Good
nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are central to the Clinic’s overall approach to all aspects of reproductive planning. Research shows how critical a good diet full of the right nutrients can be, not only to your fertility but also to your health and wellness during pregnancy and to the all-round prospects for your baby.
Strong Correlation Between a Mother's Diet and the Prospects for Her Child
There is a strong correlation between a mother’s diet during pregnancy and a baby’s
birth weight and future health. Babies born with a low
birth weight are at greater risk of ill-health and disease, whereas those with a good weight are likely to have a higher IQ and a better start to life. Recent research by Professor David Barker from the Medical Research Council suggests that a mother's pre-natal
nutrition can even influence a child's long term health.
Your Nutritional Status Can Affect Your Own Health and Wellness During Pregnancy Too
Good nutritional planning can reduce the likelihood of complications arising for mothers-to-be too, such as hypertension or gestational diabetes. And it can help to reduce common problems like
pregnancy sickness,
heartburn and
constipation, as well as helping to improve your energy levels.
All of which is why it’s worth the effort to check out yourself out as soon as you get the good news; particularly as it’s all too easy to end up under-nourished without really noticing. So much of the food we eat these days is highly processed and factory farmed. And our rushed and stressful lifestyles don’t help either. Everyone knows that smoking and
alcohol are bad for pregnancy, but
stress can be just as great a problem, as it depletes our bodies of vital nutrients too.
The Zita West "Nutrition for Pregnancy" Consultation
We're delighted that more and more women who have just found out they are pregnant, now come to us for a “Nutrition for Pregnancy” consultation. The consultation, which lasts for an hour, has been specially developed to check out your nutritional status and to recommend any changes to your current diet and lifestyle that could help keep you and your baby in peak health during your pregnancy.
It provides an in-depth nutritional assessment of your individual status and it takes into account the specific, and changing, nutritional requirements for each of your baby’s key developmental stages. Blood sugar and acid/alkaline balance, protein intake, “good” carbohydrates and weight management are all discussed, as is food safety, with a particular emphasis on those foods that are best avoided during pregnancy.
The Value of Seeing a Specialist
Do bear in mind that our nutritionists see hundreds of mothers-to-be every year. As a result they have a wealth of experience and data to draw on that is unavailable to nutritionists with a general practice. What's more, not only will you be getting the very latest in nutritional thinking from a pregnancy specialist, you can also be reassured that your wider needs will be taken into account too, as all our practitioners work as part of an expert team who are able to advise on all aspects of your reproductive journey.
Interested in Booking?
If you are interested in combining this with your “Early Pregnancy Healthcheck”, or if you just want to book a
nutritional consultation separately, please ask one of our receptionists and they will arrange it for you. Click on “Book a Consultation, Treatment or Class” from the menu bar on the left hand side of this page for details of how to get in touch.
