The REAL Brewer Pregnancy Diet - and how you are supposed to teach it and why it WORKS!

Given the misinformation out there about The Brewer Pregnancy Diet, it is important to make sure midwives, doctors, childbirth educators, doulas, consumers, etc... know how to correctly teach women to follow THE pregnancy diet.  It's also important to debunk the myths recently circulating on some blogs out there.

DEBUNKING THE BIG MYTH:  The Brewer Pregnancy Diet first and foremost is NOT all about protein.  The Bradley childbirth educators have taught the Brewer diet by stressing the importance of protein so much so the Bradley Method's Brewer Diet pink nutrition worksheet counts up daily protein and most women walk away thinking the Brewer diet only focuses on the importance of protein intake at 80 to 100g per day.  Their worksheet does have some boxes at the bottom (often ignored) that allows students to check off whether they are eating all essential food groups.  Most natural birthers and other professionals erroneously believe that the Brewer diet is just about the high intake of protein.

TRUTH:  The Brewer Pregnancy Diet is made up of 3 essential components and without just one of these the diet is not going to provide the woman the nutrition necessary to avoid complications that ensue from low blood volume.  To teach the Brewer diet properly it is important to relay all of the information below clearly.  Following this post adapted from the writings of the Brewer diet as written by Gail Brewer Krebs and Joy Jones will result in a healthy mom and healthy baby throughout pregnancy.

MYTH:  There is no known prevention of pre-eclampsia of pregnancy.

TRUTH:  There is a known cause of pre-eclampsia - low blood volume.  How can you avoid this?  By making sure you follow the 14 food groups of The Brewer Pregnancy Diet.  If a pregnant woman can successfully follow each of the 14 food groups daily, then she will consume the necessary 3 components of the Brewer diet.

What are the 3 components of The Brewer Pregnancy Diet?

1. 80 to 120g of protein each day
2. 2300-2600 calories per day
3. salting your food to taste

Why is it necessary to get 2300 to 2600 calories?

If a mother only gets 1700 calories of the 2300 to 2600 she needs each day, then half of the protein she consumes will get burned for calories.  Therefore, only 60 of her 120 g consumed would get used to make albumin and thus she'll have trouble expanding her blood volume adequately. 

Why is albumin important?

Albumin is made by the liver when the blood volume has increased adequately.  Albumin is necessary to create the osmotic pressure from protein that the mother eats.  Calories are vitally important for preserving protein that the mother eats.

Isn't too much salt bad for you?

Studies have shown it is not possible for a healthy pregnant woman to eat too much salt.  Her kidneys will excrete the extra salt that she eats. 

Why is salt an essential part of The Brewer Pregnancy Diet?

Salt is a vital nutrient in pregnancy and salt restriction is dangerous in healthy pregnant women.  When a pregnant woman develops edema in her ankles, fingers and face it is a result of an abnormally contracted blood volume.  If she is advised (like many women today are when swelling is present) to reduce salt in her diet, she will experience dangerously low blood volume which can develop into a life-threatening situation.

What happens if the blood volume is too low in any stage of pregnancy?

The body will try to compensate for the lack of blood as if the body is hemorrhaging but the body is not losing blood.  In the event of a hemmorhage, the kidney will produce renin causing the blood vessels to constrict.  During hemmorhage, this is helpful.  But when the kidneys produce renin causing the blood vessels to constrict when there is no hemmorhage in response to low blood volume in pregnancy, more blood is sent to the internal organs causing a rise in blood pressure.  If salt restriction is advised, this causes the blood pressure to only go up. 

What happens to the kidneys and how does pre-eclampsia occur?

The kidneys are desparately trying to increase the blood volume when it is too low.  The kidneys are reabsorbing as much water and salt as they can from the fluid they have filtered out of the blood.  However, since there is not enough albumin and salt in the circulation to hold this reabsorbed water, much of it leaks out into the tissues.  The kidneys keep reabsorbing water at one end of the process, the water keeps leaking out of the capillaries at the other end, and the mother sees rapid swelling in her ankles and rapid weight gain (from the extra water in her tissues).

What can a woman do if she is starting to see signs she might be developing pre-eclampsia?

She should immediately eat according to The Brewer Pregnancy Diet while also eating some kind of protein snack every hour giving her the high intake of protein she needs and the caloric intake she needs at this point.  Eating an hourly protein snack is reserved for women who are showing signs of pre-eclampsia and not for the healthy pregnant woman.

What are the 14 food groups and their portions needed? (Make a chart for yourself!)

