Recently I did an interview with Victoria over at So Mummy all about my work as a pregnancy nutritionist.
I loved being able to reflect on why I chose this career, and what it means to me to be invited into women's space on their pregnancy journey.
I first worked in pregnancy nutrition when I was in the NHS, supporting pregnant women with education and cooking classes, thinking of meals and snacks that would be nourishing for them and for their developing baby. I also trained a lot of midwives on some of the key nutrition messages to share with women in their booking appointments, like when to be taking supplements and how to include iron-rich foods in their diet.
Pregnancy and having a new baby for many people is an exciting chapter in their life, and a great motivator to think differently about what and how you eat. It's a really reflective time, and provides you with an opportunity to reflect on how you want your child to grow up thinking of food. I really enjoy helping people to navigate that.
Looking back, I'm not sure I was hugely helpful overall. Whilst I knew the evidence and what you 'should' do, I was very naive as to the challenges people face during pregnancy.
My pregnancy experience
Since being pregnant myself, I really believe pregnancy is a great time to turn your focus in on yourself, and get to know your body better. So many people really struggle with their relationship with food - we eat mindlessly on the go, not really connecting with what we are eating, or taking care to notice when we are really hungry or full.
I personally found that being pregnant gave me cause to stop and think about why I was eating and what I was choosing to eat, in part because so many foods made me sick or uncomfortable, and I had to adapt my usual diet.
It actually changed my whole approach as a pregnancy nutritionist.
Intuitive pregnancy
Pregnancy is an ideal time to discover mindful or intuitive eating - part of this approach is to make peace with your body and recognise the amazing job it is doing to grow an entire new human! It can be really difficult to spend so much time focusing yourself, especially if it's not something you are used to, and this is where I come in.
I can support you in understanding what your body needs, how it is communicating this to you, and then finding the right foods food you. It’s completely understandable that we will need to eat differently during this time, and this can be confusing and challenging for many people, but if the one thing you change whilst being pregnant is learning to trust your body, then that is an incredibly positive step, and for me it is a privilege to be a part of your journey to do so.
Work with a pregnancy nutritionist
Wondering if working with a pregnancy nutritionist is right for you?
Working with someone throughout pregnancy is a real privilege and it's important that we both are aligned with your goals.
You can get in touch with me here to find out more about how I work, and whether it is right for you.
