Nutrition For Mums
It’s no secret – I came to work in Nutrition inspired by my Mum and her life journey in discovering what is important in health and wellness (read about her here)
Mum’s always amaze me – throughout the world, generation after generation, with their unconditional love and bond with their babes. But being a Mum (as wonderful as it is) is no doubt a toll on the body and mind!
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some Mama’s and their nutrition at different stages and I’ve absolutely loved it;
Pre-Conception Prep
So the first stage is pretty important and often forgotten – nutritionally speaking, we love to work with clients at least 3 months before they even decide to try get pregnant (even longer if you need to detox from anything major like heavy metals).
Preparing the body helps it get to an optimal state to take on the tolls of pregnancy and birth. It helps in terms of improving your chances of falling pregnant and reducing risks of pregnancy complications. Crucially, it can also support the baby’s health even at the egg stage!
I’ve been doing this myself for at least the past 12 months (CONFESSION: I’m a broody mofo)- making changes to my diet, lifestyle, sleep, alcohol intake, stress management, supplement regime, getting to grips with my cycle & what to eat at each stage etc. It can take some work but it’s so worth it. HOWEVER, we know that pregnancies aren’t always planned and sometimes people start to look at their health more seriously once they fall pregnant. This is absolutely fine and brings me onto stage 2…
Pregnancy Nutrition
Maintaining a healthy diet is so important in pregnancy. During this time, your body needs so many additional nutrients, vitamins and minerals – I mean, you’re GROWING A HUMAN. So you need all the building blocks for that – and the baby will take those nutrients wherever it can find them in the body if not from food – which can leave you majorly depleted.
In fact, you may need 350–500 extra calories each day during the second and third trimesters. A diet lacking in key nutrients may negatively affect the baby’s development. Furthermore, poor eating habits and excess weight gain may also increase your risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy or birth complications.
The food you eat is your baby’s main source of nourishment, so it’s critical to consume foods that are rich in nutrients. Proper nutrition can help promote your baby’s growth and development. Put simply, choosing healthy, nutritious foods will help ensure the health of you and your baby.
Now nobody is looking for a perfect pregnancy diet – that in itself can be added stress (which you DO NOT want) – but getting some guidelines and practical tips from a professional can be just what you need to navigate through all the pregnancy advice banded around out there
Post-Partum Support
So, you had the baby – Hurray! And ouch… your body has done a remarkable job so far, but it aint over yet! Post birth it is so important to replenish, re-nourish and repair.
Those early weeks are when your body is recovering from a huge, life-altering event. Your body has been through the ringer – during birth but also the 9 months previous. So, those postpartum weeks and months are particularly important in terms of nutrition.
Ensuring you’re feeding yourself can be a challenge at this stage, when everything is new and you’re getting to grips with feeding times and naps. But getting the right nutrition here can support your energy levels and help your body repair and replenish any nutrients that may have been depleted.
Now, there is a bit of a myth out there that a healthy diet also affects breastmilk quality – not so true. Your body is INCREDIBLE (but I’ve told you that a million times) and it’s designed to feed the baby no matter what – mother’s milk will provide for and protect baby even in times of hardship and famine.
That doesn’t mean nutrition isn’t important however. You are going through a life changing time – so getting a good balance is so key to help you mentally and physically. Time is precious when you’ve had a baby. The last thing you want to do is spend time cooking and preparing complicated meals, so helping clients to navigate this is essential.
Busy Mum Nutrition
Once you’ve got to grips with Mum-life, you’ve often put your baby before everything else – and sometimes you may have noticed things ‘slipping’ in terms of your own health. I’ve worked with a few mums at this stage who feel sluggish, hormonal and ready to get their health back on track.
Supporting Mums at this stage is great fun, because often you’re not just thinking about individual nutrition but that of a family. Many mum’s do the cooking and their kiddies eat whatever they do which is FABULOUS! Thinking of practical tips to fit in nutrient dense food across a busy jam-packed day can be tricky for parents but a great challenge for us Nutritionists!