1. Milk and milk products (4 choices)
2. Calcium (1 choice) (this box is as needed by vegetarians and non-milk drinkers)
3. Eggs (2 choices)
4. Protein Combinations (6 to 8 choices)
5. Dark green vegetables (2 choices)
6. Whole grains, starchy veggies, fruit (5 choices)
7. Vitamin C food (2 choices)
8. Fats and oils (3 choices)
9. Vitamin A foods (1 choice)
10. Liver (once a week - optional)
11. Salt and other sodium sources (to taste, unlimited)
12. Water (drink to thirst, unlimited)
13. Snacks and additional menu choices (unlimited)
14. Optional supplements as needed (prenatal vitamin, herbs, etc...)

Avoid all foods and drinks with diuretic properties that can lower blood volume.

What does a typical day eating according to The Brewer Pregnancy Diet look like?

Breakfast: 
1 cup of whole milk (1)
1/2 cup of OJ (7)
1/2 cup of Blackberries (6)
1 cup of Yogurt (1)
1 scrambled egg (3)

water to drink (12)

10AM Snack:
1/4 cup of peanuts (4)
1 boiled egg (3)
1/3 cup apple juice (6)

water to drink (12)

Lunch:  (salt food to taste)
2 oz Chicken (4) (4)
1/2 cup Romaine Lettuce (5)
1 1/2 cup Tomatoes (6)
1 1/4 oz chedder cheese (1)
1/2 cup pineapple pieces (6)
1 cup broccoli (5)
1 tbsp raspbery vinagrette salad dressing (8)
1/2 cup carrots (9)
12 oz water (12)
water to drink (12)

3PM Snack:
1/4 cup cottage cheese (1)
1/2 cup canteloupe (13)
1 cup tomato juice (7)

water to drink

Dinner:  (salt food to taste)
1 slice wheat toast (6)
1 tbsp butter (8)
1/2 cup lima beans (13)
1/2 cup rice (4)
3 tbsp parmesan cheese (4)
2 oz fish (4) (4)
1/2 cup green grapes (13)
1/3 cup winter squash cooked (13)
1 cup icecream for dessert (1)
12 oz water (12)

Before bedtime snack:
1tbsp peanut butter (8)
1 cup whole milk (1)

Prenatal vitamin (14)
Omega 3 fish oil (14)

(#) - The food group this portion corresponds to.


What if I'm a vegetarian/vegan or am having twins?

The Brewer Diet is specified just for you by visiting www.DrBrewerPregnancyDiet.com and clicking on the link that applies.


How can I get more information and see the tables displaying the many choices of foods under each food group and their portions? 

Contact your local Bradley childbirth educator (www.BradleyBirth.com).  Pregnant women can take a Bradley class which includes the Brewer diet instruction to learn everything she needs to know to stay healthy for her and her baby in pregnancy.  She can avoid the preventable condition - pre-eclampsia - if The Brewer Pregnancy Diet is properly followed and the mother is getting all 3 essential components - protein, calories and salt while also avoiding junk foods, highly processed foods, excessive sugar, sodas, candy, etc..., exercising daily, availing yourself to supportive alternative health care practitioners (like chiropractors, acupuncturists, cranio-sacral therapists, massage therapists), and practicing daily relaxation to reduce unnecessary stress day-to-day.


This blog post was adapted from The Brewer Pregnancy Diet summaries written by Gail Brewer Krebs and Joy Jones.  For questions, please log onto http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/ and if necessary, email pregnancydiet@mindspring.com to speak directly to Joy Jones. 

Bradley Birth Natural Childbirth Classes - Teaching women to trust their bodies

For over 40 years the natural birth community has benefited from the natural childbirth curriculum that is evidence-based, up-to-date with today's technology and ways of birthing, interventions and options and that returned the focus of birth preparation back to guiding the mother to trust her own body.  The Bradley Method is a natural childbirth organization with a childbirth educational workbook filled with information and photos taking us through a healthy pregnancy, normal labor, variations of normal labor and the postpartum experience while also focusing on relaxation (the KEY to the Bradley Method) and all you need to know about first and second stage labor, comfort measures, laboring positions and much more! 

