I highly recommend pregnant and breastfeeding mothers follow this diet - please find the original information at
http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com
As the highly acclaimed Gloria Lemay sites: The two most important ways we can improve the health of mothers and babies is:
1. Nutritional education (improve diet)
2. Increase social support
Good wholesome and plentiful nutrition in pregnancy is essential to keep the mother and baby healthy and prevent complications. It has long term repercussions for the health of our children.
"The specifics of the diet have been compiled by Dr. Tom Brewer, an obstetrician, after years of studying the research and information available since 1929, on the effects of nutrition in pregnancy.[2] He has been able to see his philosophy used to prevent or treat various complications of pregnancy, including PIH (elevated blood pressure), edema (swelling), pre-eclampsia, eclampsia (toxemia), "gestational diabetes", premature labor, anemias, abruption of the placenta, IUGR (intra-uterine growth retardation), and low birth weight (which can cause babies to be infection-prone). All of these problems have a common source--food deficiency and low blood volume.[3]" http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/id11.html
I have started regularly referring women to the diet as I feel is is SUPER SUPER important and a fantastic guide. However, it is confusing for Australian's as we use the metric system and so have no context for oz ???? SO, I will provide a copy of the Brewer diet with gm references so we can more easily follow it. Please also refer to the fridge
WEEKLY RECORD to keep motivated.
THE DIET (minimum nutrition intake) - not a diet in the traditional restriction sense.
The following is reprinted and adapted from The Brewer Medical Diet for Normal and High-Risk Pregnancy, by Gail Sforza Brewer (Krebs) with Thomas Brewer, M.D., 1983 (p. 11).
"You must have, every day, at least the amounts of food and types of food on the following diet lists (minimum daily food intake). These foods are the best sources of key nutrients essential to healthy pregnancy. It is not healthful for you to go more than twelve hours without good food. Eat a complete breakfast every morning and snack midmorning, midafternoon, before bed, and at least once during the night to maintain a steady supply of nutrition to your developing baby. Consult your doctor, midwife, or nutritionist immediately if you start to fall behind on your diet for any reason. Inability to follow the diet is a medical emergency requiring prompt attention."
http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/id96.html
You must have everyday, at least:
1. Milk and milk products--4 choices
1 cup milk: whole, skim,1%, buttermilk
1/2 cup canned evaporated milk: whole or skim
1/3 cup powdered milk:whole or skim
1 cup yogurt
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cottage cheese: creamed, uncreamed, pot style
1 large slice cheese (35gms): cheddar, Swiss, other hard cheese
1 cup ice milk
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1 piece tofu, 3"x3"x 1/2" (115gms)
2. Calcium replacements--as needed (2 per soy exchange from group 1)
36 almonds
1/3 cup bok choy, cooked
12 Brazil nuts
1 cup broccoli, cooked
1/3 cup collard greens
1/2 cup kale
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
4 oz black olives
1 oz sardines
3. Eggs--2 any style
4. Protein Combinations--6 to 8 choices
Each food you eat may be counted for one group only (in other words, count 1/4 cup cottage cheese as either 1 milk choice or 1 protein combination choice, not both).
30gms lean beef, lamb, pork, liver, or kidney
30gms chicken or turkey
30gms fish or shell fish***
1/4 cup canned salmon or tuna
3 sardines
100gms oz tofu
1/4 cup peanuts or peanut butter****
1/8 cup beans + 1/4 cup rice or wheat
(measured before cooking)
beans: soy beans, peas, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzos
rice: preferably brown
wheat: preferably bulgar
1/8 cup brewer's yeast + 1/4 cup rice
1/8 cup sesame or sunflower seeds + 1/2 cup cup rice
1/4 cup rice + 1/3 cup milk
15gms cheese + 2 slices whole wheat bread or 1/3 cup macaroni (dry) or noodles or 1/8 cup beans
1/8 cup beans + 1/2 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup beans + 1/6 cup seeds (sesame, sunflower)
1/2 large potato + 1/4 cups milk or 8gms cheese
30gms cheese: cheddar, Swiss, other hard cheese
1/4 cup cottage cheese: creamed, uncreamed, pot style
5. Fresh, dark green vegetables--2 choices
1 cup broccoli
1 cup brussels sprouts
2/3 cup spinach
2/3 cup greens
collard, turnip, beet, mustard, dandelion, kale
1/2 cup lettuce (preferable romaine)
1/2 cup endive
1/2 cup asparagus
1/2 cup sprouts: bean, alfalfa
6. Whole grains - 5 choices
1 waffle or pancake made from whole grain
1 slice bread
whole wheat, rye, bran, other whole grain (e.g spelt, kamut, ancient grains)
1/2 roll, muffin or bagel made from whole grain
1 cup tortilla
1/2 cup oatmeal or Wheatena
1/2 cup brown rice or bulgar wheat
1 shredded wheat biscuit
1/2 cup bran flakes or granola
1/4 cup wheat germ
7. Vitamin C foods--2 choices
1/2 grapefruit
2/3 cup grapefruit juice
1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice
1 large tomato
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 cantaloupe
1 lemon or lime
1/2 cup papaya
1/2 cup strawberries
1 large green pepper
1 large potato, any style
8. Fats and oils--3 choices
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon mayonaise
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 avocado
1 tablespoon peanut butter++
9. Vitamin A foods--1 choice
3 apricots
1/2 cantaloupe
1/2 cup carrots (1 large)
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup winter squash
1 sweet potato
10. Liver--at least once a week (optional)
120gms liver
beef, calf, chicken, pork, turkey, liverwurst
11. Salt and other sodium sources--unlimited (use generously to taste)
table salt, iodized--to taste
sea salt--to taste
kelp powder--to taste
soy sauce--to taste
12. Water--unlimited
Drink to quench thirst, but do not force fluids
Real juice or milk might make better use of limited stomach space.
13. Snacks and additional menu choices--unlimited
More foods from groups 1-11
14. Optional supplements--as needed
Vitamin pills, powders, herbs, yeast, oils, molasses, wheat germ, etc.
"Note: Vitamin supplements are in routine use in prenatal care; they do not take the place of a sound, balanced diet of nutritious foods." (The Pregnancy After 30 Workbook, ed. Gail Brewer, 1978)
Liquid Floradix or Blooms organic iron - for iron supplemenation
Avoid supplements which contain nettle, dandelion, alfalfa, bilberry, or celery (they have diuretic properties).
The Basic Twin Plan
For each additional baby add
30 grams protein
and
500 calories
every day
For further information please consult the original source
www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com
The diet is reprinted and adapted from The Brewer Medical Diet for Normal and High-Risk Pregnancy, by Gail Sforza Brewer (Krebs) with Thomas Brewer, M.D., 1983 (p. 11).
