Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition

Wow! This book was incredible! I highly recommend if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or like me and planning to get pregnant! I have read lots of health books over the last few months and since my husband and I are planning to and conceive in the next year, I picked this up to prepare. This lady is very knowledgeable of nutrition and pregnancy. I was impressed at how practical her tips were. The meal plans were super helpful! I am already following them and feeling great! I have heard some people say no carbs and no sugar but I love that she includes some fruit in her meal plans. Her tips are easy to follow. She also has tips for how to manage common pregnancy complaints like morning sickness and acid reflux. Being a previous labor and delivery nurse, I really appreciate someone who actually takes the time to talk about ways to manage these issue, besides just prescribing medications that are not ideal in pregnancy. This book is also very empowering. She encourages readers they CAN have a healthy baby! That positive self talk is very important when you’re going through the many emotions of pregnancy. I cannot say enough good things about this book! Also, she provides recommendations (you have to follow the link she provides in the book and then she will email them to you since they are always changing) on what are the best prenatal supplements to take in pregnancy. I plan to buy one of the vitamins she recommends and take it in preparation for my pregnancy. I have heard that taking a prenatal for 6 months before conceiving is very helpful for the baby. Another thing I love about this book, she discusses birth spacing (not having babies too close together), which is something that is not talked about enough. My own mother talked to me about it, but I never heard anyone else discuss the potential risks involved with closely spaced pregnancies. She has definitely done her research! Another thing I absolutely love is that she has references for her info she lists! It’s not just opinion, but it’s research and she includes everything she references so you can look them up if you wish. I am so thankful I found this book and I have already recommended it to my sisters. This book is wonderful and as a nurse, I highly recommend this book!!

As someone who isn’t super informed on nutrition and why our bodies need what they need, this book was a lot of great information. I knew a chunk of it, but most of it was very informative since it focuses specifically on what you need during your pregnancy and specifically points out misconceptions. I don’t understand why some reviews said that the author was focusing on expensive organic food, or that they suggested it was written in a condescending tone. The book reads like you’re talking to a friend, it blatantly says that anything closer to naturally made is better for you but life isn’t a perfect world so do what you can, and it backed everything up with scientific research and studies. It was clear, it was nicely organized, and it wasn’t scary to read - people saying it is scary to read are just scared because the author pointed out the realities, which is that certain developmental issues or health concerns occur when too much or too little of a nutrient is present during pregnancy. Don’t blame the messenger for informing you instead of refraining from mentioning it. I like the book so far. It’s very informative. It’s like the top rated recommended book for pregnancy nutrition. Definitely worth the read.

This book tells you exactly what matters when it comes to eating (and living) during pregnancy. It’s science-backed but super easy to read, and Lily does a great job explaining why so much of the mainstream advice is outdated or just plain wrong. It covers supplements, exercise, stress, labs, postpartum—you name it. But even if you don’t follow every single recommendation, there’s so much here you can apply right away. I wish every woman had this book.

Love this book. Lots of studies to back up claims. Put me back on track with my pregnancy diet and I feel better than ever.

I wanted to wait until I read the whole book but I just couldn’t! I’m halfway through in just a couple of days and have found “Real food for pregnancy” so easy to read and brimming with useful, practical information. I love how Lily gives cited sources in her recommendations and compares it to what’s “generally accepted advice” and how the general guidelines for pregnant women are typically not well founded. I also love that it not only covers nutrition from food, but has a lot of well researched information on prenatal vitamins, supplements, exercise, the list goes on! Although I genuinely try to eat “healthy” I’m not going to wait until I’m pregnant to make some changes as suggested in this book. For example, I use Sweet N Low in my morning coffee. Did I know fake sugar provides no useful nutrition, yes. Did I know it can have a negative effect on the bacteria in my gut and “may impact a child’s propensity for obesity later in life” ?! Sadly, I didn’t. So many small changes can be made given the education found in this book. You will not regret buying this book. Do not wait until you are pregnant. Educate yourself now.