My previous vegan pregnancy post discussed eating a vegan diet during pregnancy. Now let’s talk more about specific nutrients you need.

Protein should be a focus in the diet of a vegan pregnant mama. If you eat three meals a day and two snacks, I suggest protein with every meal and at least one snack. However, if you eat four smaller meals a day, include protein at every one.

There are many vegan protein sources to choose from. Although there are good options — that include fibre, iron, folate, and choline, etc. — they’re a bit harder to digest than meat, fish and eggs.

Vegans also have increased iron needs because many vegan iron sources contain phytates — antioxidant compounds that bind to the iron and make it harder to absorb.  So I recommend a vegan prenatal multivitamin that also contains iron. See more about iron in pregnancy here.

Through a blood test, your healthcare provider can tell you if you need an iron supplement over and above what you get from food and your prenatal multivitamin.

Vegan diets are usually high in Vitamin C, which increases iron absorption. If you take a prenatal multivitamin and eat high iron foods throughout the day, I don’t recommend an iron supplement unless your healthcare provider recommends it.

Remember that both caffeine and calcium can negatively affect iron absorption.

Zinc is another important mineral during pregnancy. Vegan foods high in iron are typically also high in protein, zinc, folate and choline.

In pregnancy calcium needs don’t increase — your body absorbs calcium more efficiently.

Vegan diets often have low amounts of calcium. In addition, some vegan foods have phytates and oxalic acid that also affect calcium absorption. However, this is easy to remedy if sources of calcium are made a focus of the diet. Remember that caffeine can also affect calcium absorption.

Although many people meet their calcium needs with dairy, this is not the only way. Good sources of calcium include almonds, sesame seeds, fortified milk alternatives, blackstrap molasses, tofu (if calcium sulphate is listed in the ingredients), collards, figs, kale, turnip greens and broccoli.

Vegans, whether pregnant or not, most frequently ask if they’re getting enough vitamin B12, which typically comes from animal products. However, vegans can get it in fortified products such as red star nutritional yeast (be sure to check as not all nutritional yeast is fortified with B12), vegan meats and fortified milk alternatives.

I always recommend eating whole foods and avoiding packaged and processed foods as much as possible. So I point out that, although vegans can choose fortified foods to get their B12, these are all packaged foods.

However, using B12 fortified nutritional yeast is great because it is easy to add to foods that you are eating throughout the day.

To meet your needs with fortified foods you need to eat at least three fortified foods with B12 each day. A variety of B12 supplements are available. Depending on the dosage you choose, you may not need to take it every day. But don’t worry too much about getting more B12 than needed — you will just pee out any excess amount you take in.

That said, there’s no sense “peeing your money away” on unnecessary vitamins. So base your decisions on supplements on what you get from foods and what works with your lifestyle.

It’s a good idea for every future mother to boost stores of omega 3 before getting pregnant, and while you are pregnant it’s important to conserve them. This is especially important for vegans, who tend to have lower levels of DHA.

For this reason omega 3 is one of the most common supplements I recommend before, during and after pregnancy. Often it’s taken in the form of DHA, one component of omega 3.

Most omega 3 supplements are from fish sources, although you can find vegan forms made from micro-algae — the same source that gives fish their DHA. Taking the micro-algae form is a good option as it reduces concerns about mercury and other contamination.

There are vegan food sources available, including flax seeds (if they’re ground or in the oil form), chia and hemp seeds, and walnuts.

Omega 3 has another component, EPA, that is readily found in supplements. Both it and DHA are important to both mom and baby, although DHA tends to get the spotlight, as it helps in baby’s brain development.

Fish sources seem to be better absorbed and utilized by the body and there is also debate as to how much the foods listed above actually have in them. Our bodies actually convert plant sources of omega 3 to DHA and EPA, making them not as efficient sources of these fatty acid components.

Chia and hemp seeds also contain omega 6. North American diets tend to provide more omega 6, so it is important to ensure a ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in the range between 2:1- and 4:1. Many plant-based vegan oils contain omega 3, 6, and 9, making it even more important to think about the ratio of omega 6 and omega 3.

Some things also affect our body’s ability to make DHA. This includes trans fats — another reason to avoid processed and packaged foods. Alcohol and smoking also have negative effects.

In short, it is possible, with a little planning, to eat a healthy vegan diet during pregnancy.

