A healthy mommy is a happy mommy.
Your body was created to do this work. But your body was also created to be fed well and
kept in proper condition.
Proper Diet for Homebirthing Mothers
Protein
Eat 60 to 80 grams of protein daily. Protein is needed to form your growing baby and
placenta. There is approximately 25 grams of protein in each of the following: 3 cups
milk; 4 eggs; 2 cups cooked beans; 2 oz. nuts; 4 oz. meat, fish or cheese.
(Opt). Augment your protein intake with powdered Spirulina or Chorella. These
contain protein 200% more assimiable than meat
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Calories
Take in adequate calories. I do not encourage dieting of any sort while pregnant.
However, you do need to stay away from foods with refined sugar or foods that are
fried, since these will only put weight on you and the baby. Limit your intake of high fat
foods. FAT MAKES FAT
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Salt
Salt to taste. Stay away from processed foods that are full of salt: such as potato
chips, lunchmeats, bacon, etc
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Calcium
1000 mg daily. The best source of calcium is fish and dairy products. Do not
use bone meal or oyster shell tablets as supplement, as these have been found to have
lead, mercury and other toxic metals. Calcium Citrate is an easily assimilated form of
calcium.
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Prenatal Vitamins and Minerals
These are highly recommended. One of the best natural vitamins I have found is Go Natural Complete Nutrition. This is an excellent
supplement and available at my office, Mays Drug, Drug Warehouse and online at completenutrition.com using code# GN460MW.
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Supplemental Iron
Floridex and liquid chlorophyll are excellent. Iron is best taken with
Vitamin C or citrus juice for assimilation
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Drinking Water
You should drink a minimum of 8 classes of water every day. I know that
sounds like a lot of water, but this will prevent constipation and keeps your body flushed
out. It is also necessary for your increased blood volume since you carry 1/3 more
blood volume while pregnant. It will help reduce swelling.
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Fresh, Natural Foods
Eat as many foods fresh and natural as you can. Many nutrients are lost with
overcooking or processing. Remember, the more foods that you eat raw and fresh, the
more nutrition you and your baby will get.
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Protein for Healthy Homebirths
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|
Milk, Whole | 1 qt | 32 grams | Beans Pinto | 1 cup | 16 grams |
| Milk, Skimmed | 1 qt | 36 grams | Red Kidney | 1 cup | 15 grams |
| Milk, Powdered | 1 cup | 30 grams | Soybeans | 1 cup | 22 grams |
| Yogurt Skim | 1 cup | 8 grams | Cabbage | 1 cup | 1 grams |
| Custard Baked | 1 cup | 13 grams | Carrots | 1 cup | 1 grams |
| Ice Cream | 1 cup | 9 grams | Cauliflower | 1 cup | 3 grams |
| Cottage Cheese | 1 cup | 34 grams | Celery | 1 cup | 1 grams |
| Cheddar Cheese | ½ cup | 14 grams | Corn | 1 ear | 4 grams |
| Cream Cheese | ½ oz | 6 grams | Lentils | 1 cup | 15 grams |
| Swiss Cheese | 1 oz | 6 grams | Mushrooms | ½ cup | 2 grams |
| Roquefort Cheese | 1 oz | 6g | Peas Green | 1 cup | 3 grams |
| Beet Greens | 1 cup | 5 grams | Potatoes | ¾ cup | 4 grams |
| Eggs | 2 | 12 grams | Squash Summer | 1 cup | 1 grams |
| Beef | 3 oz | 20 grams | Tomatoes | 1 cup | 2 grams |
| Steak | 3 oz | 22 grams | Turnip Greens | 1 cup | 4 grams |
| Corned beef | 3 oz | 22 grams | Turnips | 1 cup | 1 grams |
| Chicken Broiled | 3 oz | 23 grams | Fruits | 1 cup | 1-2 grams |
| Chicken Livers | 3 med | 22 grams | Dates | 1 cup | 4 grams |
| Lamb | 4 oz | 24 grams | Bran Flakes | 1 cup | 3 grams |
| Pork | 3 oz | 18 grams | Bread Cracked Wheat | 1 slice | 1 grams |
| Ham | 3 oz | 16 grams | Macaroni Cooked | 1 cup | 5 grams |
| Turkey | 3 ½ oz | 27 grams | Oatmeal | 1 cup | 14 grams |
| Veal | 3 oz | 23 grams | Rice Uncooked | 1 cup | 14 grams |
| Liver Beef | 3 ½ oz | 26 grams | Wheat Germ | 1 cup | 17 grams |
| Lamb | 3 ½ oz | 32 grams | Nuts Almond/Cashews | ½ cup | 12 grams |
