LittleDeadGrrl says:

    What exactly is hynobirth? Like … are you hypnotized during the whole birthing thing instead of drugs for pain?

  6. the original bellaluna says:

    Good on her. She certainly looks happy and healthy.

  7. malachais says:

    I love Emily D. and Bones!! Didn’t like the season finale but I can’t wait for the new season to start.

    I hope her pregnancy and birth go well though =)

  8. searching4grace says:

    Love her! Can’t WAIT for Bones to start again in November! Agh! The WAITING!

  9. GradStudentEatingHotPockets says:

    Omg why isn’t Bones back on right now?!?!?! I want to know about the baby with Bones and Booth! Ahhhh!!!

  10. Roma says:

    Love the white type / highlight spoiler!

    My boyfriend and I used to send each other dirty emails like that so if anyone saw the screen it wouldn’t show.

  11. Liz says:

    I recommend the documentary: “The Business of Giving Birth” – it goes into lots of useful facts about the hospital birthing scene in the US and described how something like 80% of European births are handled in the home with the help of a medically trained midwife. Most hospitals in the US want the birthing to occur as fast as possible, so close to half of all births in the past 10 years were unnecessarily delivered with a C-Section. I’ve pretty much decided to go with the home birth when my time comes, even if it may be a bit more painful.

  12. gee says:

    Isn’t cosleeping dangerous?

    It’s good that she’s talking about veganism during pregnancy. I think some people don’t understand that it’s complicated, and she certinly seems like she’s doing it the right way.

  13. bored says:

    Cosleeping is awesome for baby. I’m all about the hippy mothering too. Extended nursing, less intervention at birth.. all good things. And I can’t wait to see the baby storyline!

  14. GiGi says:

    I, too, hypnobirthed/Bradleyed two 9 lb. babies out of me… and then adopted our third! I had very short labors but the pain was otherworldly – good luck to her. I also nursed for 5 years in a row (two at a time for a year of that) and wouldn’t change any of it!

  15. bluhare says:

    Love her and her show, and she’s a walking ad for a pregnant woman glowing.

    But the spoiler? That’s not a spoiler. THey said that on the season finale.

  16. Samigirl says:

    @gee-Cosleeping IS dangerous if the child is too young to roll over or move on his/her own. I started co-sleeping with my son when he was around 6, 7 months. He was plenty old enough to do so. And, as stated, I really enjoyed it.BUT last year, I got engaged, and, although my husband loves my little boy, he felt weird sleeping in the bed with another guys kid. Fair enough, and I cant really end up with him sleeping with me for the rest of his life. So, we switched up the routine. Now, on special occasions, I do sleep with Emerson. Like the day before he goes to his dads for the weekends. It’s just a little bonding experience for us. We giggle, look at the stars on his ceiling, and it genuinely is a loving, sweet experience. 🙂

  17. girl says:

    Co-sleeping is not dangerous with babies of any age. There are oodles of resources online for safe bed-sharing with an infant. It it isn’t for you, it isn’t for you, though but co-sleeping is actually quite beneficial to mama and baby.

    Human beings have been sleeping in the same area as their childen from birth onwards for centuries and centuries. There are contraindications like parents being on medication that may make them sleep deeper than normal (sleeping pills, pain medication, etc.), parental obesity, unsafe bedding, etc.

    I can see how it may make some parents nervous and it is up to every family to decide what works for them.

    Good for her her plan. It sounds like she is reading and researching what she believes to be the best for her family. It sounds like she is living the principles she advances, unlike a lot of celebrities.

    Hippy mamas are awesome.

  18. nope says:

    Bluhare, the spoiler protection might be for the international audience. Shows are usually delayed a season or two before they’re aired in other countries. It could also simply be for people who watch the show on DVD, and would also be behind in the story line.

  19. Darlene says:

    I did Bradley method, but studied Hypnobirth. My daughter was 9lbs 11oz and I delivered her at a birthing center with a midwife. I love hearing her birth plan. Aside from the nanny (I WISH!!) I really relate to everything she’s done/planning to do.

  20. LeeLoo says:

    I always liked Emily and Bones. I have a friend who is a total granola mom (or hippy mom) and she trained to be a midwife. When/if I start having babies I would love to try it with a midwife but I have endometriosis so I may not be able to do it that way. But I am very pro-midwifery because I think hospitals should be reserved for high risk patients and easier births can/should be done from home to save room in the hospitals for emergency birth cases. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years without being in a hospital and all of the medical interventions they have now, so why do we all of the sudden need every single interventions the doctors say that we do?

  21. Leigh says:

    You’re so right. She’s not preachy about any of it. I love it.

    Some of the commenters on here on the other hand..

    People should do what their comfy with and what works for them! Having and raising babies is hard! Everyone should do what works for them. I respect all (most) mamas for just being good, solid, functioning parents.

  22. layla says:

    I’m not sure how I feel about Bones and Booth … Ummm…. SPOILER ….. being together.

    I really like the whole “tension/wrong timing/could have been/what if/will they” dynamic.

