If you’re pregnant, chances are that you are struggling to keep up with what’s safe to eat or do and what’s not. You probably don’t know that protein is essential and should be an absolute minimum of 75 g per day for the health of your pregnancy. You may have heard certain foods or supplements can help relieve or prevent morning sickness, others may cause digestive issues…but it’s hard to know what’s evidence-based.

So much emphasis is placed on the first trimester, but the 2nd and 3rd trimesters come with their own considerations. Evidence shows that nutrition in the later stages of pregnancy can even help minimize risk for postpartum depression.

Whether you need to navigate a condition like gestational diabetes, or you just want to make sure you’re taking the best prenatal vitamin and making nourishing dietary choices, I would love to help you make the best choices for your unique needs to set you and your baby up for the best health possible.

Recovering from childbirth and adjusting to your new life is an intense time with increased nutritional needs. There are many different factors that all influence your needs during this time. If you had a c-section birth, for example, your body is recovering from a major surgery, and protein needs double during this time.

Breastfeeding comes with it’s own unique nutrition requirements. There is so much focus in conventional medicine about what to cut out or limit from your diet—alcohol, caffeine, medications, etc. What you might not know is that your needs for several vitamins and minerals—and even overall calories—are even higher now than they were during pregnancy.

Your diet also affects the quality of your breastmilk. While the ratio of protein, fats, and carbohydrates remains constant regardless of diet, the type of fat (saturated vs. unsaturated) actually fluctuates based on what you eat. There is also some evidence that the flavors of your food are in your breastmilk as the initial programming for your baby’s tastebuds!

Did you know that how we introduce foods to babies can have lasting impacts, and can even contribute to picky eating or overeating? Baby-led weaning—skipping the pureed baby foods—is a great way to broaden your baby’s palate from the start. It can be scary to do though, so if you’re looking for someone to guide you through this process, I’d love to help out!

Food allergies and picky eating are extremely common in young children. With everything else you’re balancing as a parent, sometimes you need a source of reliable information, support, and new ideas.