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Real Food for Pregnancy
Prenatal nutrition can be confusing. A lot of the advice you have been given about what to eat (or what not to eat) is well-meaning, but frankly, outdated or not evidenced-based. In Real Food for Pregnancy, you ll get clear answers on what to eat and why, with research to back up every recommendation. Author and specialist in prenatal nutrition, Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, has taken a long and hard look at the science and discovered a wide gap between current prenatal nutrition recommendations and what foods are required for optimal health in pregnancy and for your baby s development. There has never been a more comprehensive and well-referenced resource on prenatal nutrition. With Real Food for Pregnancy as your guide, you can be confident that your food and lifestyle choices support a smooth, healthy pregnancy.
344 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2018
2159 people are currently reading
5428 people want to read
About the author
Lily Nichols
7 books100 followersLily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb diet for managing gestational diabetes. Her unique approach has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally.
Lily’s second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what’s optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date.
Lily is also creator of the popular blog, www.PilatesNutritionist.com, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition.
Lily’s second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what’s optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date.
Lily is also creator of the popular blog, www.PilatesNutritionist.com, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 408 reviews
January 18, 2020
**Note: I received a free copy of this book to review. I have not been paid for this review.**
Lily Nichols, Registered Dietitian, specialist in prenatal nutrition, and best-selling author of Real Food for Gestational Diabetes , has written this book to close the wide gap between current prenatal nutrition recommendations and the actual nutritional needs for optimal health in pregnancy and for a baby's development. With research both broad and deep, Nichols closely examines the most current scientific evidence and studies to determine optimal nutritional options for today's pregnant women.
I appreciate the author's depth of research, and the work that she has done to review common nutritional misconceptions and address alternatives. From a research perspective, the book is very well written, and could be a huge asset to the healthcare community and to providers. I can see this book serving well in a classroom setting to teach future doctors, nurses, and midwives how to better support their patients' nutritional needs.
However, this is not a book that I could in good conscience recommend to the average reader, and certainly not to pregnant friends, colleagues, or clients. The advice in this book is simply impractical for most of the clients I serve, and for most people I know. We live in a large metropolitan area, and while there is certainly access to farm fresh and organic food, because of the high cost of living in this area most of my clients -- and particularly those members of our underserved communities -- are unable to afford this diet on a regular basis.
The recommendations in this book, then, become nearly impossible to follow with any degree of practicality. These are recommendations that presuppose that readers have the knowledge, time, and financial means to make sweeping changes to their dietary habits. While I do not disagree with the recommendations on principle, as Nichols certainly supports her claims with evidence-based research, I do vehemently disagree with their presentation. The author frequently points to the frightening negative effects of less-than-optimal diet, including miscarriage, stillbirth, and various other health deficits for mother and baby, but she does not break down the prevalence of these negative effects, or give any caveat as to the scale or scope of dietary changes that a pregnant person would need to make to avoid these adverse outcomes.
This all-or-nothing approach is terrifying and, frankly, offensively classist. Such fear-mongering has no place in medical or nutritional practice. Nichols would have been better served to point to what many pregnant people are already doing well, and how they can make simple, practical reforms for improved outcomes. She also has a responsibility to her readers to identify real versus perceived risk, and the statistical likelihood of the negative outcomes she warns against.
If you are a medical provider or community support person, this book will provide tremendous insight into how you can better support your clientele in meeting their nutritional needs during pregnancy. But if you are a pregnant person (or have been or may at some point be a pregnant person), be prepared to feel shamed, terrified, and overwhelmed by the changes required to save your child from certain doom and possible mental retardation. I don't know that there are better books about nutrition, at least from a research perspective, but I also don't find that this book appropriately fills the void.
Lily Nichols, Registered Dietitian, specialist in prenatal nutrition, and best-selling author of Real Food for Gestational Diabetes , has written this book to close the wide gap between current prenatal nutrition recommendations and the actual nutritional needs for optimal health in pregnancy and for a baby's development. With research both broad and deep, Nichols closely examines the most current scientific evidence and studies to determine optimal nutritional options for today's pregnant women.
I appreciate the author's depth of research, and the work that she has done to review common nutritional misconceptions and address alternatives. From a research perspective, the book is very well written, and could be a huge asset to the healthcare community and to providers. I can see this book serving well in a classroom setting to teach future doctors, nurses, and midwives how to better support their patients' nutritional needs.
