Foundations of Pregnancy Nutrition

“A well-fed mother builds a strong baby and a strong crone. Good nutrition during the birthing years is not just an act of nourishment for the children and for your labors and births, it sets the stage for vibrant health after your birthing years are done.”

Your Pregnancy Nutrition: It’s About You, Too.

Pregnancy is a call inward. Your body becomes the soil from which your baby grows. What you feed yourself is what becomes their bones, their brain, their skin, their heart. But it’s not just for them—it’s for you, too.

Nourishing yourself is what keeps you strong, helps your skin and tissues stretch, and allows your mind to stay sharp and calm. And when the time comes for labor, a well-fed body bleeds less, tears less, and in the postpartum recovers faster, makes richer milk and tends less toward depression. Once your birthing time has concluded, those who have nourished themselves well and allowed their bodies time to rest and recover between pregnancies enter menopause with more vitality and reserves.

Clients will ask if their baby will be ok even if they had terrible morning sickness during the first trimester or beyond. I like to reassure them that babies are very effective parasites (not the kindest analogy, but highly accurate!). Babies are typically very good at taking what they need to grow, whether it is from the nutrients in your diet or from your bones, teeth, skin, hair, muscles, brain, etc… This type of depletion is described in many of the ancestral traditions; in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, it is described as the depletion of the mothers life force. We are designed to grow and birth babies even with an undernourished body, however, there are consequences often seen immediately, and for others down the road.

Core Beliefs About Food in Pregnancy

● You’re feeding two—but you are first.

● Food is medicine, and food is also fabric.

● You don’t have to be perfect.

● Cooked food is queen.

● Avoid anything that doesn’t come from a kitchen.

● Eat the rainbow.

Daily Essentials for Strength, Stretch and Stamina

A strong pregnancy food plan is like a daily ritual. Here’s what to aim for each day:

Eat the rainbow!

Goal: include as many colors from the rainbow on your plate or in your bowl at each sitting as possible. The variety of colors in nature correlates to the diversity of nutrients, so if you notice your plate looks plain, add some color. For example, consider the delight and enjoyment of sitting down to a plate with a sweet potato, sauteed greens, eggs, purple sauerkraut, blueberries or raspberries and maybe a cup of colorful herbal tea! Nourishing not just to your body but to all of your senses.

Protein

Goal: 80–100 grams per day. For some, eating protein every 2 hours even if it's just a bite or two is the easiest way to reach that daily goal. Adequate protein intake helps keep your blood sugar (glucose) stable, prevents swelling (edema), and supports baby’s growth and your strength. The liver LOVES protein, so this is another way of keeping that hard-working organ happy at a time when it is working overtime. Protein can be found in abundance in fish, meat, eggs and yogurt, AND in bone broths, hemp seeds, broccoli, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, milk, cheese, lentils, beans, tofu and nuts.

Healthy Fats

Fat supports hormone production, reduces inflammation, keeps your synapses lubricated and your skin and tissues flexible. Your brain is 60% fat—and so is your baby’s. Inadequate intake of good fats during pregnancy can lead to your baby stealing from your best fat source, which is your brain! The symptoms of this are often referred to as “mommy brain.” So eat your fat! Aim for “good” fats like those found in coconut, avocado, olives, grass-fed dairy including butter or ghee, quality-sourced fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, sardines), grass-fed beef and beef tallow, seeds (flax, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, chia), nuts (walnut, almond, cashew, macadamia, Brazil, peanut).

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates help nourish your thyroid and adrenals, fuel your digestion, and provide essential minerals. Aim for carbohydrates that are nutritious and fiber-rich. This is the category where you will likely be able to eat the rainbow! Favorites include sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, Job’s tears, sprouted wheat berries, pumpkin, Kabocha, squash, beans (all kinds!), lentils, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, watermelon, kiwi, goji, papaya, pineapple, banana.

Probiotics

Probiotics help to maintain a balanced microbiome in the gut and in the vagina. Maintaining a healthy bacterial biome is critical for nutrient absorption and for promoting a healthy environment for a vaginal birth. Fermented foods are excellent sources of probiotics, or probiotic supplements like Femdophillus from Jarrow are a good alternative. If you are taking probiotics, I recommend taking them at night before bedtime, so they have their best chance of populating the gut.

