THE BEST PREGNANCY POSSIBLE... NATURALLY!
By Shannon Taylor, Naturopathic Doctor and Doula

The best pregnancy possible starts 3 to 6 months before you start trying to conceive with a “pre-conception” plan that will maximize your health and fertility.

• Detox:  A whole body cleanse is a good idea before getting pregnant.  Women store many toxins in body fat, which may be transferred to the baby during gestation and breastfeeding.  Make sure that you consult a qualified health practitioner and never undergo a detox during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  
  
• Whole foods diet:  Focus on whole grains, fruits and vegetables and lean sources of protein.  Avoid too many processed foods, “fast foods” and refined foods high in calories and sugar and low in nutritional value.
  
  
• Maintain a healthy body weight:  Women need to maintain a healthy body weight in order to achieve the proper hormonal balance.  Optimally, body fat should be 17-24%.  Being both overweight and underweight can cause hormonal changes that prevent ovulation.
  
  
• Start taking a high quality multivitamin and mineral supplement:  For women, folic acid is especially important to prevent spinal abnormalities.  Men can supplement with vitamin C and zinc to enhance fertility.
  
  
• Limit caffeine and alcohol and stop smoking:  Studies on safe amounts of caffeine and alcohol are not consistent, so it is best to avoid any potential toxins or stimulants.  Frequent consumption of alcohol, even in small amounts, can also decrease male fertility by reducing testosterone levels.
  
  
• Exercise: If you are sedentary, now is a good time to change that.  Exercise will give you a number of benefits such as efficient cardiovascular system, toned muscles, relaxation and very gentle detoxification.  All of these effects will help prevent some common complications related to pregnancy.

During your pregnancy, continue to focus on a healthy, active lifestyle based on good nutrition, gentle exercise and mental-emotional wellness techniques like relaxation and stress management.

Diet:

• Maximize live, whole fresh, organic, home-cooked foods.
• Eat healthy fats, mono or poly-unsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil and flax seed oil.
  
  
• Eat sufficient protein (healthy choices are: fish, chicken, turkey, extra-lean cuts of beef or ham, tofu, egg whites and low fat dairy products).  Eat more fish, especially: salmon, halibut, haddock, cod, sole, herring, sardines and trout. Due to concerns about possible mercury levels in even low mercury content fish, do not eat more than 12ozs or 340gms of fish in a week.
  
  
• Eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.
  
  
• Drink water mostly away from meals (water tends to dilute digestive juices in the stomach, which results in improper digestion).
  
  
• Supplements:  A prenatal vitamin/mineral supplements, calcium supplement and a purified fish oil supplement high in DHA support your body’s nutritional needs and are important for the optimal growth and brain development of your baby.  Consult your naturopathic doctor, midwife or OB for dosage recommendations.

Exercise and relaxation in pregnancy:

• Exercise during pregnancy can: enhance your self-esteem, increase energy, improve sleep, decrease backache, decrease problems with varicose veins, decrease water retention, improve posture, decrease labor and pregnancy related complications, and shorten labor and aid in a quicker postpartum recovery. 
  
  
• There are however certain conditions in which exercise is not recommended.  Therefore, it is best to consult your medical or naturopathic doctor for safe exercise guidelines.
  
  
• Relaxation is also very important during pregnancy.  If the mother is relaxing, the baby will be relaxing and developing properly.  Consider: massage, meditation, prayer, calming music, doing your hobby…whatever brings you joy, laughter, fun or a sense of wellbeing.

Other ways to enhance your pregnancy:

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