Brewers Diet: My new pregnancy diet

James and I learned about a pregnancy diet that emphasizes a well balanced, protein diet to maintain a high blood volume and low blood pressure. It is called the Brewer's diet. It can basically be summarized as having four basic components: 2600 calories, 120 grams of protein, making certain you don't eliminate salt but actually salt to taste, and unrestricted weight gain. Instead of asking "What have you gained this week?" it's emphasized to ask "What have you been eating?"

Seems a little much, right? But this diet is recommended for pregnancy with the belief that eating properly during your pregnancy can protect you and your baby from complications such as miscarriage, toxemia (preeclampsia), eclampisa, anemia, premature rupture of membranes, low birth weight or premature baby, stillbirth, placenta abruption, HELLP sydrome, and babies who are prone to illness.

We received a lot of information from our childbirth class and I did a little more research online to see how accurate the information is. I found a good site with a lot of information here, and an article from ivillage that I liked as well. I liked the information that I found.

This diet is based off of one man's research and it is recorded that it has helped his patients, but in the big scheme of things little clinical research has been done by health professionals as of yet. As with all diets it is best to talk over any changes in your diet with your care provider to make sure that this diet would work best for you.

I think I'll include more nutritional information for pregnant mothers in subsequant posts. I knew that eating healthy was important, but I had no idea for the reasons BEHIND it, so it is interesting to learn.