Wondering if you should see a prenatal dietitian? If you've got questions such
as 'what does a prenatal dietitian do' or 'how can a prenatal dietitian help me' listen in.
I'll answer all these questions and more in this episode of Nourish!
Hello! My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a pre and postnatal dietitian. A prenatal dietitian
is simply a dietitian who works with mummas during pregnancy. The term antenatal is used instead of
prenatal in some countries and means exactly the same thing. Postnatal, simply means after birth.
In this episode, I'm going to discuss 10 signs that you should see a prenatal dietitian.
But to be honest, I think every pregnant mumma should see one. There's 3 reasons that I say this.
1. What you eat during pregnancy will impact the genetic programming of your baby - Yes,
your baby will get his or her genes from you and your partner. But, those genes are
programmed during pregnancy and early life to determine your baby's lifelong immunity,
learning abilities and health. Nutrition has one of the biggest impacts on the programming
of your baby's genes. Incredible, isn't it?!
2. It's hard to eat well during pregnancy. Think about it...
morning sickness, exhaustion, reflux.. it's difficult to eat well when you feel miserable.
And on top of all that, your dietary requirements continually change throughout your pregnancy.
For example, did you know that although folic acid is essential to reduce the risk of Neural Tube
Defects in the first trimester of pregnancy, high levels of folic acid later in pregnancy
has been associated with increased risks of autism in baby's? An interesting study found that 61%
of mumma's questioned thought they were eating a healthy and balanced diet.
However, when the researchers analysed the mumma's dietary intakes, they found that not one met the
recommended requirements for pregnancy. It really is a difficult time to eat well.
3. You and your baby's needs are unique - in addition to everything we have discussed
every mumma and baby have their own unique requirements.
If I just think about a few of the mummas that I've worked with this week, one has had recurrent
miscarriages so minimising the risk of miscarriage is a priority for her, another one gained too much
weight during her last pregnancy so has come in for assistance this time around, another one
has been experiencing terrible bloating, whilst another one has a son with terrible allergies,
so wanted to see if there's anything she can eat during pregnancy to avoid this for her next baby
(and let me tell you..there is)
Everyone is different and everyone's requirements are unique.
So, what exactly does a prenatal dietitian do? Well, most prenatal dietitians will start with a
Nutrition Assessment. That's a consultation where we gather all of the unique information about you.
We'll ask questions around your pregnancy history, your medical history,
your lifestyle, how you're feeling and any symptoms that you may be experiencing,
your physical activity, your personal goals and concerns, nutritional supplements that
you're taking, and of course, your dietary intake. We'll also look at any blood tests
that you've had done, and may request your doctor to undertake some nutritional screens.
Once they've gathered all the data, your prenatal dietitian will formulate a plan on the best way
to support you. It may be that they recommend some changes to your diet or supplement regime,
they may write you a meal plan to guide you on what to eat,
or they may require some additional tests. They may also help you to set goals or educate you
on strategies to make your diet intake better. Prenatal dietitians have a
large toolkit of strategies to use depending upon what is best for you and your baby.
Pregnancy is the most important time in a woman's life to eat well. It's also the most
difficult time in a woman's life to eat well. Unfair, isn't it?! Although I believe that
every mumma-to-be should have a personalised consultation with a prenatal dietitian,
it is especially important if you meet any of the following criteria:
1. You have a high risk of developing gestational diabetes, or have been diagnosed with it already
2. You have dietary conditions such as Coeliac Disease,
diabetes or disordered eating to name just a few 3. You or your partner have a risk of allergies,
eczema or asthma 4. You were under or
over your healthiest weight when you conceived 5. You are gaining too much weight, too quickly,
or not enough.
6. You have unable to eat adequately due to nausea and vomiting
7. You are struggling with pregnancy dietary complications such as constipation, reflux
or recurrent Urinary Tract Infections 8. You've had recurrent miscarriages
9. You're having multiples 10. You are confused
about what you should be eating, the please make sure you book a consultation.
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments box below, and if you haven't done so
already, download my free pregnancy meal plan from
melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy. And, make sure you subscribe to receive my weekly dietary tips.
I'll see you in my next video!