If you have further questions, please contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian, at nf.nutrition@gmail.com


*This article originally appeared on The Birthing Site. For a list of references contact email above. 

A vegan diet is safe during both pregnancy and breastfeeding if it’s properly planned.

The key is balance. A well balanced diet – vegetarian, vegan or anything else – ensures you get the nutrients you need.

Nutrition is so important when you are providing all the nutritional needs for your baby. The key thing is to make sure your meals are balanced and provide the nutrition required to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

Often pregnancy prompts women to make healthy shifts in their eating habits. It’s also a great time for partners to start eating better. Adding a baby to the family means parents become their child’s role model, so having nine months to begin making changes can be a big help and create lasting effects.

Different stages of pregnancy require different nutrients.

During the first trimester of pregnancy you don’t need extra calories. Good nutrients to focus on are protein and iron. Pregnancy basically doubles your blood volume. All this extra blood means it’s important to get enough iron and protein.

You will need extra calories in the second and third trimester, and when breastfeeding. However, those extra calories don’t add up to a lot of food – only 300 to 400 calories a day. Don’t think of it as eating for two, but rather for the health of two!

During their second and third trimester many women eat four or five smaller meals a day instead of three large ones. This tends to work nicely with consuming those extra calories needed during these stages. But don’t choose convenience foods. Eating less packaged and processed foods and emphasizing whole foods is always the best choice.

Vegans and vegetarians especially need more iron during pregnancy. Some nutrients are also required in increased amounts. These are as follows, including some examples:

·      Carotenoids: yam, spinach, carrot, apricot, broccoli, and cantaloupe.

·      Folate: dried beans, avocado, lentils, sunflower seeds, peanuts, broccoli, asparagus, okra, spinach, Brussels                             sprouts, papaya.

·      Niacin (Vitmain B3): tempeh, portabello mushroom, pumpkin/squash seeds, peanuts, beans, lentils, green                                                     vegetables, and potato.

·      Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5): avocado, kale, broccoli, mushroom, beans and lentils.

·      Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): tempeh, nuts, and green vegetables.

·      Thiamin (Vitamin B1): oats, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds.

·      Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): nuts, lentils, potatoes, banana, chickpeas, yams, avocado, kale, and sunflower seeds.

·      Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): foods fortified with B12 including red star nutritional yeast, milk alternatives, veggie                                                     meats, and breakfast cereal.

·      Vitamin C: kiwi, pineapple, bell peppers, cauliflower, and kale.

·      Iodine: seaweed and iodine fortified salt (it is mandatory in Canada but optional in the UK and US).

·      Iron: spinach, swiss chard, dried beans and peas, lentils, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pinenuts, and hazelnuts.

·      Magnesium: lentils, dried beans, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin/squash seeds.

·      Zinc: dried beans and peas, lentils, pumpkin/squash seeds, cashews, peanuts, quinoa, tahini, and mushrooms.

 
Note that you don’t need extra calcium and vitamins D and K. However, it is important to be getting good sources of these in your diet.

Although food is the best source of the nutrients you need, it’s not always possible to get enough. So I recommend a prenatal multivitamin. Vegan prenatal multivitamins are available.

It’s a good idea for all pregnant women, not just vegans, to take these prenatal multivitamins. And I stress again that a balanced vegan diet during pregnancy can be a very healthy way to keep both mom and baby as healthy as possible.

I will have more advice on how to ensure you get specific nutrients for a vegan pregnancy in part two of this series.


If you have questions about how to eat a vegan diet in pregnancy or to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need talk to Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

*This article was originally found on The Birthing Site. For a list of references, contact the email above.

Say the word iron and everyone has an opinion on it. Not only that, but it seems the recommendations keep changing as well. During pregnancy, feeling tired is very common. However, just because you feel tired does not mean that I would recommend taking an iron supplement.

Years ago, health care providers recommended anyone who was pregnant take an iron supplement. Now, as newer research comes out, it appears that it’s actually beneficial when women become slightly anemic in pregnancy.

I recommend that you get your health care provider to check your iron status through blood work and, depending on the results, take an iron supplement only if needed and recommended to do so.

Iron is a mineral that is very important for all of us. We need iron to help us grow and develop properly. Iron is what our bodies use to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps carry oxygen throughout our bodies and is found in red blood cells. When someone doesn’t have enough hemoglobin they can develop iron deficiency anemia.