| Pork | 3 ½ oz | 29 grams | Sunflower Seeds | ½ cup | 9 grams |
| Kidney Braised | 3 ½ oz | 33 grams | Sesame Seeds | ½ cup | 9 grams |
| Frankfurter | 2 | 14 grams | Walnuts | ½ cup | 7 grams |
| Clams Steamed | 3 oz | 28 grams | Desiccated Liver | ¼ cup | 28 grams |
| Cod Broiled | 3 ½ oz | 28 grams | Brewer’s Yeast | ¼ cup | 13 grams |
| Crab meat | 3 oz | 14 grams | Flounder Baked | 3 ½ oz | 30 grams |
| Fish Sticks Breaded | (5) | 19 grams | Haddock Fried | 3 oz | 26 grams |
| Halibut Broiled | 3 ½ oz | 26 grams | Lobster Steamed | ½ med. | 18 grams |
| Shrimp Streamed | 3 oz | 23 grams | Swordfish Broiled | 1 oz. | 27 grams |
| Tuna Canned | 3 oz | 26 grams | Artichoke | 1 whole | 1-2 grams |
| Asparagus | 6 spears | 1 grams | Beans Green | 1 cup | 1 grams |
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Good Sources of Iron for Healthy Homebirths
Liver (beef, pork, chicken), Eggs, Dried Apricots, Dried Beans, Enriched Breads/Cereals, Dark
Green Leafy Vegetables, Prunes, Molasses, Raisins, Broccoli, Oatmeal, Iron Building
Herbs (Yellow Dock, Alfalfa, Chlorophyll, Barley Green)
**Cast Iron cookware contributes to the iron content of food especially when cooking
acidic foods..
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Good Food Sources for Healthy Homebirths
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Protein: Alfalfa sprouts (contain 150% more protein than other grains), whole grains,
legumes, nuts, seeds, yogurt, avocados, cheese, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, meats,
fish, poultry.
Iron: Comfrey leaf, raisins, apricots, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, oats, leafy
greens, kelp, seeds, legumes, eggs, fish, poultry, yellow dock, parsley, dandelions,
nettles.
Dark green leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds,
cheese, yogurt, milk, soybeans, bone meal, watercress, raw beet juice, molasses,
whole grains, alfalfa, nettles, eggs, dried fruits, parsley, dried seaweed, carob powder.
Vitamin C: Rose hips, citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, green peppers,
cabbage, broccoli, paprika, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, cantaloupes, strawberries,
nettles.
Vitamin D:Sunshine, egg yolks, bone meal, sunflower seeds, fish liver oils, tuna,
salmon, nettles.
Vitamin E:Dark Green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, eggs, sunflower seeds, nuts,
molasses, sweet potatoes.
Vitamin B’s: Green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, nutritional yeast, blackstrap
molasses, prunes, nuts, bananas, cabbage, sunflower seeds. Cheese, milk, yeast
soybeans, wheat germ oil, comfrey, fish, pickles, Spirulina.
Folic Acid:Uncooked dark leafy green vegetables, nutritional yeast, mushrooms, milk,
cheese, whole grains, dates.
Niacin:Legumes, nutritional yeast, milk products, rice bran seeds, whole grains, lean
meats, poultry, fish.
Riboflavin:Leafy greens, mushrooms, brown rice, blackstrap molasses, nutritional
yeast.
Thiamin:Brown rice, nutritional yeast, whole grains, blackstrap molasses, meat, fish,
poultry.
Phosphorus:Seeds, legumes, grains, eggs, yellow cheeses, fish, meat, tofu, poultry.
Iodine:Kelp, leafy greens, iodized salt, sea salt.
Magnesium: Honey, green leafy vegetables, nuts, dried beans, spinach, bran, alfalfa,
seafoods, whole grains.
Zinc:Soybeans, spinach, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, comfrey, whole wheat,
oyster, bran, pumpkin seeds.
Vitamin K:Alfalfa, nettles, kelp, shepherds purse, egg yolk, sunflower oil, cauliflower,
kefir, leafy vegetables.
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You should exercise in some form every day. This will increase your circulation and
deliver more oxygen and nutrients to you and your baby. Exercise will tone your
muscles, lessening the chance of tearing to your perineum, and shorten the length of
labor and postpartum recovery. Any way you put it, you are going to improve yourself
with exercise. Walking, swimming, and riding a bike are great. If this is your first baby,
or you had a long pushing stage last time, I recommend plenty of squatting every day.
You need to spend a minimum of half an hour a day exercising.
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