Since seeing those two dark lines on a positive pregnancy test a few months ago, I\u2019ve learned that nearly everyone has an opinion on the dos and don\u2019ts of both prenatal and newborn care. From prenatal vitamins and exercises, to preparing for breastfeeding versus bottle feeding, to the merits of co-sleeping versus crib training, I\u2019ve found that loved ones and strangers alike are quick to share their advice on the best practices for moms and babies.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never is this more true than when it comes to what pregnant women eat. There are people who throw caution to the wind and proclaim, \u201cYou\u2019re pregnant\u2013now\u2019s your time to eat whatever you want!\u201d and others who warn against foods that seem totally innocuous, like pineapple, fresh mozzarella cheese, and lattes. And although this advice is usually well-intentioned, it\u2019s clear that our culture as a whole is unsure about what types of foods support a healthy pregnancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing is clear, though: A mother\u2019s nutrition during pregnancy has an impact on her baby\u2019s health and development [1]. But that still doesn\u2019t answer the burning questions: What should<\/em> expectant mothers eat? And perhaps more importantly, what should they not<\/em> eat? These questions have been on the minds of pregnant women for generations, and registered dietitian Lily Nichols seeks to answer them in Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian\/Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator. She\u2019s also the author of Real Food for Gestational Diabetes<\/em><\/a> <\/em>and Real Food for Fertility<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through her background in gestational diabetes research, Nichols observed how closely linked maternal prenatal nutrition is to the health of the baby in utero. She also found that recommended conventional prenatal diets lacked key nutrients critical to both the baby\u2019s development and a healthy pregnancy for mom. When Nichols experimented with a whole-foods approach to prenatal diet for women with gestational diabetes, the results were astounding: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUsing my real foods approach, we were able to cut in half <\/em>the number of women who required insulin or medication to manage their blood sugar. We also had excellent outcomes: healthier moms who didn\u2019t struggle with hunger or excessive weight gain; who had far lower rates of preeclampsia; and who had healthy babies who were born at a normal weight and with normal blood sugar levels.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nichols\u2019s findings inspired her to write her first book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes<\/em>.\u00a0Its success prompted Nichols to write a nutritional guide for pregnancy that appeals to all expectant mothers, not just those with gestational diabetes. Nichols\u2019s goal for Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> is twofold: For starters, she wants to clear up the many discrepancies surrounding optimal prenatal nutrition. Second, she wrote the book to provide an easy-to-follow guide for making the best food and lifestyle decisions during pregnancy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nichols says that expectant mothers who follow the conventional dietary guidelines laid out by most doctors and medical organizations are almost guaranteed to be deficient in key micro- and macro-nutrients during pregnancy, including protein, magnesium, folate, and B12. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nichols says that expectant mothers who follow the conventional dietary guidelines laid out by most doctors and medical organizations are almost guaranteed to be deficient in key micro- and macro-nutrients during pregnancy, including protein, magnesium, folate, and B12<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Nichols goes on to explain that through her research and writing, readers will learn which foods, nutrients, and lifestyle habits to embrace and why (and which ones to avoid) in order to be assured they\u2019re doing everything within their power to have a healthy pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the title implies, Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> is intended for expectant mothers. However, some would say that the best time for women to read the material is before<\/em> getting pregnant, because key nutrients like folate are most critical in the earliest stages of pregnancy before a woman may even know she is pregnant. Preconception nutrition education can help women improve their nutrient stores to ensure a healthy baby and pregnancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> is also a great read for expectant fathers. In many cases, men haven\u2019t considered what a healthy prenatal diet consists of, so this book provides soon-to-be dads with valuable insight into how their wives can nourish their bodies during this important time. What\u2019s more, some research<\/a> suggests that Dad\u2019s nutritional status plays a role in his offspring\u2019s health too [2]!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> is divided into twelve chapters. The first two chapters focus on the importance of eating real, minimally processed foods during pregnancy. After that, Nichols devotes four chapters to what specific foods and nutrients can help grow a healthy baby, along with examples of meal plans for an ideal day of prenatal eating. The book then focuses on common pregnancy complaints and how to remedy them through diet. In the final few chapters, Nichols shifts gears to discuss lab tests, exercising safely during pregnancy, avoiding toxins, mental health, and optimal postpartum care for mom and baby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nichols herself says she\u2019s aware of the vast number of prenatal nutrition guides on the market, which made her hesitant to write another one. But the problem is, most of the nutritional information out there for expectant mothers either lacks depth, or recommends a diet plan that leaves women deficient in nutrients that are essential for a mother and growing baby, including vitamin B12, folate, and choline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In many cases, a mom will leave her first prenatal appointment with a nutrition printout that says to avoid the usual suspects: alcohol, soft cheeses, deli meats, etc., and to take a prenatal vitamin\u2013and that’s the extent of her official prenatal dietary education. These conventional guidelines leave out valuable information that soon-to-be moms need to know when it comes to nutrition. Nichols\u2019s main focus in Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> is to remedy this lack of prenatal diet information by giving in-depth data on how to grow a healthy baby. As opposed to many OBGYNs, Nichols\u2019s breadth of knowledge on the topic of prenatal nutrition is hard to dispute \u2013 in fact, she provides a staggering 901 citations throughout the book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also unlike the conventional guidelines, Nichols\u2019s approach to diet in Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> centers around whole foods, meaning foods in their natural state, such as fruits, veggies, meat, eggs, and minimally-processed dairy products. Whereas many nutrition guides gloss over exactly what to consume during pregnancy, Nichols stresses the importance of eating a diet rich in a variety of whole, unprocessed foods like pasture-raised eggs, wild salmon, grass-fed meat, and organic local produce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many dietary guidelines for pregnant women offer a laundry list of all the foods to avoid, leaving expectant mothers wondering what on earth actually is<\/em> safe to eat. While there is a section of the book entitled Foods That Don\u2019t Build a Healthy Baby <\/em>in which Nichols gives evidence of the downfalls of consuming alcohol, too much caffeine, and highly processed seed oils among other foods, the bulk of the book\u2019s content centers around what whole foods are <\/em>beneficial to mom and baby, like eggs, liver, and dark leafy greens.