Warmth, Liquids, and the Blood of the Earth

Pregnancy digestion is slower—keep your belly warm and your fluids flowing. Bone broths, herbal infusions, soups, mineral water, water, electrolyte drinks (1x/day only), coconut water, chlorophyll in water are all nutritious and hydrating drinks for pregnancy. Aim for 100 ounces per day. Your amniotic sac, where your aquatic baby resides, is filled with amniotic fluid that recycles roughly every 3 days. Think of it like a fish tank. If you don’t keep changing the watering the tank, it gets pretty gross in there. Drinking 80-100 ounces of fluids per day keeps the fish tank water (your amniotic fluid) clear, so aim for that amount.

Blood Building

The pregnant body increases its blood volume by 50% between around 24-28 weeks of pregnancy.Without enough blood, you may feel dizzy, short of breath, foggy-headed, or tired no matter how much you rest. You can build blood gently, every day, with these practices:

Cooked Greens: The Daily Ritual

Eat 6 cups of cooked dark leafy greens every day, especially in the third trimester. (It cooks down to 1–2 cups.) Sauté them in grass-fed butter or coconut oil. Add turmeric or black pepper if you like.

Syrups & Powders

● Support your blood with gentle herbal and food-based boosts:

● Green Vibrance Powder every other day mixed in either diluted OJ or pineapple juice

● Chlorophyll drops in water daily

● Beet kvass 1-2x/week

● Blood building syrup (see recipe below).

Herbal Infusions

Steep 1–2 tablespoons of herbs in 1 quart of hot water and let steep overnight or for 4+ hours. Strain and sip throughout the day. Favorite herbal infusion herbs for iron building: Nettle, Alfalfa, Red clover blossom, Hibiscus, Rose hips, Jujube dates, Red Raspberry Leaf.

Cook in Cast Iron

This is one of the oldest ways to add iron to your food—naturally. Beans, eggs, greens, and grains all soak it up.

Blackstrap Molasses Oatmeal

½ cup rolled oats, 1 tbsp grass-fed butter, 1 tsp blackstrap molasses, pinch pink Himalayan salt. Cook together and eat warm in the morning or before bed.

Supplements (If needed)

● Iron Repair Plus

● B6-P5P

● Solgar sublingual B12 drops taken in the morning.

Trimester-Specific Guidance

First Trimester

• Focus on minerals, gentle digestion, and building the foundation. Appetite may fluctuate, so emphasize easy-to-digest, warm foods.

• Key foods: bone broth, soft-cooked grains, lightly sautéed greens, cooked fruits, ginger tea, mineral water.

• Support nausea with ginger, B6P5P, and keeping protein in the stomach at all times—snack every 2 hours.

• Encourage warm herbal infusions: nettle, alfalfa, oatstraw. Avoid cold smoothies or raw salads.

Second Trimester

• Baby’s organs and systems are growing quickly—iron needs increase, and your digestion may improve.

• Key foods: dark leafy greens (start increasing volume), bone broth, grass-fed meats or lentils,molasses oatmeal, and cooked root vegetables.

• Support collagen production with greens, butter, ghee, and vitamin C foods.

• Continue mineral-rich herbal teas; add hibiscus or red clover if tolerated.

Third Trimester

This is the blood-building and collagen-building phase. Baby grows rapidly; digestion slows again. Focus on frequent, small, warming meals.

Key foods: 6 cups cooked greens per day, protein every 2–3 hours, bone broth, cast iron-cooked meals, easy-to-digest grains.

Support vaginal elasticity with cooked greens, ghee, probiotic foods and hydration.

Use bicarbonate-rich mineral water (e.g., Gerolsteiner) and soothing teas like chamomile and rose hips, particularly if experiencing heartburn.

Common Complaints & Food-Based Remedies

Nausea

• Eat protein every 2 hours, even during the night if needed. Eat protein before lifting head off the pillow in the morning when you first wake.

• B6 P5P supplements can help, along with ginger tea or lemon and mint slushies.

• Avoid cold or sweet drinks; sip warm infusions.

• Try mineral water rich in bicarbonate (Gerolsteiner is my favorite) with lemon or cucumber slices.

Heartburn

• Eat smaller meals more frequently.

• Avoid lying down after meals.

