Wendy Williams
Phone: 02 9241 3272
Mobile: 0411 393 367
2 Pottinger St,
The Rocks, Sydney, NSW 2000
Pregnancy
Most healthy pregnant women enjoy their pregnancies, apart from the physical discomfort as the due date approaches they maintain wellness and often express that they have never felt better.
I schedule 3 future appointments to track the mother’s progress. This is reassuring particularly for women who have had trouble conceiving as they feel there was a lot of support up to becoming pregnant. Preconception care patients or those who have had difficulty falling pregnant make visits during pregnancy because we know each other and trust has built over this time.
- End of 1st trimester - check her nutritional status, general health & make sure she has access to child birth education
- End of 2nd trimester - possible essential oils and herbs for birthing
- 8 weeks post natal - meet baby of course; the highlight for me as they are all loved, very wanted and cherished
Herbs to facilitate birthing
- Herbal formulas that are commenced from week 34 of pregnancy and are used to prepare the body for the birth of the baby
- Help regulate uterine tone until labour commences
- Assist with a smooth delivery
- Regulate contractions during labour
- Help the uterus expel the placenta
- Reduce post partum bleeding
Tips for a good pregnancy
- Eat good nourishing food and daily
- Drink 1.5 lts of water per day
- Do not consume more than an extra 150 - 200 kJ per day
- Lean protein is where you take in the extra kilojoules
- Take your vitamin and mineral supplements
- Maintain an exercise routine suitable for you and this pregnancy
- Go to a session of child birth classes with your partner (Wendy recommends Julie Clarke's calmbirth classes!)
- Don't listen to the horror stories of births that so many people feel the need to share with you
- Go on a really good holiday before the baby is born
Vitamin and mineral supplements for pregnancy:
Pregnant women are notoriously deficient in the following groups:
Vitamin E deficiency (400-800 IU)
- Causes muscular weakness in pregnant women by decreasing enzymes needed for muscle contraction - more difficult births
- Anemia from Vit E deficiency in pregnant women produces gross abnormalities
- Babies born prematurely vit E deficiency are particularly susceptible to anemia
Almonds, beef, corn, eggs, nuts, sunflower, wheatgerm
Magnesium (500-1,000 mg)
- Relieves morning sickness in conjunction with B6
- Prevents high blood pressure
Almonds, cashews, soybeans, wholegrain cereals
B6 deficiency (50-150 mg)
- B6 and magnesium go together like salt and pepper
- Can present as a type of anemia which can’t be corrected by iron supplementation (microcytic)
- Successfully used for nausea of pregnancy
- Pre–eclampsia & eclampsia
- B6 shouldn’t be taken in isolation but with other B vitamins be wary of brands with high amounts of B (cheaper)
Chicken, egg yolk, legumes, mackerel, salmon, tuna, oats
Iron (20-40 mg)
- By week 34 many women’s iron levels are low ( birth center probes)
- The sooner in the pregnancy or preconception that you start taking iron the better
- Deficiencies are largely due to our highly refined diets
- Hemoglobin, many enzymes and Mongolian which carries oxygen in muscle cells can’t be produced without iron ? fatigue, headaches and shortness of breath
- After delivery because of blood loss - feel better with iron in the blood
Best source of iron is red meat, calves liver being the richest and most digestible
Apricots, clams, oysters, parsley, pine nuts, soybeans, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, dark green leafy vegetables
Folic Acid (400-I'm)
- Is one of the B vitamins a deficiency causes large cell anemia – common in pregnant women
- Prevent neural tube defects
- Helps prevent facial pigmentation
Beans, dark green leafy vegetables, lentils, organ meats
Vitamin B (300-I'm)
Needed for the proper utilization of folic acid and prevention of some types of anemia (pernicious and Athabaska)
Vegetarians & Vegas need supplementing
Helps in post-natal depression
Meat, eggs, salmon, sardines, oysters, mussels
Zinc (15-50 mg)
- Competes with other supplements, so is best taken last thing at night before you go to bed
- Immune system
- Toxaemia of pregnancy
- Helps prevent stretch marks & acne of pregnancy
Beef, liver, raw milk, oysters, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, whole grains
Calcium (1,000-1,500 mg)
- Greater demand 3rd trimester and lactation
- Don’t buy the cheap calcium carbonate (chelate, phosphate, lactate, gluconate are better
- Helps control blood pressure, back aches & cramps
Almonds, egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, sardines, soybeans, dairy products
Essential Fatty Acids (fish oils, flaxseed oil, EPO) 1tsp-1tblsp
- Helps in the control of toxeamia
- Maternal deficiency of omega 3 has been linked to ADD in the child, food intolerances & allergies
- Omega 6 for hair, skin & bowels
Omega 6 – seaweed, corn, evening primrose, sunflower, walnut and wheatgerm oils
Omega 3 – fish oils and flaxseed oil
How can Wellness Rocks help you?
If you are uncertain of what supplements you should be taking or are interested in the birthing herbs just phone or email your concerns.