In Bradley Birth classes, students will watch DVDs of gestation, normal labor and birth, variations of labor and birth and much more!  Bradley Method classes are fully comprehensive and include:

• relaxation practice in each class,
• The Brewer Pregnancy Diet explained in detail and so couples can learn how to avoid pre-eclampsia of pregnancy among other bad outcomes,
• labor rehearsals including a whole-house labor rehearsal,
• optimal fetal positioning and posture in pregnancy,
• regular and prenatal exercise tips,
• first and second stage labor, 
• cesarean section prevention, what to do if you need a cesarean and recovery tips,
• VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean),
• how to find the midwife/doctor that is right for you,
• how to find the birth place (home, birth center or hospital) that is right for you,
• how to write out a list of birth wishes and communicate positively,
• newborn procedures at birth,
• newborn norms and questions about baby care and parenting answered,
• breastfeeding 101, latch and common concerns,
• postpartum recovery including how to avoid postpartum depression,
• positive affirmations to recite in pregnancy and labor,
• tips on how to labor at home as long as possible and reduce unnecessary and unwanted interventions,
• how to incorporate your partner in all aspects of pregnancy, labor/birth and postpartum,
• building your confidence in the birth process and your ability to give birth naturally,
• how to tune into your body and trust your body, and
• how pregnancy and birth affect the woman physically, mentally and emotionally.

To sign up for a Bradley Birth class near you, visit http://www.BradleyBirth.com/.  Bradley has hundreds of educators nationwide to serve you! 

Join 4600+ fans and LIKE The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheBradleyMethodofNaturalChildbirth

What is my role at a birth?

No matter who you are - midwife, birth assistant, doula, friend, sister, mother, mother-in-law, neighbor,  father, partner, etc... - your job is to sit and observe the laboring mother quietly while supporting her and her needs along the way. 

Midwife:  A good midwife will come into the room quietly.  She will put her things down with reverence and respect to the environment of peace and calmness setting up her supplies as needed and encouraging her birth assistant to do the same.  At the right moment between contractions, she will lightly touch the laboring mother's shoulder or leg and whisper, "Hello.  I'm here.  You're doing a wonderful job."  Then, she'll find a comfy spot in the room and sit on her hands - knit, look through her chart and birth wishes, read a book, quietly observe the situation.

Birth Assistant:  A respectful and supportive birth assistant will follow the lead of the midwife.  She'll be just as quiet and just as reverent of the laboring mother's peaceful space.  If she is expected to get vitals of mother and baby to establish a baseline, she approaches the laboring mother between contractions and announces herself, complimenting her hard work and letting her know she would like to get her and her baby's vitals.  With permission, she gently proceeds, without making as much noise as possible and watching the laboring mother to make sure she isn't beginning to take her BP or pulse at the beginning of a contraction.  She also moves herself to allow the laboring mother the ability to stay right where she is not having to move or adjust for the birth assistant's comfort.  When that is done, the birth assistant, too, finds a corner in the room and sits and observes quietly.

Father/partner/supporting team:  When her labor first begins, her support system follows the birth wishes the laboring mother set out beforehand.  If she wants to be in her room with a lavendar candle burning, the hum of chanting music in the background and a tall glass of water in her favorite cup by her side, then that is what is done for her.  The most important job of her support person is to encourage her and be there for her every need. 

Doula:  A doula's role is unique to other support persons.  The doula if properly trained, educated and experienced can assess the mother's needs and anticipate what she will need before the laboring mother even asks.  A doula supports her in all of the same ways as her support system but has the experience necessary to come up with key suggestions and ideas to help the laboring mother through each aspect of her journey towards birth.  When a doula happens upon a couple working well together, she too should sit on her hands and observe them waiting for a moment when she is really needed to do hands-on work or offer such suggestions.

Other Observers:  Anyone invited to the birth to observe but has no prior role given to them should maintain a respectful distance and volume level when speaking.  Even better, consider doing things for the laboring mother in other rooms in her home like cleaning, cooking, childcare, etc...  The birth team needs to be fed throughout labor and after the birth.  The tub may need some boiling pots of hot water on a regular basis.  The laboring mother may have older children who need tending to.  The best thing other observers can do is let those she hired and asked to be a part of her birth team and support system help her through this journey while respecting her space.

Each person present should always be following the prior stated or written birth wishes of the laboring mother, should listen to her sounds and watch her reactions, should offer suggestions when it appears she is in need of guidance or she asks for them, should make little noise, should work to protect the laboring mother's space from interruption or noise and finally, should TRUST HER BODY to do its work.  If you trust that her body knows what to do and her baby knows how to be born, she will too.  At vulnerable stages, the laboring mother will look to her surrounding supporters for a look of confidence in your eyes.  Will it be there?  She needs to know that you trust in this process, too. 

Trust Trust Trust

If women and their hired birth attendants trusted the birth process, there would be no unnecessary interventions, the woman would not have any inhibitions to do her body's work and there would be less injury and loss of life for both mother and baby in pregnancy and birth.

Trusting Our Bodies Natural Birth & Health blog is a place where you can find information, resources and thoughts on how we as a society can better support the birth process by trusting in it and allowing the woman's body to lead the way to the birth of her baby.

"Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength." ~ Barbara Katz Rothman