A healthy diet is required not only for the pregnant woman but also for her unborn baby (s) because the expectant mother also affects your unborn baby's metabolism through her own. The baby's health is influenced by diet for a lifetime (Müller-Lissner, A., Nutrition by Pregnant Women, 2015).

Nutritional prevention begins in the womb, as epigenetic research in a new area of perinatal programming has established. Synonymous technical terms for this subject are nutritional programming, metabolic programming, perinatal imprinting and fetal programming. Genes, conditions in the womb and maternal nutrition during pregnancy and nutrition in early childhood effectively determine a person's later development and predisposition to illness (DGE press release, 02/2012).  A healthy, needs-based diet is important during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as the need for micro and macronutrients is significantly higher and appropriate nutritional knowledge is required for this. Nutritional deficits due to a lack of knowledge can therefore appear very quickly and can lead, for example, to a low birth weight, developmental disorders or miscarriages. This justifies the importance of educational work through nutritional advice during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which can minimize nutritional deficits and promote a healthy development of the child.

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Why is nutritional therapy important?

Nutritional therapy supports you in positively influencing your health and that of your unborn baby by already setting the course for taste preferences and also for the good development of your baby.

The weight gain during pregnancy should be based on your current weight, ie, depending on the initial weight, a corresponding weight gain is recommended and should therefore be kept within limits. Eating for 2 is actually not necessary, even if cravings often say something different. However, this differs from woman to woman, as frequent vomiting in the first few weeks can also lead to weight loss. The advice is based on current scientific knowledge. From the 4th month of pregnancy, certain minerals and vitamins, energy and protein are required to a greater extent.

The aim is to supply all of the fatty acids, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are important for you, energy and protein, so that your body and your baby are optimally supplied ( to prevent malnutrition , this applies to pregnancy and breastfeeding) . For this purpose, foods that promote inflammation are specifically avoided and plenty of anti-inflammatory foods are consumed. You will learn how you can actively counteract inflammation through foods that naturally have antifungal (against fungi), antibacterial (against bacteria), antiviral (against viruses) and antioxidant as well as immune-boosting properties - that is, natural antibiotics.

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Preconceptional goals (even before pregnancy if you want to have children)

• four weeks before conception, please continue taking foric acid> 400 μg folic acid / day until the end of the first trimester

• Pay attention to a good iodine supply

• Already fill iron stores

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Goals in pregnancy:

• Consideration of the increased nutrient density (especially micronutrients)

• Wholesome nutrition through a varied mixed diet (a vegan diet is not recommended, if it should be practiced it would have to be accompanied by nutritional therapy).

• Avoidance of "risky" foods (hygienic preparation of meals & appropriate food selection)

• adequate handling of luxury foods

• Dietary options for typical pregnancy symptoms

• Weight gain adapted to individual weight

• If you are already overweight, you should aim for a slight weight reduction during pregnancy in order to prevent the risk of lipid metabolic diseases and gestational diabetes.

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Breastfeeding:

If you are overweight, I will support you to lose it again, taking breastfeeding into account. A moderate weight loss of approx. 0.5 kg / week and no radical crash diets are recommended. “However, the aim should not be to lose too much weight, as this would release fat-soluble pollutants from the maternal adipose tissue and could pass into breast milk. A limit value for an acceptable weight loss cannot be given ”(Koletzko B. et al, 2016, p. 450).

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Classification of your weight - definition and classification of weight in relation to height.

BMI and interpretation: BMI: body mass index

Formula: Body weight in kg : (body height in m) 2

Underweight: <18.5

Normal weight: 18.5 - 24.9

Overweight = pre-obesity: 25-29.9

Obesity grade I: 30 - 34.9

Obesity grade II: 35-39.9

Obesity grade III:> 40 = per magna

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Waist circumference in cm & interpretation:

Risk of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Complications:

Women (increased risk ≥ 80 cm, significantly increased risk (88 cm)

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Overweight / obese: fat distribution pattern: "apple type" or so-called "pear type"

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Nutritional therapy

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• If you are overweight, you should aim for weight reduction.

• Holistic therapy - do you have any comorbidities that need to be taken into account during the consultation?

• Energy-efficient, wholesome nutrition, calculating the need for normal weight, defining the need for weight loss

• Avoid micronutrient and mineral deficiencies

• Avoid protein deficiency through an unbalanced diet, despite being overweight, there may be a protein deficiency!

• Which nutrients do I need in which ratio?

• get enough fiber (> 30 g / day)

• Get enough Omgea-3 fatty acids and essential fatty acids

• which oils are good for me? What should I watch out for in relation to the anti-inflammatory diet?

• How much fat spread (butter / margarine / vegetable fat) can I use and which products are recommended?

• How can I boost and support my metabolism with natural foods?

• Coordinate sensible meal frequency for your individual case - meal allocation

• Calculate protein and energy requirements

• Define the desired weight loss and the estimated time for this

• what should be considered with drinks, which alcoholic drinks are possible and how often

• How does exercise affect your body and thus also your diet?

• Avoid blood sugar fluctuations

• Sweetening foods - sweeteners, glucose, fructose, sugar and sugar substitutes, what can I use and in what quantities? How high is the respective sweetness of the different products?

• what should be considered when baking and cooking?

• what are cheap snacks / main meals

• Eating out - what should you watch out for?

• Vacation, boat trip or hospital stay, what should be considered?

• Daily plans for weight loss

• Enjoyment training

• Optimizing your eating situation

• long-term maintenance of your lost weight

• anti-inflammatory diets for disease prevention

• Additional therapy options

• Food supplements - under certain circumstances, a supplement can be useful

• Dietetic products in support of nutritional therapy

• and other topics

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Any questions? I look forward to your call or email. To contact form

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Assistance:

• KISS self-help groups

• Self-help network

• Young family network - healthy in life

• German Midwives Association