Why nutrition support during your pregnancy with an autoimmune diagnosis?
WHY MAMAS MATERNAL HEALTH
How can Mamas Maternal Health help you?
We know how important this period of time is for both you and your baby. Instead of saying 'eating for two' we prefer the term 'nutrition for two.' This is because as you nourish your body, you are also nourishing your future child. We also know the impact nutrition has with both pregnancy symptoms and your autoimmune symptoms.
As beautiful as this time is, it can also become incredibly challenging. Mamas Maternal Health is here to help for this exact reason.
We are two registered dietitians and lactation counselors that are passionate about maternal nutrition and breastfeeding. With both of these credentials, we are uniquely able to counsel and guide mothers to meet their health and wellness goals during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Dietitians have knowledge on how to implement a healthy and balanced diet through many life stages---including pregnancy and lactation, especially with your autoimmune diagnosis. With our complimentary background in lactation counseling--- we can help you meet your breastfeeding goals through latching, milk transfer, encouragement, etc. during this time.
Just as your body changes during pregnancy, so does your nutrient and caloric needs. Through one on one counseling, Mamas Maternal Health will help ensure you are meeting your prenatal/postnatal nutritional recommendations through a balanced lifestyle and diet. We work to make sure that you reduce your risk for pregnancy complications and postpartum flare-ups through nutrition and lifestyle changes. That being said, each future Mama has individualized needs--- these of which will be recognized in each session.
Similarly, breastfeeding is unique to each mother and baby pair in every way. Each pair will have to decide how long they breastfeed for and if they breastfeed exclusively or not. There will certainly be ups and downs during breastfeeding and as lactation counselors, we will be there to help prevent as many issues as we can while supporting your duration and exclusivity goals.
To find out what else Mamas Maternal Health can do for you and your baby, check out our our 'about us' page!
We would love to hear from you and help you through your pregnancy and breastfeeding journey!
WHY DOES MAMAS MATERNAL HEALTH WORK
It is well known that a variety of factors influence a woman during pregnancy and lactation. This includes family support, society, self-efficacy, etc. However, one of the biggest influencing factors is the support a woman receives from her healthcare providers. WHY? They are ready to offer individualized, evidence-based support to help a woman meet her pregnancy goals.
Studies have found that support lasting for longer periods of time are the most effective in helping women achieve their goals during pregnancy and lactation. Specifically---during the intrapartum and postnatal periods--- both crucial and impressionable times for a new mom. While these women are going through new experiences, they need specific and vital support designed for their unique needs specific to their diagnoses and how they relate to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
This support needs to be interactive and involve mothers in all conversations ---including one-on-one individualized counseling sessions catered to a woman's needs during pregnancy. At Mamas Maternal Health, we have created a program that provides optimum support for women during pregnancy, birth, postpartum and breastfeeding called The Healthy Autoimmune Pregnancy Protocol!
Find out more by visiting our consulting page!
This 12-month program offers 24 bi-weekly zoom calls as well as 24-hour messaging to answer all of your burning questions and keep you accountable to your goals.
We have 5 steps in this program- they are:
STEP 1: Build Confidence to trust your Body. Develop awareness of beliefs and self-sabotaging patterns that limit us with autoimmune health & pregnancy. Internalize the steps and mindset shifts that are required to have a healthy pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and see success with breastfeeding. Create a daily practice to heal emotionally and overcome the mental obstacles that are holding us back. This is SO NEEDED for all-around health.
STEP 2: Promote Optimal Nutrition with your Diagnosis for Pregnancy. Understand what foods are shown to aggravate inflammation with autoimmune disorders and be able to ADD in anti-inflammatory foods while SUBTRACTING inflammatory foods. Promote balance within meals to stabilize blood sugar levels. Find EASE within daily meals through foods that reduce autoimmune symptoms and increase pregnancy-specific nutrients to promote a healthy, complication FREE pregnancy. KEY for establishing LONG-TERM health for Mama & Baby!
STEP 3: Optimize Daily Routine, Movement & Stress Management. To ensure proper medication administration, hormone regulation, and nutrient absorption. Take action to incorporate movement throughout the week to promote pelvic floor health, strength, and well being. Identify major stress factors, and establish clear boundaries. Work to decrease daily stress to promote a HEALTHY PREGNANCY without complications.
STEP 4: Prep for Birth & What to expect with Breastfeeding. Preparation of the birthing plan and education on what to expect within the first hour of life in regards to infant nutrition. Understand hospital policies so that you are leading the birth in a way that feels right to you. Create an infant nutrition plan and establish goals for breastfeeding. Learn the ins and out of long-term breastfeeding - tips, tricks, possible obstacles, etc. Have you ever sat for a life-changing exam without studying? So WHY wouldnāt we study to prepare for birth and breastfeeding during pregnancy? STEP 5: Postpartum - Balance Hormones, Replenish Nutrient Stores, Heal, and Exclusive Breastfeeding. Maternal Healing with autoimmune friendly nutrition to promote faster recovery & increased energy levels. Regulate hormones and increase vital nutrients to replenish postpartum maternal nutrient stores. Establish milk supply while taking into account hormonal variation and medications with autoimmune diagnoses. Achieve an exclusive breastfeeding rhythm that works for Mama & Baby for long-term infant nutrition. After prepping your body nutritionally & physically ALL throughout pregnancy AND prepping for breastfeeding - this WILL be 100% EASIER!
