Prenatal Archives - Lily Nichols RDN

How to find a prenatal nutritionist who is well-trained

Pregnancy is a beautiful yet sometimes challenging time with all the changes your body goes through, both physiologically and mentally. Common pregnancy discomforts have become the norm, and many risks/complications have been blamed on uncontrollable factors or blamed on genetics. However, this doesn’t have to … continue reading

Omega-3 Fats: Why you can’t rely on plants for all of your omegas

Omega-3 fats are widely praised in both conventional and holistic nutrition for their many roles in supporting brain, vision, cardiovascular health and more. Not to mention how they contribute to optimal fertility (in men and women), overall health during pregnancy, as well as fetal brain … continue reading

Iodine: Why this mineral is essential for fertility, pregnancy, and lactation

There are many nutrients that our bodies demand higher quantities of during pregnancy and postpartum — and iodine is one of them! Iodine is a key mineral that supports not only thyroid health, but ovarian health, breast health, fetal brain development, and more! You may … continue reading

Can you eat too much fish during pregnancy?

In my interview on the Genius Life Podcast with Max Lugavere, I answered quite a few questions about eating fish during pregnancy. A snippet of this discussion was featured in an Instagram reel that has garnered a lot of attention (6.5 million views and counting), … continue reading

Vitamin B12 & Pregnancy: A nutrient crucial for your baby’s health

A nutrient that doesn’t always get the spotlight in prenatal nutrition is vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is popular in the mainstream as a nutrient that gives energy; this is why you’ll find high amounts of it in many energy drinks. And, that’s not wrong — … continue reading

How much iron do you actually absorb from food?

It’s well known that iron is a nutrient of concern in pregnancy. Iron is a mineral that is needed to make hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen through your body. Too little iron can lead to low hemoglobin, which … continue reading

Am I too late to benefit from nutrition changes during pregnancy?

One of the most common questions I get via email or social media messages is: “Lily, am I too late to benefit from nutrition changes during pregnancy?” Sometimes this is from a woman who didn’t find my writing until late in pregnancy or sometimes it’s … continue reading

Real Food for Pregnancy 5 year anniversary: 10 recently published studies

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since I published Real Food for Pregnancy! I never could have expected that this book would impact so many lives. This project was an undertaking to say the least. I often joke that a lot of blood, … continue reading

Preeclampsia: 5 ways nutrition supports blood pressure in pregnancy

If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, your OB/GYN or other practitioners may have warned you about preeclampsia, a common pregnancy complication. Preeclampsia is a gestational hypertensive disorder that is more severe than gestational high blood pressure, but not as severe as eclampsia (seizures in … continue reading

Electrolytes & Pregnancy: Why these minerals are crucial and how to get enough

You’ve probably heard about electrolytes from advertisements for popular sports drinks. And it’s true – high performing athletes do lose electrolytes during activity that need to be replaced. But electrolytes are important for all of us, athletes or not. From a nutrition standpoint, electrolytes are … continue reading

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