Guest Blog: Well Fed Mamas
Elizabeth is a mom to three little girls, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and a Specialist in Prenatal Nutrition. She has over a decade of clinical experience working with patients and clients and over five years of experience in the prenatal space. Her private practice, Well-Fed Mamas, offers virtual nutrition and wellness counseling for pregnant women looking to maximize energy, minimize common symptoms, and grow the healthiest baby possible.
How did becoming a mom shape your journey as a prenatal nutritionist?
Becoming a mom is exactly how I got into this work! Shortly after getting pregnant with my first daughter, I had this major humbling moment — I was a Registered Dietitian with years of training and experience, yet I wasn’t completely sure how to best fuel my pregnant body and growing baby. I became determined to uncover as much as I could about optimal nutrition in pregnancy. When I dove into the research and found the work of prenatal dietitian and author Lily Nichols, I realized there was a lot of important nutrition information that wasn’t being shared with mamas in typical prenatal care. The little information that is shared is often outdated (largely because it takes >15 years for new research to make it into clinical practice and guidelines). And the RDAs tend to underestimate nutrient requirements in pregnancy. All of this got me really fired up — pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding periods of the lifespan, so why aren’t women getting more personalized and updated guidance? We’re talking about growing humans here! I wanted to share what I’d learned and empower women to make a massive difference in their prenatal and postpartum health.
What do you think is most important to know about nutrition when it comes to pregnancy?
Nutrient needs during pregnancy are HIGH. Meeting these increased demands takes intention and effort and goes far beyond just taking a prenatal vitamin! One of the main “raw materials” needed to build a healthy baby is protein, yet many women don’t consume enough (especially during the third trimester). Consuming a variety of high quality, protein-rich foods – things like eggs, grass-fed beef, poultry, fatty fish and seafood, bone broth, full-fat dairy, nuts, and legumes – is one of the best things you can do for your prenatal health. These foods also tend to contain higher amounts of vitamins/minerals needed in pregnancy (ex: zinc, iron, B-vitamins, choline, selenium, etc.), so it’s a win-win!
What are some foods to increase during pregnancy? Food to help reduce nausea?
I love this question, because many women are given a “do not eat” list when they get pregnant instead of a list of nutrient dense foods to eat more often! Three of my top favorites are eggs, low mercury seafood, and full-fat dairy products:
Eggs (with the yolks) are an incredible source of high-quality protein, antioxidants, trace minerals, vitamins, and a nutrient called choline. It’s estimated that >90% of pregnant women don’t consume enough choline, which is concerning because it’s needed for fetal brain development, preventing neural tube defects, and placental function. Getting pasture-raised eggs is ideal because they contain significantly higher levels of omega-3 fats as well as vitamins A, D, and E.
Low mercury seafood is also an incredible source of protein, as well as vitamins, minerals, and an omega-3 fat called DHA. Women need a minimum of 300 mg DHA daily during pregnancy to support fetal brain and eye development. Salmon, herring, cod, halibut, sardines, shrimp, and cooked oysters are all excellent options. Recent research has shown that consumption of >12 oz of seafood per week is strongly linked to better childhood communication skills and higher IQ. I recommend wild-caught seafood over farm raised.
Full-fat dairy products offer protein, calcium, potassium, certain B-vitamins, iodine, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) – so many important nutrients for mom and baby! Fermented dairy products such as kefir or Greek yogurt also contain probiotics, which support optimal gut health. And as a bonus - studies have shown that pregnant women who regularly consume fermented dairy may have reduced risk of preterm delivery AND their babies have reduced risk of allergic rhinitis and eczema. Getting higher quality dairy that’s pasture-raised and/or organic is ideal if your budget allows.
For foods to reduce nausea, most women do best with cold, sour, or salty foods and smaller/more frequent meals. Foods like salted cashews, yogurt, grass-fed beef sticks, smoothies, or scrambled eggs with salsa tend to work well. Low blood sugar is a common nausea trigger, so trying to have even just a few bites of a protein rich food every few hours is helpful. I’ve found dairy products tend to be better tolerated for many women in the first trimester (versus meats or fish). Sipping on water with a pinch of high-quality salt and some fresh lemon juice can also help!
What is something you wish women knew about prenatal nutrition?
Don’t forget to increase your electrolytes! Most pregnant women know they need to drink more water to support increased fluid needs from expanding blood volume, amniotic fluid, etc. But as fluid needs go up, so does the need for electrolytes. These minerals – particularly sodium, potassium, magnesium – impact everything in our bodies, from digestion to hormone health to energy production. Sodium often gets a bad rap in the nutrition space, but it’s crucial for nourishing our cells, balancing our blood sugar, digesting our food, regulating fluid balance, and supporting the growth of the placenta and fetus. It’s not a coincidence that so many women crave salty foods during pregnancy! Quality is key here, so we want to reduce our processed food intake and eat salt in the context of a whole foods diet. Salting your food to taste with a high quality, unrefined salt like Redmond’s or Celtic Sea salt is a great place to start, as these contain additional trace minerals that aren’t found in kosher or table salt. You’ll want to balance this out with potassium rich foods and beverages like potatoes, avocados, coconut water, milk, beans, leafy greens, and oranges. As for magnesium, it can be tricky to get enough from food during pregnancy, so talk to an experienced provider about supplementation (dose, form, etc.).
Anything else you would like to say or share?
There will always be things that you can’t control, especially in pregnancy. But the way you eat, move, handle stress, sleep – it all has a significant impact on your prenatal health, energy levels, symptoms, risk of developing complications, postpartum recovery, and your baby’s lifelong health. How empowering is that? Our culture seems to promote the idea that uncomfortable symptoms like fatigue, extreme nausea, and constipation are just an expected part of being pregnant. But the truth is, we can absolutely dial down (and sometimes even eliminate) these symptoms with foundational nutrition and lifestyle changes. When I got pregnant with my twins in 2020, I was incredibly grateful for all I’d learned about prenatal nutrition over the last few years. I have no doubt it helped me avoid complications, have the energy to exercise and chase my 2-year-old, and ultimately carry them to almost 39 weeks! If you need individualized guidance, gathering your “village” of support and working with an experienced provider can make a world of difference.
Doctors note: Jefferson OB/GYN is a comprehensive team of board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners practicing obstetrics and gynecology in Charlottesville, VA, and follows ACOG guidelines. Food safety is important for everyone, but it’s especially important to pregnant women due to changes in your immune system that make you more susceptible to food-borne illnesses. There are several exceptions to these foods. We highlight the most common recommendations on our website but feel free to ask us specific questions relating to your diet during your visit.