  23. Samigirl says:

    @17-I can’t see your name…Co-Sleeping with VERY young infants IS incredibly dangerous, regardless of how much information you study online. I personally know a couple who couldn’t afford a crib, so they slept their baby with them. The 3rd night they were home from the hospital, the father rolled over and the baby and the baby was smothered to death. This isn’t the only case of it, either. It happens more frequently than you think.

  24. Enny says:

    They do sell co-sleepers, little beds for newborns similar to bassinettes, but they attach to your bed. They are sleeping next to you but are also protected from any dangers. Maybe that’s what she meant.

  25. Aries_Mira says:

    She’s doing what she feels is right for herself, her baby and her family. Good for her! I did not do hypno-birthing with my little one, but I did do it naturally. I did nurse until she was 17 months, but the one thing I could not do (because it scared me beyond reason) was co-sleeping. I was terrified that in my exhausted state in those first few weeks I would roll onto her, or that my husband would, and we would smother her. I just couldn’t get that thought out of my head. We had her bassinet right next to the bed, so I could nurse her every hour or two during the night. Worked for us! I do have friends who have co-slept though, and even though they adamantly enjoyed it, getting their little ones into their own beds at an older age was a brutal battle.

  26. Jane says:

    I’d never use a midwife to deliver my child. There are just too many tragic stories about babies that would have survived at birth had there been the correct medical proceedures taking place. Of course there are those who will say “well I used a midwife and it went well” etc but why take the risk? no matter how small I don’t think it’s worth it. In my opinion anyway. I was born in a hosipital and no matter how much people mention the risk of drugs and clinicalness of it I turned out fine!

  27. Isa says:

    Emily can probably afford one of those awesome co-sleeper things that attach to the side of your bed. You can even get a co sleeper that is put in your bed. It has edges that you would roll into that would keep the baby safe.
    My three year old is still in our bed. I love it. It has taken a toll on our sex life though. My aunt even asked me how I got pregnant with a three year old in bed. Embarrassed me, but I had to tell her the bed isn’t the only place you can have sex!
    As for hospitals, I can see how some people don’t like them. But I have no fear of them. I think every woman should be able to give birth the way they want to within reason. I know the argument I always hear is that women have been doing it for years without doctors or hospitals but many babies and mothers have been saved because of them. At the same time, I do feel that too many interventions are done these days. And my recent c-section reaffirms my believe that women who have an elective c-section are crazy. Okay, about 95% of them. 🙂

  28. Luna says:

    @Samigirl et al,
    Co-sleeping is NOT incredibly dangerous, if you do it right. Everyone has anecdotal stories about babies smothering while sleeping with a parent. You NEVER hear of a co-sleeping accident with a sober, not morbidly obese mother. The baby isn’t supposed to sleep beside the father. You can’t drink before going to bed with baby. You can’t take Ambien or get high or take benadryl. The instinct NOT to roll on your baby, as a mother, is as strong as the instinct not to roll out of bed. Stronger. Like anything else with a tiny baby, there are precautions. But I’m so tired of hearing “oh my GOD YOU CAN’T CO-SLEEP because I have a friend of a friend of a cousin who heard that someone ROLLED OVER on his baby and yeah, he had been drinking but it’s SOOO DANGEROUS!” Bullsh#t. I’ve co-slept with all of my kids for the past 10 years, am pregnant with my fourth and will very much co-sleep with him. It’s how we evolved and survived as a species, and anecdotal tales of baby demise do not prove anything, except that people are careless.

  29. MD says:

    “David will be with me, and also a doula.” -I was like, which David, Em? LOL of course I know which one. Emily is def easy to like, and she’s so unbelievably humble. David Hornsby is one lucky fellow. Bones Season 7 here we come!

  30. atlantapug says:

    I’m all for being the kind of mother you want to be. Bottle/breast, cosleep/crib, don’t care.
    I do think it’s funny that hypnobirthing mothers really believe it won’t hurt. Ha!!! It’s always the first timers preaching about the hypnobirthing, never the ones with 3 or 4.
    Good luck with that Emily, you’ll need it.

  31. Goofpuff says:

    Cosleeping is safe as long as you take the proper precautions and know how you sleep. The cosleeper beds are the best bet because you can’t roll over them that way.

  32. Layzo says:

    @samigirl…. while co-sleeping might not have worked for you. It works well for the rest of the world 😉 I personally love co-sleeping. We co-sleep with our 3 1/2 year old and 1 year old. And your claim about dangers of co-sleeping is very misleading and wrong. Crib deaths are more common than co-sleeping deaths. Here’s some links

    http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/scientific-benefits-co-sleeping
    http://thebabybond.com/Cosleeping&SIDSFactSheet.html
    http://www.healthychild.com/co-sleeping/does-co-sleeping-lead-to-sids/

    Love that she stuck through her veganism. This is one thing I utterly failed at several times. I love the idea of hypno birthing but bring me the epidural as well. Had epi both times and had a normal delivery with very healthy babies.