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I appreciated most about Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> is the peace of mind it gave me, thanks to Nichols\u2019s meticulous research. With the barrage of competing information on pregnancy nutrition coming at expectant mothers from social media, doctors, and well-meaning friends and family, it can be difficult to determine which recommendations are actually sound. Nichols takes the guesswork out of prenatal nutrition for her readers through her vast research and in-depth analysis. In fact, there are over thirty pages<\/em> of citations at the end of the book (in small print, I might add!), making it clear that Nichols put in the hours to give the best possible recommendations to her pregnant readers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, I liked how Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> condensed lengthy studies into language that\u2019s easy to understand. Sometimes it\u2019s difficult to weed through data and medical research and arrive at a solid conclusion, so I appreciated that Nichols did the work and laid out the information in a way that\u2019s digestible for the casual reader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On a more personal note, I appreciated Nichols\u2019s insight on food aversions and cravings\u2013two things I struggled with during my first trimester. Thankfully, my morning sickness wasn\u2019t horrible, but I did have an aversion to meat and eggs\u2013two staples of my normal diet, and my top sources of protein most days. During that first trimester, I couldn\u2019t get enough bread and dairy, which made me feel guilty that I wasn\u2019t nourishing the growing baby inside of me as well as I should have been. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But the book\u2019s advice on cravings and aversions assuaged my fears: it actually told me to pay attention to them, as they could be evidence of nutrients in which my diet was lacking. The book goes on to recommend that expectant mothers struggling with food aversions and cravings simply try to eat the most nutrient-dense foods that they can stomach at that time. Reading this was a relief for me, as I was on a steady diet of sourdough toast, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and not much else at the time. Eventually I got past the food aversion stage\u2013just like the book assured me I would\u2013and I was able to more fully implement Nichols\u2019s dietary advice knowing I did the best I could during that shaky first trimester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I also enjoyed the sections that Nichols included on lifestyle recommendations during pregnancy, like exercise and stress management. Nichols also included an entire section of nourishing prenatal recipes in the book, which provided some much-needed inspiration for getting out of those meal-planning ruts we all find ourselves in from time to time. A personal favorite was her bone broth recipe, which is rich in magnesium, collagen, and protein, and is perfect to have on hand to sip on as a midday snack, or to use in recipes. It\u2019s also a great source of protein during the first trimester when your appetite might be sluggish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em>, Nichols included a section on common pregnancy complaints and how they relate to nutrition. I appreciated this section and referred to it a number of times, as I previously mentioned in regards to food aversions and cravings. My only issue is that the book didn\u2019t address more c<\/em>omplaints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, in my second trimester I began to have muscle problems, including leg cramps and restless legs. Of course, I was able to consult my midwife for advice, but I would have loved a section on muscle cramps in the book for more insight. Additionally, nutrition tips and information regarding headaches, swelling, and skin changes would have been helpful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nichols\u2019s main recommendation is to stick to a whole foods diet throughout pregnancy to ensure optimal nutrition for mom and baby. But with processed foods like cereals, soda, crackers, and energy bars so prevalent in the standard American diet, sometimes that can be easier said than done. Factor in food aversions and nausea during the first trimester, emotional eating during pregnancy, and overall exhaustion throughout all three trimesters, and suddenly the convenience of processed foods appears more and more appetizing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While eating a diet of real foods like Nichols recommends can seem daunting, many women find that it becomes easier once it\u2019s a habit. Over weeks and months of replacing processed snacks and meals with quality meat, fresh produce, and healthy grains, eating whole foods becomes easier and more enjoyable. Nichols makes the transition to real foods even easier with her meal plan recommendations and recipes in Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not to mention, a whole foods diet doesn\u2019t have to be all or nothing. No one would blame a pregnant woman (or anyone, for that matter) for indulging in the occasional onion ring or ice cream sundae. As long as real, whole foods make up the bulk of a pregnant woman\u2019s daily nutrients, she\u2019s more likely to have a healthy baby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n My verdict on Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em>?: Buy it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n The book is a must-have for any expectant mother or any woman who hopes to be pregnant in the future. Have your husband, mother, and close friends read it, too, so they can support your whole food journey during pregnancy by helping you meal plan and trying to incorporate more real foods into their diet alongside you. Nichols does an excellent job of laying out a practical, easy-to-read guide to help pregnant women nourish their bodies during a time when sound nutrition advice is most critical\u2013for themselves and for the baby in their womb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additional Reading:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Natural Womanhood Reviews: Real Food for Gestational Diabetes<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the author\u2019s background or credibility to teach on this topic?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em> widens Nichols\u2019 audience beyond mothers with GD<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Who is the intended audience of Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em>?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are the main content areas of Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em>?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What conventional nutritional guidelines lack<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Strengths of Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em><\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Nichols offered key insights on food aversions plus cravings<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
…plus lifestyle recommendations and recipes<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Limitations of Real Food for Pregnancy<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How practical are Nichols\u2019s suggestions for the average woman?<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
The verdict: Buy, borrow, or skip?<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n