All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.
Written by Dr. Suuzi Hazen, June 2020, edited March 2024
NUTRITION
liver pills (6-12 day)
cod liver oil (1/2 tsp while pregnant, 1 tsp while nursing)
grass fed butter (just a normal amount with food)
raw milk (you can take sips of it throughout the day to help with morning sickness)
bone broth
herbal tea for deep hydration (any gentle blend you like)
100 g of protein (from meat and dairy) per day.
1/2 cup of beans with each meal daily. This will provide all the folate you need and also give you amazing elimination during your pregnancy.
Get lots of vitamin C. Favorite sources are oranges, orange juice, berries, cooked broccoli, well-cooked leafy greens, and other seasonal fruits. This helps provide energy and elasticity to the tissues for birth and postpartum recovery.
Sauerkraut and pickles are amazing for morning sickness. Keep pickles with you and take some nibbles every time you feel nausea. Add apple cider vinegar to your water. (Morning sickness is all about low stomach acid, anything to gently boost the Ph of the stomach helps.) Ginger capsules or ginger tea with meals can do wonders for digestion. Do not eat too many salads. Raw veggies are hard on our stomach acid.
Eat a healthy, enjoyable whole-foods diet. Cooked vegetables. 4-5 ounces of meat or fish with each meal. Eat 3 healthy meals a day. Do not skip meals! If you don't feel hungry for breakfast, eat a small breakfast anyway. Your body will reward you with more energy in the afternoon.
Non-fat Greek yogurt is a cheat code for protein.
You do NOT need to "eat for two." This is a recipe for gaining too much body fat, which makes birth and postpartum hard. You DO NEED to focus on protein and whole foods. Avoid cake, cookies, chocolate and ice-cream, except for occasional treats. Make sure you're eating sufficient calories and protein. If you find yourself overeating sweets (especially after dinner), you probably need to eat a bigger breakfast and lunch.
I'm not a fan of prenatals. Synthetic vitamins are never well-tolerated by the body, and the folic acid is implicated in lip and tongue ties. All your nutritional needs can be covered by whole foods, liver and cod liver oil.
BODY
Walk daily - ideally about 7.5k steps. If you are sedentary, build up to this slowly. This will help immensely with labor.
If you were already exercising before pregnancy, continue with modifications up to delivery.
Dancing, swimming, weight training are amazing for the pregnant body.
Get chiropractic, massage, acupuncture or any other form of healing bodywork. If you can't afford it ask a friend for a foot or shoulder rub.
Loving intimacy with your child's father is so beautiful, and high progesterone levels make most women eager partners. Its a great way to bond during pregnancy.
Sleep: rise and fall with the sun. DO NOT GO ON YOUR PHONE AFTER DARK (even with the screen red-light shifted). Its terrible for your hormones and eyes. Use a lot of pillows to get comfy at night and take the strain off your lower back. A pillow to hug and one between the knees helps a lot.
Speaking of phones, for the love of all things good, do not go on your phone while you're nursing your newborn. If you're bored, get a stack of books from the library next to your nursing chair.
EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL
Treat yourself like an absolute queen! Avoid negativity in the news and media. Delete social media apps from your phone. Connect with real humans and nature, not screens.
Take a nap or rest daily.
Prioritize sleep at night. Rise and sleep with the sun. Avoid artificial light after dark. Use a gentle red-light based nightlight in your bathroom and bedroom.
Listen to positive affirmations. The Hypnobabies affirmations are amazing, as well as anything by Louise Hay.
Get help with childcare of older kids - even an hour with a neighbor can make a world of difference.
Warmly, Dr. Suuzi Hazen