However, this is not a book that I could in good conscience recommend to the average reader, and certainly not to pregnant friends, colleagues, or clients. The advice in this book is simply impractical for most of the clients I serve, and for most people I know. We live in a large metropolitan area, and while there is certainly access to farm fresh and organic food, because of the high cost of living in this area most of my clients -- and particularly those members of our underserved communities -- are unable to afford this diet on a regular basis.
The recommendations in this book, then, become nearly impossible to follow with any degree of practicality. These are recommendations that presuppose that readers have the knowledge, time, and financial means to make sweeping changes to their dietary habits. While I do not disagree with the recommendations on principle, as Nichols certainly supports her claims with evidence-based research, I do vehemently disagree with their presentation. The author frequently points to the frightening negative effects of less-than-optimal diet, including miscarriage, stillbirth, and various other health deficits for mother and baby, but she does not break down the prevalence of these negative effects, or give any caveat as to the scale or scope of dietary changes that a pregnant person would need to make to avoid these adverse outcomes.
This all-or-nothing approach is terrifying and, frankly, offensively classist. Such fear-mongering has no place in medical or nutritional practice. Nichols would have been better served to point to what many pregnant people are already doing well, and how they can make simple, practical reforms for improved outcomes. She also has a responsibility to her readers to identify real versus perceived risk, and the statistical likelihood of the negative outcomes she warns against.
If you are a medical provider or community support person, this book will provide tremendous insight into how you can better support your clientele in meeting their nutritional needs during pregnancy. But if you are a pregnant person (or have been or may at some point be a pregnant person), be prepared to feel shamed, terrified, and overwhelmed by the changes required to save your child from certain doom and possible mental retardation. I don't know that there are better books about nutrition, at least from a research perspective, but I also don't find that this book appropriately fills the void.
December 29, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book.
The good: There was definitely a lot of research that went into this book! I appreciated the discussions and comparisons between the latest research and current best practices. It can definitely function as a great reference tool for healthcare practitioners working with this population. I also loved the food-first focused messaging within the book. There was much discussion on which nutrients were essential (and why!), and Lily did a great job describing what sort of whole foods could provide these. It was also fascinating reading about some of the newer research on lesser discussed nutrients like lecithin, choline, glycine, etc and infant health outcomes. There is a small recipe section in the back and the ones I’ve tried so far (quiche, bone broth, curry cauliflower) have all been hits. Aside from food, I appreciate the chapters on MentalHealth & Stress, and on the “Fourth Trimester” as both of these things can be often overlooked.
But...
The not-so-good: First off, I was turned off by her “not-like-other-dietitians” comments (as a RD myself I found myself rolling my eyes more than once). This is a personal thing, I admit, but also a pet peeve. Anyways, that aside, the amount of fear-mongering contained within this book is over the top. From eating the “wrong” kinds of foods to not enough of the “good” kinds of foods, to “toxins” present in our daily lives (everything from the coating on non-stick pans, heavy metals, and vaccines) there was so much doom-and-gloom. Never mind the emphasis on grass-fed, organic food, which due to cost and availability, simply isn’t realistic for everyone. Also, as someone planning to conceive, her section on prenatal vitamins resulted in a near anxiety attack over the fear of purchasing “the wrong one” combined with my disbelief of how much some of those cost! (In the end, once calmed, I took a generic one and supplemented with a few key nutrients-of-interest for a fraction of the price... but I digress).
And yes, the book is extensively researched with a massive reference list at the end, but not all studies are necessarily high quality. Another reviewer mentioned that the author “also has a responsibility to her readers to identify real versus perceived risk, and the statistical likelihood of the negative outcomes she warns against” - which I 100% agree with!
Overall it’s still worth the read. The information on key nutrients and where to find them is fantastic, and I love her focus on overall health such as the sections on mindfulness, stress reduction, and fourth trimester care. Like anything, however, don’t take it entirely all at face value - Especially regarding all of the fear-mongering and doom-and-gloom messaging.
The good: There was definitely a lot of research that went into this book! I appreciated the discussions and comparisons between the latest research and current best practices. It can definitely function as a great reference tool for healthcare practitioners working with this population. I also loved the food-first focused messaging within the book. There was much discussion on which nutrients were essential (and why!), and Lily did a great job describing what sort of whole foods could provide these. It was also fascinating reading about some of the newer research on lesser discussed nutrients like lecithin, choline, glycine, etc and infant health outcomes. There is a small recipe section in the back and the ones I’ve tried so far (quiche, bone broth, curry cauliflower) have all been hits. Aside from food, I appreciate the chapters on MentalHealth & Stress, and on the “Fourth Trimester” as both of these things can be often overlooked.