• Drink bicarbonate-rich mineral water or sip water with baking soda mixed

• Avoid citrus and raw onion, and minimize dairy and fried foods.

• Try chamomile or slippery elm tea.

• Body work to release round ligaments to encourage baby to move into a better position

Gestational Diabetes

• Focus on protein and fat with every meal.

• Avoid fruit juices, baked goods, and high-glycemic carbs.

• Choose root vegetables over grains when blood sugar is unstable.

• Continue cooked greens and trace minerals.

• Include cinnamon and chromium-rich foods (like molasses and sunflower seeds).

Hyperemesis

• Frequent sips of bone broth or ginger tea.

• Suck on dates or jujube fruit for gentle blood sugar support.

• B6 and magnesium may help ease severity.

• Electrolytes and trace minerals are critical—try coconut water with a pinch of salt and molasses.

Constipation & Swelling

• Eat cooked greens daily with fat.

• Use magnesium-rich baths.

• Add tissue cell salts to water

• Do not consume processed foods and monitor/limit sodium intake

• Stay hydrated with warm teas and mineral water.

• Add prunes, flax meal, or soaked chia to breakfast.Special Conditions & Nutritional Support

Autoimmune Conditions (Lupus, POTS, Hashimoto’s)

Autoimmune conditions require gentle anti-inflammatory nourishment and deep support for the nervous system and gut lining.

• Avoid gluten, processed sugar, and seed oils.

• Emphasize bone broth, slow-cooked meats, and cooked vegetables.

• Use ghee or coconut oil as primary fats.

• Eat grounding foods: root vegetables, squash, cooked greens.

• Herbal support: nettle, oatstraw, alfalfa, chamomile, licorice (if tolerated and avoid if you have high blood pressure ).

Malabsorption & Post-Gastric Surgery

Those with difficulty absorbing nutrients may need to eat more frequently, with an emphasis on digestibility and mineral-rich broths. Focus on warm, blended soups, bone broth with mushrooms, and cooked fruits. Consume kitchari once per day as a meal. Consider L-glutamine GI Repair and pea protein powder from DFH to help repair the gut lining. Use herbal mineral infusions daily (nettle + oatstraw). Add trace minerals to water. Include small amounts of molasses, chlorophyll, and gentle proteins as tolerated. Support gut health with fermented foods (sauerkraut, beet kvass) if tolerated.

Substitution Guide: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Plant-Forward

Gluten-Free Grains

• Quinoa

• Buckwheat

• Brown rice

• Wild rice

• Millet

• Amaranth

• Cassava flour (for baking)

**Avoid processed gluten-free breads and crackers unless homemade or whole-grain based.

Dairy-Free Calcium Sources

• Cooked dark leafy greens

• Sesame seeds and tahini

• Chia seeds

• Bone broth

• Sardines (with bones)

• Fortified coconut milk (unsweetened)

**Avoid commercial nut-based yogurts which often contain gums and fillers.

Plant-Forward Protein Boosters

• Cooked lentils and mung beans

• Split peas

• Hemp seeds

• Chia seeds

• Sunflower seeds

• Tempeh (organic)

• Sprouted tofu (limited use)

• Bone broth (as the core animal product)

Combine with whole grains and good fats to make meals more complete.

Budget-Friendly Grocery Plans

Eating well during pregnancy doesn’t have to be expensive. With smart planning, batch cooking, and a few nutrient-dense staples, you can nourish yourself deeply—even on a tight budget. Here are sample plans based on weekly budgets, including WIC/EBT-eligible foods. Some weekly budgets:

$60 Budget – Minimalist Nourishment

• Dried lentils, beans or split peas (bulk)

• Brown rice or millet

• Carrots, onions, garlic, celery (for broth and stews)

• 2 dozen eggs

• Greens (kale, collards – fresh or frozen)

• Blackstrap molasses

• Ginger root or dried ginger

• Herbal tea bags (nettle, hibiscus)

• Pink salt

• Coconut oil or butter (small jar)

• Unsweetened Whole Fat Yogurt

Tip: Make broth from veggie scraps and eggshells, and cook in cast iron if available.