Eating iron-rich foods helps maintain your iron status in pregnancy, and this is typically much gentler on the body.

Some examples of iron-rich foods include: dark green leafy vegetables, protein foods including meat, clams, oysters, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils, seaweed and kelp, blackstrap molasses, quinoa, green peas, potatoes (with the skin), oats and eggs.

There are two types of iron that you can find in food- heme and non-heme. Heme iron absorbs better in your body and is found in meat, seafood, poultry and fish. But non-heme iron is also beneficial. And the foods where it is found – beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, eggs and whole grains – have other essential nutrients.

Cooking in cast-iron is another great way to increase your iron intake.

In addition to eating iron-rich foods, eating sources of Vitamin C is helpful for increasing iron absorption. So eat iron-rich foods along with foods that are high in Vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables are a great source of Vitamin C. In fact, some of the best sources include bell peppers (any colour), broccoli, kiwi, strawberries, citrus fruit, and papaya to name a few.

Be aware that caffeine, oxalic acid (in things like spinach, rhubarb, tomatoes, chocolate) and calcium can stop iron absorbing into your body. So avoid having coffee or tea or glasses of milk with all of your meals. It’s also important to note that the iron in your prenatal multivitamin, which typically also contains calcium doesn’t have a great absorption. However, I do still recommend taking a prenatal multivitamin just to cover your base.

In addition to iron-rich foods, some pregnant women use herbs to increase their iron stores. Here are a few herbs often used this way.

Stinging Nettle- Urtica dioica

This is a great nourishing tonic. Nettle actually has more chlorophyll than any other herb, as well as calcium, phosphorous, potassium, iron, sulphur, and Vitamins A, C, D and K. It’s a great herb to nourish both mother and baby.

Stinging Nettle’s other benefits include:

• nourishing and strengthening the kidneys, which are vulnerable during pregnancy because blood volume increases and   creates more work for the kidneys.

• helping with muscle spasms, including those in the uterus and leg cramps.

• easing pain during and after birth.

• preventing hemorrhages after birth and increasing hemoglobin.

• reducing hemorrhoids.

• tightening and strengthening blood vessels, thanks to its mildly astringent qualities.

• bolstering the hormonal system.

• increasing fertility in both men and women.

You can drink one cup of the tea twice a day. I recommend organic nettle to make the tea. Or you can take this herb as a tincture or capsules. Whatever your choice, it’s important to discuss what you are taking with your health care provider.

Note: Some moms take Red Raspberry leaf (see article here) until the baby is born, then switch to Stinging Nettle. Some take alternate weeks of Nettle and Raspberry. Others combine the two. You can choose what seems best for you, so listen to your instincts.

Yellow Dock Root- Rumex species

 This is a great absorbable, non-constipating iron source. Yellow Dock is commonly used to help replenish hemoglobin after a hemorrhage, and can be used as a decoction, syrup or tincture.

To prevent anemia, use 25-40 drops of the tincture every day or one tablespoon of the decoction. If you use this when you have anemia, take 25-40 drops of the tincture three times a day or one tablespoon of the decoction three times a day. Be sure to discuss what you are taking with your health care provider.

Chlorella- the emerald alga

This has iron-building nutrients, including chlorophyll. Chlorella has protein as well as the B Vitamins, Vitamins C and E, and many minerals including iron and zinc. If using Chlorella follow the directions on the container. I recommend starting with a small amount and increasing to the level either recommended on the container or by your health care provider.

As you can see, we have touched on a few different ways to increase your iron stores in pregnancy. Overall, focusing on increasing foods high in iron and Vitamin C during pregnancy can be a very easy and healthy way to maintain your iron stores.

Are you interested in knowing how much iron you are getting from your foods? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future Nutrition’s Registered Dietitian and Chartered Herbalist for more information at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

For those who are pregnant and suffering from heartburn it can be not only miserable, but also debilitating. For some it comes and goes, for others it is constant. Heartburn can become more of an issue the further along you are in your pregnancy. As the baby gets bigger there is less room for your stomach and this can lead to more complaints of heartburn in the third trimester.

Often in groups, when we move onto the topic of heartburn, participants ask me how they would know if they have heartburn – and someone in the group always pipes up “trust me, you would know.”