But...
The not-so-good: First off, I was turned off by her “not-like-other-dietitians” comments (as a RD myself I found myself rolling my eyes more than once). This is a personal thing, I admit, but also a pet peeve. Anyways, that aside, the amount of fear-mongering contained within this book is over the top. From eating the “wrong” kinds of foods to not enough of the “good” kinds of foods, to “toxins” present in our daily lives (everything from the coating on non-stick pans, heavy metals, and vaccines) there was so much doom-and-gloom. Never mind the emphasis on grass-fed, organic food, which due to cost and availability, simply isn’t realistic for everyone. Also, as someone planning to conceive, her section on prenatal vitamins resulted in a near anxiety attack over the fear of purchasing “the wrong one” combined with my disbelief of how much some of those cost! (In the end, once calmed, I took a generic one and supplemented with a few key nutrients-of-interest for a fraction of the price... but I digress).
And yes, the book is extensively researched with a massive reference list at the end, but not all studies are necessarily high quality. Another reviewer mentioned that the author “also has a responsibility to her readers to identify real versus perceived risk, and the statistical likelihood of the negative outcomes she warns against” - which I 100% agree with!
Overall it’s still worth the read. The information on key nutrients and where to find them is fantastic, and I love her focus on overall health such as the sections on mindfulness, stress reduction, and fourth trimester care. Like anything, however, don’t take it entirely all at face value - Especially regarding all of the fear-mongering and doom-and-gloom messaging.
October 15, 2018
I did not quite comprehend the deep meaning of the phrase "real food" when I picked this book out of the library catalog while looking for information on sensible eating for pregnancy. Had I better understood its meaning--roughly equivalent to Paleo-diet ideas--I might have been more prepared and even receptive for the book's message.
However, in the end, Real Food for Pregnancy left me feeling more confused and alarmed than empowered and enlightened. Some of the advice is so widely agreed-upon that it was easy to accept ("eat more fruits and veggies!"), but, despite pages of extensive footnotes pointing to scientific studies, I never felt 100% convinced of Nichols' position that carbs should be severely limited and the intake of protein and healthy fats greatly increased. I am on board with sticking to farm-raised meat and eggs, but should they really be the largest part of my diet? How did humans survive so many centuries of grain-based diets with only occasional meat consumption?
In addition, I felt as though every page turn might land me in the midst of another desperate alarm that something in my normal, everyday diet and/or environment was probably harming me and my baby. I wanted a book that would give me a sensible guideline for pregnancy eating, but this seemed far more like a niche book for those looking to food as the locus of all problems and solutions for bringing forth healthy babies. It isn't a truly alarmist book, but it certainly disappointed me in terms of providing a balanced and reassuring guide to pregnancy eating.
However, in the end, Real Food for Pregnancy left me feeling more confused and alarmed than empowered and enlightened. Some of the advice is so widely agreed-upon that it was easy to accept ("eat more fruits and veggies!"), but, despite pages of extensive footnotes pointing to scientific studies, I never felt 100% convinced of Nichols' position that carbs should be severely limited and the intake of protein and healthy fats greatly increased. I am on board with sticking to farm-raised meat and eggs, but should they really be the largest part of my diet? How did humans survive so many centuries of grain-based diets with only occasional meat consumption?
In addition, I felt as though every page turn might land me in the midst of another desperate alarm that something in my normal, everyday diet and/or environment was probably harming me and my baby. I wanted a book that would give me a sensible guideline for pregnancy eating, but this seemed far more like a niche book for those looking to food as the locus of all problems and solutions for bringing forth healthy babies. It isn't a truly alarmist book, but it certainly disappointed me in terms of providing a balanced and reassuring guide to pregnancy eating.
November 29, 2021
Were I reviewing this book solely based on its academic rigor this would be more like 4.5 stars. I also am reading this book as a medical doctor who works in an eating disorders clinic so I’m a bit ahead of the curve when it comes to MD knowledge of nutrition (and I will admit we are woefully under-educated on the topic). This is a very well-researched book and it’s clear the author is dedicated to evidence-based recommendations.