$90 Budget – Middle Path

Includes all of the above, plus:

• Green Vibrance or greens powder (small container)

• Bone broth concentrate or 1 whole chicken to make broth

• Sweet potatoes or squash

• Tahini or sunflower seed butter

• Coconut milk (canned)

• Apples or bananas

• Rolled oats

• Black beans, chickpeas (bulk or canned)

$120 Budget – Full Nourishment

Includes all of the above, plus:

• Ghee (small jar)

• Whole milk 2 qt. (A2 A2 or grass-fed)

• Tempeh or tofu (organic)

• Fresh berries or avocado

• Fermented foods (sauerkraut or kefir)

• Seaweed (kombu or kelp)

• Dates or goji berries

• Herbal bulk tea (nettle, rose hips, oatstraw)

• Trace minerals or Gerolsteiner mineral water

• Salmon or grass-fed beefSample 4-Day Meal Guide (Based on $110 Budget)

Day 1

Breakfast: Oatmeal with blackstrap molasses, butter, pinch of salt

Snack: Hard-boiled eggs + ginger tea

Lunch: Lentil soup with bone broth, kale, carrots, garlic, turmeric, lemon juice

Snack: Milk or coconut milk smoothie with banana + soaked chia (+dates?)

Dinner: Brown rice, sautéed greens, soft-boiled egg or other protein, tahini drizzle

Day 2

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs w/ greens sautéed in coconut oil

Snack: Yogurt + Dates + trace mineral water

Lunch: Chickpea and sweet potato stew, millet on the side

Snack: Nettle infusion + sunflower seeds

Dinner: Quinoa cooked in bone broth with sautéed veggies, ghee, and sauerkraut

Day 3

Breakfast: Molasses oatmeal with cardamom and coconut flakes

Snack: Herbal tea and boiled egg

Lunch: Black bean soup with kombu, onions, and cilantro + sprouted wheat bread w/ butter (+

protein like chicken, fish or meat if desired)

Snack: Goji berries + nut butter spoonful

Dinner: Stir-fry with rice, greens, protein (tofu, tempeh or salmon) sesame oil, sesame seeds

Day 4

Breakfast: Avocado toast on millet bread (or rice cake), hard-boiled eggs, tea

Snack: Fruit + chia water

Lunch: Bone broth with root veggies and egg drop

Snack: Dates with sunflower seed butter

Dinner: Kitchari (see recipe below)Recipes

Kitchari Recipe:

1 cup basmati rice

1/2 cup split mung dahl

6 – 8 cups water (more water earlier for earlier postpartum)

1 1/2 cups chopped vegetables (asparagus, okra and/or carrot)

3 Tbsp ghee (or sesame oil)

1 tsp yellow or brown mustard seeds

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 inch grated ginger root or 1 tsp ginger powder

pinch asafoetida powder, hing (optional)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

lime slices for garnish

sea salt

**If you are familiar with doshas in Ayurveda, if you are high Vata, add an additional 1/2 tsp cardamom powder; if you are high Kapha, add a pinch of ginger powder.

Preparation:

1. Carefully pick over rice and dahl to remove any stones. If time permits, soak the rice and dahl separately for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Rinse each separately until water runs clear, or in at least 2 changes of water

2. Bring 6 – 8 cups water to a boil in a large heavy bottomed pot. Use more water for earlier in postpartum. Then add rice and dahl, and allow to simmer on low 35 – 40 minutes, covered with the lid slightly ajar.

3. While that is cooking, prepare any vegetables by cutting them into small, bite-size pieces. When dahl and rice are cooked and tender, add the vegetables and cook for 10 minutes longer. In a separate saucepan, melt ghee, then add mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, stir in the ground spices and grated ginger and stir to combine and release the flavors and then turn off heat, as it can burn quickly. Stir the sautéed spices into the cooked dal, rice, and vegetable mixture.

4. Sprinkle with sea salt. If desired, top with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime to finish!

Postpartum Blood Building Syrup Recipe

½ cup prunes

½ cup goji berries

1 oz Dang Qua (angelica root)

1 oz Huang Qi (astragalus root)

8 cups water

1. 3. Place all ingredients in sauce pan and simmer until syrupy and fruit is soft.

2. Blend, then strain. In a separate pot: melt 2 tbsp ghee, add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom, pinch sea salt.

4. Combine spice mix with fruit syrup + 1 cup molasses.

5. Cook low for 10–15 min.

6. Take 1–2 tbsp, twice daily. Store in fridge or cool dry place.