Nourish yourself and your baby through every stage of your pregnancy
How do you take an active role in feeling good during pregnancy while feeling confident you're getting the proper nutrients to support your health and the development of your baby?
The way to nourish yourself and baby through every stage begins with these 3 pillars of pregnancy wellness:
1. Whole Food Nutrients
2. Safe Supplementation
3. Reduction of Toxin Exposure
Whole Food Nutrients
Ensuring optimal nutrients during pregnancy is crucial for your health as it not only supports the development of your child, but it safe guards you from becoming depleted. Our bodies are resourceful and they know to prioritize baby getting the necessary nutrients, which could mean you become depleted in key nutrients if you are not getting them from a combination of whole food nutrients and safe supplementation. Root vegetables, leafy greens, berries, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and also, liver for non vegan mama's are among my favorite foods in a pregnant mama's daily diet as they are among the most micro nutrient rich foods available. Find an in depth look into the benefits of liver and ideas for preparation on Lily Nichols, blog here .
"During pregnancy, the nutritional needs are higher; thus, adequate nutrition is essential to maintain fetal growth and development." NIH
Safe Supplementation
Safe supplementation enhances the nutrients you receive from your whole food diet. The top nutrients essential during pregnancy include:
Omega 3
Fruits & Veggies
Iron
Folic Acid
Probiotic
Minerals
Zinc and Vitamin C as needed to boost immune system
Let’s dive into each of these a bit more, what foods they are found in and when to supplement:
Omega 3's balance inflammation in your body while supporting brain and retinol development in your baby. You can get an adequate amount of Omega 3's if you are eating sardines, wild salmon, wild trout or macorol 4x a week. Or you can take a quality Omega 3 supplement. For a vegan diet you can supplement with Algae Omega + flax & Chia seed in your diet. "Adequate consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is vitally important during pregnancy as they are critical building blocks of the fetal brain and retina. Omega-3 fatty acids may also play a role in determining the length of gestation and in preventing perinatal depression." according to NIH.
Fruits & Veggies contain essential micronutrients which you can get by having 2-3 cups with each meal, 3 x a day. When this isn't possible, you can take a high quality organic fruit and veggie supplement.
Iron is needed especially by month 5 in pregnancy to prevent you from becoming anemic and for this, supplementation is recommended. Iron is also found in pumpkin seeds, beets, sesame seeds, leafy greens and also liver.
Folic Acid supports the babies development of brain and spine. This essential nutrient is best to supplement throughout pregnancy and can be begun 6 months before conception. The safest form is methyl folate or natural folate because 33% of the population can’t fully methylate folic acid which causes an undue burden on the mothers liver.
Probiotics to maintain gut health. Look for a non-dairy formula with higher levels of lactobacilli to promotes health in small intestine.
A multivitamin with minerals and vitamins including: iodine, selenium, iron, zinc, calcium, B-12 and magnesium, especially during the last 2 months of pregnancy. "In the second and third trimester of pregnancy, there is a reserve of nutrients in the fetus that can be utilized after birth; therefore, children present accelerated growth in the first two years of life (the child’s first 1000 days, being defined from conception until the second year of age). This phase is essential for development and growth and notably is a result of the offered nutritional standard; however, if such standards are insufficient, the child will have developmental deficits, including brain function [13]." according to NIH.
Boost Immune system with Zinc & Vitamin C, not herbs as they can push the body in ways that may not be best for pregnancy.
Choosing a high quality supplement is key to ensure you receive easy to absorb nutrients that are fresh, and free from fillers that reduce the cost of supplements and ultimately, efficacy. Look for supplements made by a company that is: GMP certified, conducts 3rd party testing for heavy metals, clinically studied dosages, organic & gluten and dairy free formula’s.
The supplement company that I use and recommend as it meets all of these standards as well as offering flexible options for supplementing, including capsules and powders that can be used for drinks, shakes or puddings is Equilife. The complete pregnancy protocol contains all of the above nutrients that go above and beyond to support the woman’s body from pre-conception through postpartum.