Buuuuut some things bothered me. Firstly, she engages a bit overly much in info-dumping without enough context. She will state that certain dietary practices or lack thereof can increase risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, lower IQ rates, etc without any discussion of the MAGNITUDE of the risk. There are also so many other factors that contribute to these outcomes beyond diet. She also talks up organic produce and meat without any discussion of the scientific literature on safety and benefits organic vs conventional and/or GMO (spoiler alert, it’s not as clear cut as this author makes it seem). While she throws in some statements about how if you can’t afford or access organic foods then conventional is…acceptable, I can’t help but feel the message that the average reader will get is that they are not doing enough. It’s a bit classist, is what I’m saying.
The toxins chapter also made me cringe a bit because I get the sense the author is a teensy bit out of her lane here-especially when she starts to veer into vaccine hesitancy territory. She says she believes in informed consent, but when you are scaring people out of using common household items that the vast majority of people use and may not be able to afford otherwise you are engaging in fear-mongering in my book. We need to talk about realistic risk and practicality here. Using stats, especially those from animal studies require context and discussion about clinical significance and you have to be VERY careful about applying those outcomes to humans.
All in all, I’m glad I read it and I found it useful for own purposes, but not sure I could recommend it to the average reader.
Buuuuut some things bothered me. Firstly, she engages a bit overly much in info-dumping without enough context. She will state that certain dietary practices or lack thereof can increase risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, lower IQ rates, etc without any discussion of the MAGNITUDE of the risk. There are also so many other factors that contribute to these outcomes beyond diet. She also talks up organic produce and meat without any discussion of the scientific literature on safety and benefits organic vs conventional and/or GMO (spoiler alert, it’s not as clear cut as this author makes it seem). While she throws in some statements about how if you can’t afford or access organic foods then conventional is…acceptable, I can’t help but feel the message that the average reader will get is that they are not doing enough. It’s a bit classist, is what I’m saying.
The toxins chapter also made me cringe a bit because I get the sense the author is a teensy bit out of her lane here-especially when she starts to veer into vaccine hesitancy territory. She says she believes in informed consent, but when you are scaring people out of using common household items that the vast majority of people use and may not be able to afford otherwise you are engaging in fear-mongering in my book. We need to talk about realistic risk and practicality here. Using stats, especially those from animal studies require context and discussion about clinical significance and you have to be VERY careful about applying those outcomes to humans.
All in all, I’m glad I read it and I found it useful for own purposes, but not sure I could recommend it to the average reader.
December 6, 2019
This book convinced me to eat a lot of eggs during my pregnancy
August 10, 2021
DNF. Author cherry-picks research (not all of which is high quality), misinterprets/misrepresents studies, and repeatedly misuses basic scientific terminology like “toxin.” Appeals to authorities like holistic dentist Weston A. Price and the EWG (hardly reliable scientific sources). Warns about the potential negative repercussions of specific nutrient deficiencies, without explaining how statistically likely those effects are to occur.
Author presents herself as an impartial pursuer of truth who is just following the very best research wherever it may lead. Her bias is more apparent on social media, though, where she follows many accounts in the conspiracy-theory- and pseudoscience-laden echo chamber of alternative/antivax/“holistic”/“natural” health disinformation.
I’m not saying that none of the recommendations have merit, but there are too many sloppy mistakes for me to take the overall message very seriously.
Obligatory disclaimer: I am not pregnant. I just see this book recommended a lot in the women’s health world.
Author presents herself as an impartial pursuer of truth who is just following the very best research wherever it may lead. Her bias is more apparent on social media, though, where she follows many accounts in the conspiracy-theory- and pseudoscience-laden echo chamber of alternative/antivax/“holistic”/“natural” health disinformation.
I’m not saying that none of the recommendations have merit, but there are too many sloppy mistakes for me to take the overall message very seriously.
Obligatory disclaimer: I am not pregnant. I just see this book recommended a lot in the women’s health world.
February 9, 2023
This book was mixed for me.
On the one hand, it is well-researched and includes a rich array of information for pregnant folks, their providers, and anyone with an interest in prenatal care. The more I read prenatal literature the more I note how rarely authors cite evidence to support their claims. I can commend Nichols on the breadth of her research and her meticulous use of citations. I learned a lot from this text. It has changed the way I eat and how I think about my nutrition for the better. Her chapters on nutrition, healthy foods, the fourth trimester, and meal plans supported me in making incremental changes in support of my baby’s development.
