Nutrition services in Chicago, Illinois

What is the role of a pregnancy nutritionist?

A pregnancy nutritionist’s role is to provide dietary guidance that supports the health of both the mother and developing baby. With science-backed recommendations, individualized care planning, and empathetic communication, a pregnancy nutritionist helps expectant mothers maintain a balanced diet that meets their evolving nutritional requirements.

Many pregnancy nutritionists work as part of a coordinated care team to meet the holistic health needs of a pregnant woman, and may partner with an OBGYN or lactation consultant to provide the most relevant recommendations. They serve as a maternity dietary coach, with advanced training in the essential vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients required for a healthy pregnancy.

Working with a pregnancy nutritionist typically includes:

• Assessment: The dietitian will evaluate your current nutrition intake and gather relevant medical history, including pregnancy history, to develop a baseline picture of your dietary health. They may order bloodwork or additional specialty labs to check for possible nutrient deficiencies.
• Goal setting: Together, you and the dietitian will define goals for your diet and overall wellbeing during pregnancy. You will collaboratively decide on milestones to be met, such as those around safe food choices, regular eating habits, and consistently taking prenatal vitamins.
• Meal planning: Your dietitian will provide support and education in developing an individualized meal plan. This can be particularly helpful for women with specific dietary requirements (vegan and vegetarian diets, or food intolerances), and for managing pregnancy symptoms like fatigue, cravings, and morning sickness.
• Follow up consultations: As your pregnancy progresses, you will have follow-up nutrition consultations to monitor progress, provide education, and prepare for postnatal healing, breastfeeding support, and overall maternal nutrition.

What can a pregnancy nutritionist help with?

A pregnancy nutritionist helps expectant mothers manage the symptoms of pregnancy and pregnancy complications through diet. They can also give guidance on how to prepare for postpartum and lactation nutrition, contributing to the long-term health of both mother and baby.

Topics typically covered by a pregnancy nutritionist include:

• Gestational diabetes management: Gestational diabetes is a common pregnancy complication, and often requires careful management and dietary modifications. Pregnancy nutritionists can assist those using continuous glucose monitoring or fingerpricks to understand what drives blood sugar spikes, how to maintain steady levels, and cope with the stress of a new diagnosis.  
• Pregnancy symptom management: Pregnancy can bring with it a host of uncomfortable symptoms, like bloating, food aversions, fatigue, nausea, heartburn, cramping, and constipation. Expert dietary support can help prevent or manage these and other common digestive issues during pregnancy.
• Prenatal vitamin and supplements: Get tailored advice on what vitamins are safe and needed to support a healthy pregnancy, such as folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and b vitamins.
• Postpartum nutrition: Learn about how nutrition needs will change throughout postpartum recovery and lactation.  

How do I find a nutritionist for pregnancy?

Find an expert pregnancy nutritionist through Partum Health. Partum Health’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionists have advanced in training in pregnancy and postpartum, and have been hand-picked based on their longstanding dedication to serving new mothers.

All nutrition counseling consultations with Partum Health are held through a secure telehealth platform, with unlimited messaging in between sessions.

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