Pregnancy Care & Birth Prep
Growing a mini human is one of life’s most nutritionally expensive endeavours!
It’s also the ‘ultimate stress test’ for a woman’s overall metabolic health, especially her thyroid gland.
Trimester-specific and customised support can help ensure nutritional requirements (for both mum and baby) are met, common pregnancy complaints are eased, and the risk of pregnancy complications is reduced.
Birth preparation helps to support and ready the body for the work of labour and birth. Be it a normal, physiological birth or a planned caesarean birth. Or anything in between.
It also provides the foundation for an optimal postpartum recovery, across all body systems.
Also see Postpartum Care.
How can a Naturopath help?
Assessment of your preconception and current pregnancy health
Guiding you through each trimester to ensure your nutritional needs for a healthy pregnancy are being met (through food and/or a personalised supplementation plan)
Blood test analysis; through an ‘optimal’ and functional lens
Blood and/or functional testing for a proactive approach and/or monitoring of specific issues (e.g. iron, Vit D, thyroid)
Providing pregnancy-safe herbal medicines and/or nutritional therapies, plus natural and practical steps to help ease common pregnancy symptoms (see below)
Providing education on the pillars of a healthy pregnancy, ie. adequate screening and testing, a nutritious diet and/or quality supplementation, a healthy metabolism, a healthy microbiome, a healthy lifestyle, a low-tox environment, healthy movement, and support for your mental and emotional well-being.
“The power of nutrition to influence health from one generation to the next is a fundamental concept that has transformed our understanding of health and disease. The health legacy of an individual is predetermined by a series of factors that occur long before birth and during the earliest days of life.”
Dr Irma Silva-Zolezzi
Areas of pregnancy support:
Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, constipation
Haemorrhoids, varicose veins, bleeding gums
Urinary tract infections, thrush, Group B Strep
Leg cramps, restless legs
Sleep disturbances, insomnia
Immune system health
Iron deficiency (including anaemia)
Mood support
Thyroid health
Gestational diabetes: prevention/support
Blood pressure
Cholestasis of pregnancy
PUPP of pregnancy
Preterm labour/uterine irritability
Birth preparation: to support a spontaneous and timely labour (and/or avoidance of a medical induction)
Postpartum planning: expectations/recovery
Products at the Mamawise Store
Pregnancy Herbal Teas
Padsicle Gel & Peri Spray
Postpartum Care Products
Postpartum Care Products
Clients receive 20% off the Mamawise products
Birth preparation
For centuries, traditional midwives and herbalists used herbal preparations throughout the pregnancy, birthing and postpartum periods. What an honour it is to continue this practice with women today.
Preparing for birth, from a naturopathic perspective involves optimising a mother’s nutritional status and supporting her body with specific herbal medicines.
Although a normal process, labour can definitely be an arduous journey for the mother. Ensuring she is both nutritionally replete and well prepared (physically and mentally) by the end of her pregnancy, will help her through this process. It also contributes to her recovery, no matter how her birth unfolds.
Throughout my 15 years of doula work, I have seen firsthand the difference this preparation can make to a woman’s stamina, resolve, and overall birth and postpartum experience.
“A healthy, stress free and full term pregnancy lays the foundation for a healthy baby, an uncomplicated birth,
and a positive start to
the breastfeeding relationship.”