To learn more about how we can be your ultimate support system, check out our website, and reach out to set up an introductory session.
REGISTERED DIETITIAN VS. NUTRITIONIST
So what's the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
From a quick glance, it may seem like a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist are the same thing. However--- they are NOT. This blog will briefly help you understand the important differences between the two.
In geometry --- all squares are considered rectangles, however, not all rectangles are squares. This is precisely the analogy we use as Registered Dietitians. All Registered Dietitians are Nutritionists, however, not all Nutritionists are Registered, Dietitians.
What are the specific differences?
Nutritionists:
Most Nutritionists have not received any type of formal education on the topic of Nutrition and Dietetics. In fact, most Nutritionists are self-proclaimed professionals who may have taken an online course (not supported by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), or read a book in nutrition counseling and then began their private counseling business without the RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) credential.
OR
Maybe you have heard nutrition education from health coaches, chiropractors, and nurses? The problem with this exchange of information is that there is no way to regulate the 'correctness' of advice from these individuals. Unfortunately, they may be right, or they may be wrong... you will never know.
Registered Dietitians:
All Registered Dietitians receive formal education in clinical nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, food service, and community nutrition. We have received (at least) a 4-year degree from an accredited university, completed 1,200 hours of approved supervised internship hours (from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics credentialing agency), and passed an incredibly difficult registration exam.
After the passing of this registration exam, we are then legally allowed to practice medical nutrition therapy (as long as we receive our residing state's license/certification and complete 75+ continuing education credits every few years).
Phew! That was a mouthful...
Where can you find a Registered Dietitian?
Dietitians are everywhere! You may find us at hospitals, clinics, gyms, community centers, food service, or even private practices (Mamas Maternal Health). If you are looking for a nutrition professional who will help you reach your health and wellness goals in an individualized manner, find a Registered Dietitian today!
If you are looking for a nutrition professional specifically during pregnancy --- you have come to the right place! Check out www.mamasmaternalhealth.com and take a look at our programs designed to help you with maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding postpartum.
The above information defines the minimum requirement to be a practicing Registered Dietitian. We have educated ourselves to such an extent to ensure we are providing the best care for our clients.
This should also be your minimum requirement when receiving any type of nutritional recommendations. You deserve the best care possible as an individual, or perhaps even a new mother.
WHY BLANKET NUTRITION IS NOT AN OPTION
BEHAVIOR BASED COACHING
So what type of coaching do we provide at Mamas Maternal Health? Behavioral Based Coaching.
When you work with our dietitians, you will get hands-on knowledge regarding nutrition for the following stages; fertility, prenatal nutrition, and postpartum nutrition.
However, how do we implement that? Yes, we give you foods and nutrients to focus on during these times-- but we also give you tools on how to create sustainable lifelong habits within your nutritional lifestyle.
We believe in mindful eating and nourishing your body based on its needs. There is no better expert of your body than YOU! So instead of someone telling you how many calories or macros you need, you get to eat how you want. Sounds like a no brainer right?
For some, this style of eating is, well, just eating! However, we live in a world full of distractions and people/things telling you what you should and shouldn't do, including with food. We easily lose touch with ourselves where many can't even see themselves being able to 'trust their body'. But that trust comes when we pay attention and let our body tell us what it wants.
PSA: Did you know that babies are born with this sense and ability to mindfully eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full? If allowed, they will continue this skill for the rest of their lives. That being said, many children lose this ability in our current society due to 'American portion sizes' and societal norms.
We will walk you through how to begin to create a relationship with your body's signals (hunger/fullness, satiety, etc...) so that you can live freely with food and foster that ability with your little ones from day one.
"Well if I do that all my body is going to want is (insert 'junk-food' here)..." Yes, we did just read your mind! JK, but that is the response we get Every. Single. Time we introduce this practice, so you aren't alone.
When beginning mindful eating and behavior-based coaching, you will learn to both allow yourself access to these above mentioned foods and assess your feelings before, during and after you eat them. When you do this, you take out restriction which will allow your body to realize that it is not living in a place of scarcity. You will actually learn to ENJOY when you do eat these foods!
You may find that you become disenchanted with the actual food, and realize that your obsession with it was the restrictions you created. You will also see that you may be completely SATISFIED and FULL after just one cookie, brownie, donut, etc as opposed to the 3-5 that you used to eat. Through this, you create a great relationship with your body and with food, learning that you body is on your side and all foods fit!
How do we know? This is something that we (Cassie and Mikayla) both implement in our daily lives. We both had our own tumultuous relationships with food, however, once we learned about this approach, it became the only option.
We have built a healthy relationship with food. We have learned to love the food we eat. We have learned to love our bodies
You will also begin to see differences in your sleep patterns, digestion, overall stress, and believe it or not, relationships. Once you have a good relationship with YOU, it carries over into other aspects of everything you do in your daily life.
Behavior-based nutrition coaching is not just a diet or nutrition regime, it becomes a commitment to loving and bettering yourself. It is both a sustainable and rewarding personal transformation that you can carry with you for the rest of your life. You will also be able to pass this on to your children and help to create a better future of eating and self-love for generations to come.
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Note: We know that with autoimmune diagnosis there are foods that may cause flare-ups. We work with you to help identify your triggers so that you CAN feel more comfortable with food and feel that freedom that comes from mindful eating!
Want to learn more? Check out our Healthy Autoimmune Pregnancy Protocol information!
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