"In the second and third trimester of pregnancy, there is a reserve of nutrients in the fetus that can be utilized after birth; therefore, children present accelerated growth in the first two years of life (the child’s first 1000 days, being defined from conception until the second year of age). This phase is essential for development and growth and notably is a result of the offered nutritional standard; however, if such standards are insufficient, the child will have developmental deficits, including brain function [13]." according to NIH.
Environmental Toxin Exposure
There is an ever growing number of chemicals found in our daily environment and studies continue to support the ability for these to be transferred from mother to baby through the placenta and the long term health outcomes.
Today there are over 88,000 chemicals in our daily environment with the average home containing at least 62 toxic cancer causing chemicals.
A study by EWG found 230 industrial toxins in the unborn fetus which tells us that children are starting their lives with toxins coming from their mothers exposure to toxins during pregnancy. While many toxins are unavoidable, there are some key ways to reduce exposure to reduce the burden of toxins on you and your baby.
Top tips for reducing exposure to toxins:
1. Avoid BPA:
1. Skip plastic water bottles as you hydrate throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Choose glass or stainless steel
2. Reheat foods in glass or on a plate instead of plastic.
2. Improve indoor air quality in your home:
1. Switching to safer cleaning products
2. Add a HEPA filter to your vacuum
3. Add an air purifier to your home starting with the areas you spend the most time, likely your bedroom (think the time you sleep).
3. Avoid Phthalates:
1. Ditch synthetic fragrance- think candles, air fresheners, febreeze, laundry detergents, dryer sheets& perfumes.
4. Avoid over 1800 health comprising chemicals in personal care products:
1. Make the switch to clean skincare, makeup, bath, body, hair, and sunscreen. Our skin is our largest organ and the average woman is exposed to 168 chemicals from personal care products a day. The U.S. only bans 30 ingredients from being used in these products vs. 1,500 in Europe, which means products you’re using today may contain invisible toxins.
5. Avoid pesticides:
1. Shop organic for produce, dairy, eggs and nuts to reduce exposure to pesticides as studies have indicated that exposure to certain pesticides may cause cancers like leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Pesticides have also been linked to autism risk in infants and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and young teens.
6. Avoid Flame Retardants:
1. Flame retardants often coat carpets, mattresses and upholstered furniture. Look for options made without flame retardants when shopping for your nursery.
2. Be aware of Flame Retardants in baby car seats, pajamas, and strollers as well.
The good news is our bodies respond well when we decrease our exposure to toxins. One example of this is seen in a study by UC Berkeley. It found that by simply switching to safer personal care products, after just 3 days, a decreased level of chemicals including phthalates, parabens, oxybenzone, and triclosan by 25-45%! Source.
A nutrient rich diet with whole foods, supported with safe supplements and a reduction to environmental toxins is a trio that has been proven to offer the best health outcome for mothers and babies alike. If you would like nurturing support and a personalized pregnancy wellness plan incorporating each of these areas, then you may benefit from working with an Integrated Health Practitioner.
Who may benefit from working with an Integrated Health Practitioner:
Feeling sluggish and tired in your pregnancy and want to make sure you're getting the right nutrients for you and your baby?
Want to look back on this time and know you took an active role in feeling good throughout your pregnancy?
After weeks of feeling nausea and low energy, you're ready to replenish the nutrients you need so that you can enjoy your remaining weeks of pregnancy feeling good!
Knowing that hormones will fluctuate, you wonder what you can do to support your health and maintain balance.
Feel confident knowing you took an active role in your pregnancy and feel your best by working with an Integrated Health Practitioner. Sally Sauvignon is a certified Integrated Health Practitioner, bringing together Functional Medicine with Ayurvedic medicine to provide optimal mind/body support for mama's to be. Recommendations may include personalized whole food adjustments, prenatal supplements recommendations, support in lowering exposures to environmental toxins, at-home self care techniques and tools, mindset support and movement recommendations. Sally works with clients throughout pregnancy offering the Pregnancy Wellness package which includes 4 visits during key times during pregnancy or can work one on one as needed, as well as supports women during pre-conception to restore balance to the body and postpartum.
Schedule your 20 min consultation here.