In pregnancy your body is flooded with a hormone called relaxin. This is great because it helps our bodies prepare for labour. However, it also relaxes a muscle we have between our esophagus and stomach called a sphincter, leaving it slightly open during pregnancy. This allows stomach acid and other contents to travel back up our esophagus causing that burning sensation we know as heartburn.

Here are some tips for dealing with heartburn in pregnancy:

·      Eat 4-5 smaller meals a day. Less food in your stomach at once can help prevent it coming back up your 
       esophagus.

·      Make sure you aren’t wearing overly tight fitting clothing, including a bra that is too tight.

·      Notice if caffeine or chocolate are making the heartburn worse. If they bother you avoid them.

·      Pay attention after brushing your teeth. Does your heartburn get worse? If you are using a mint-flavoured 
       toothpaste try switching to another flavour such as cinnamon or anise.

·      Sit upright for a minimum of 45 minutes after eating. Avoid slouching.

·      Try separating solids and liquids at meal times. Have drinks away from meals; before or after you eat, whichever 
       works best for you.

·      Get some activity in your day. Even slowly walking around can help.

·      Notice if acidic foods bother you and avoid them only if they do.

·      Notice if spicy foods bother you and avoid them only if they do.

·      Try using a calcium carbonate liquid to help ease symptoms.

·      Try drinking milk to help ease symptoms.

If you are suffering from heartburn be sure to discuss it with your healthcare provider. You don’t need to just suffer through.

Wondering how to make changes in your diet to help ease heartburn? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

Are you looking for natural remedies that are safe to use before, during and after pregnancy? It can be very confusing and overwhelming to try to figure it all out.

Have you ever heard of Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus)? This is a common herb that many people hear about when they are pregnant. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about this herb.

1. Who can take Red Raspberry Leaf?

In general, red raspberry leaf is safe for most women. However, it is always best to check with your health care provider and always be open with them about what medications, supplements, vitamins and herbs you are taking. Some professionals will not recommend this herb if there is high risk of preterm labor or miscarriage. Red raspberry leaf is also helpful for any woman at any time, particularly around menses. 


2. What are the benefits of taking Red Raspberry Leaf?

- Reducing and preventing hemorrhages after delivery

- Helping tone the uterus and all of the muscles in region of the pelvis

- Assisting with delivery of the baby by sustaining labour as well as helping

with the ease of labour

- Helping to alleviate after pains

- If used with other herbs it can improve fertility

- Source of Calcium

- If mixed with flax seed in an infusion it can be helpful for constipation.

- For some people it can be very helpful with nausea.

3. When do most people use Red Raspberry Leaf?

It is safe to use all through pregnancy. Most people use this herb in their last trimester of pregnancy and in labour. People will also use it after they have had the baby (postpartum) to help with healing after the birth.

4. Where can you get Red Raspberry Leaf?

Health food stores in your area should have Red Raspberry Leaf. Herbalists and Naturopaths may also have this herb. Be careful when buying a tincture because a tincture can have alcohol in it and it is important to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.

5. How can you use Red Raspberry Leaf?

Red Raspberry Leaf can be used as a tea or as an infusion. If you are using the fresh herb a good ratio is 1 ounce of leaves to 1 pint of boiling water. An infusion is a preparation where water (either boiling hot or sometimes cold) is poured on the herb and the herb is then allowed to infuse. You can substitute Red Raspberry Leaf tea for caffeinated tea and coffee in pregnancy. You can also make ice chips from the infusion. This can be especially useful during labour.

For more information on nutrition and herbs contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian and Chartered Herbalist at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

More and more research is showing that what we eat while we are pregnant is affecting our baby- be it the nutrition they are receiving, their preferences later on in life, being open to trying different tastes and flavours, or even maintaining health and preventing different chronic diseases. But what about if you are trying to conceive? Is nutrition important then? Absolutely! Often we don’t even know that we are pregnant in the beginning of a pregnancy and this can be a key time for many nutrients, including folic acid. If our bodies are prepared ahead of time we are at a much better starting point for not only getting pregnant, but also maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and having more energy for labour and delivery. Your starting point can also affect healing and recovery postpartum, breastfeeding and even having energy to raise your family.

Nutrition is such a key component for all of these areas of our lives and it is never too late to think about and make changes in the way you eat, whichever stage you are currently in. The key is to start with small realistic changes and to start the changes today!

Need help making changes in your life, whichever stage you are in? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian.