
01 Mar Should I See a Nutritionist While Pregnant?
During pregnancy, our bodies take on a life of their own. Some women feel surges of energy, while others simply feel rotten. Seeing a nutritionist during pregnancy can be an incredibly beneficial step for both you and your developing baby. Proper nutrition during pregnancy is essential to reduce risks of complications during pregnancy and birth, as well as for the growth and development of your baby.
Here are some risks associated with poor nutrition during pregnancy:
Low birth weight
Preterm delivery
Neural tube defects
Developmental delays
Increased risk of infection
With a nutrition plan individualized for your needs, you can ensure you’re getting the essential vitamins and nutrients to support your developing baby’s needs (as well as your own) for healthy development. By working with a prenatal nutritionist, you can make important modifications to your diet. These modifications depend on your stage of pregnancy (fertility and conception, prenatal nutrition, postpartum, breastfeeding, and more).
Folic acid: helps prevent neural tube defects
Iron: essential for healthy blood cell production
Calcium: important for healthy bone and teeth development
Omega-3 fatty acids: important for brain and eye development
Protein: important for fetal growth and development
Because our bodies have such unique needs during pregnancy, seeing a registered dietitian nutritionist, a specialist in pregnancy nutrition, has many benefits.
Receive personalized nutrition recommendations: an expert prenatal nutritionist can create a customized meal plan based on your individual needs, stage in pregnancy, postpartum nutrition needs, and food preferences
Manage pregnancy weight gain: a nutritionist can help you manage your weight gain during pregnancy, which is important for both you and your baby’s health.
Prevent, or manage, gestational diabetes: if you develop gestational diabetes, a nutritionist can help you manage your blood sugar levels through diet and lifestyle changes, hopefully avoiding the need for medications.
Address food aversions and cravings: a nutritionist can help you find healthy alternatives to the foods you’re avoiding or craving.
Prepare for breastfeeding: a breastfeeding nutrition coach can provide guidance on how to optimize your diet for breastfeeding, ensuring you’re getting the calories and liquids you need
Seeing a nutritionist during pregnancy can be an important step in ensuring a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Your prenatal dietitian will develop individualized meal plans, monitor your weight gain, help you manage gestational diabetes, address food aversions and cravings, and prepare you for breastfeeding. A lifetime of health begins with nutrition. I look forward to working with you.