Nutrition
ESSENTIAL DAILY NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN Good nutrition is a fundamental part of a healthy life-style. It is essential if you are planning to become pregnant. If you need more information regarding the right foods and proper amounts for a healthy pregnancy check The BlueRibbonBaby.org site, an online archive of Dr. Brewer’s lifetime work. (NOTE: BlueRibbonBaby.org has been down for awhile. In the mean time you can find Dr. Brewer's information HERE and in other websites) There is a check list for each Plan: Basic, Lacto-Ovo and Vegan, plus a supplemental list for Multiples. Shop HERE for the supplements I use and recommend. Preparing the Perineal Tissues Prenatally, a well balanced diet of enough proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables and very little refined foods is critical to the integrity of the perineal muscles and tissues. Well hydrated and oxygenated tissues promote elasticity and quick healing. Women should drink a minimum of eight glasses of filtered water a day. Adequate fat intake is also important for skin suppleness and elasticity. Supplemental alfalfa tablets contain vitamins A, B-12 and D as well as calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin E (200-400 IU) taken daily with foods or drink containing fat will aid in the absorption. Also, daily intake of vitamin C (1000-2000 mg) will help circulation and tissue elasticity. Red raspberry tea is wonderful for relaxing and helping the entire pubococcygeal area to be supple, especially toward the end of pregnancy. Greater oxygenation of tissues is not only accomplished by diet, but with exercise by increasing circulation. Athletes train their bodies and prepare the appropriate muscles for their athletic event. The pubococcygeal muscles need to be toned and exercised as well. These muscles, also known as the pelvic floor muscles, form a hammock to support all the woman's internal organs and surround the urethra, vagina and rectum. The toning of the pelvic floor enhances its integrity for life and will help prevent sagging organs later in life. Walking, squatting, duck walking, pelvic rocks, tailor sitting, kegels and swimming are all useful exercises. -Renee Stein, "Perineal Tears," Midwifery Today Issue No. 33
Both the mother and father to be need to be healthy to provide strong genetic material for the child-to-be and a healthy womb to grow into.
FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS
Organic foods are best for you and your baby. The average American takes in nearly a gallon of pesticides per year by eating conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.
300 different chemicals are sprayed on 95% of the crops in the United States every year.
Dr. Thomas Brewer advocated a simple regimen of good nutrition to prevent and in some cases even reverse a host of common complications of pregnancy, including toxemia, low birth weight, prematurity, and preterm labor.
His prescription is so simple it has been largely ignored and even suppressed by the modern medical community, but has been proven time and again, over literally centuries of recorded medical history, and fifty-plus years of scientific research.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Download a chart of the most important nutrients for you and your baby, benefits, up to date optimal doses and the best food sources.
Road Map to Womb Parenting - Nutrition is one aspect of conscious parenting, in this PDF you'll find a checklist to help you assess your physical, mental and spiritual needs for successful Womb Parenting (early parenting). It also addresses the health of the baby's father.
**This information is for educational purposes only. Check with your midwife or doctor before adding supplements to your diet.