On the other hand, while this book draws from a wide spectrum of research, I think it struggles to consistently discern the quality of all that data and as such draw reasonable and relevant conclusions for its audience. I get the impression that whenever Nichols comes across studies that associate a particular food ingredient or toxin with the term, “elevated risk” she opts towards recommending avoidance instead of digging deeper to consider the validity of that association, data quality, and the degree of risk. The chapters on foods that don’t build a healthy baby, nutrients, and toxins culminate in a punishing list of restrictions and scared the hell out of me at a time when I was already struggling with elevated fears. Suddenly, drinking tap water, eating out, using moisturizer, toothpaste, and so on felt like risks. I’m skeptical that the stress was worth it.
As other reviewers have aptly said, this book is also classist. The diet and lifestyle recommendations in this book are not accessible to most people. Messages along the lines of, “it’s more expensive, but it’s worth it” and “what is available to you is not good enough to optimize your baby’s health” only seeks to shame folks about structural factors that are beyond their control. I don’t know what privatized health system dys/utopia Nichols is living in, but when I asked my OBs about some of the lab tests recommended in this book, they gave me flat-out nos. When I asked my dental hygienist if I could use a fluoride-free treatment, she said they didn’t have such a thing. I’m a privileged middle-class white woman and I still felt like I was falling short in many areas; imagine if I was working full-time, tight on cash, or a member of a minoritized group facing discrimination from my providers? I invite Nichols to consider the impact of her recommendations on her audience.
Last, but far from least: this book is COLONIAL. It really speaks to the invisibility and normalization of settler colonialism that an author like this can vest the entire premise of her book in the knowledge of Indigenous nations without EVER citing the many Indigenous scholars, knowledge keepers, and community members whose territory she has the benefit of living and working on in the US. Instead, she pulled a classic colonial hattrick in the first chapter: citing a single early 20th-century white anthropologist, Dr. Weston Price, who she holds up as some kind of expert on Indigenous lifeways. Nichols should take Margaret Kovach’s question, “Whose knowledge do you privilege?” to heart in a thoroughly revised edition of this book.
On the one hand, it is well-researched and includes a rich array of information for pregnant folks, their providers, and anyone with an interest in prenatal care. The more I read prenatal literature the more I note how rarely authors cite evidence to support their claims. I can commend Nichols on the breadth of her research and her meticulous use of citations. I learned a lot from this text. It has changed the way I eat and how I think about my nutrition for the better. Her chapters on nutrition, healthy foods, the fourth trimester, and meal plans supported me in making incremental changes in support of my baby’s development.
On the other hand, while this book draws from a wide spectrum of research, I think it struggles to consistently discern the quality of all that data and as such draw reasonable and relevant conclusions for its audience. I get the impression that whenever Nichols comes across studies that associate a particular food ingredient or toxin with the term, “elevated risk” she opts towards recommending avoidance instead of digging deeper to consider the validity of that association, data quality, and the degree of risk. The chapters on foods that don’t build a healthy baby, nutrients, and toxins culminate in a punishing list of restrictions and scared the hell out of me at a time when I was already struggling with elevated fears. Suddenly, drinking tap water, eating out, using moisturizer, toothpaste, and so on felt like risks. I’m skeptical that the stress was worth it.
As other reviewers have aptly said, this book is also classist. The diet and lifestyle recommendations in this book are not accessible to most people. Messages along the lines of, “it’s more expensive, but it’s worth it” and “what is available to you is not good enough to optimize your baby’s health” only seeks to shame folks about structural factors that are beyond their control. I don’t know what privatized health system dys/utopia Nichols is living in, but when I asked my OBs about some of the lab tests recommended in this book, they gave me flat-out nos. When I asked my dental hygienist if I could use a fluoride-free treatment, she said they didn’t have such a thing. I’m a privileged middle-class white woman and I still felt like I was falling short in many areas; imagine if I was working full-time, tight on cash, or a member of a minoritized group facing discrimination from my providers? I invite Nichols to consider the impact of her recommendations on her audience.
Last, but far from least: this book is COLONIAL. It really speaks to the invisibility and normalization of settler colonialism that an author like this can vest the entire premise of her book in the knowledge of Indigenous nations without EVER citing the many Indigenous scholars, knowledge keepers, and community members whose territory she has the benefit of living and working on in the US. Instead, she pulled a classic colonial hattrick in the first chapter: citing a single early 20th-century white anthropologist, Dr. Weston Price, who she holds up as some kind of expert on Indigenous lifeways. Nichols should take Margaret Kovach’s question, “Whose knowledge do you privilege?” to heart in a thoroughly revised edition of this book.
April 7, 2021
Take the good and leave the rest. There was a lot of well researched, helpful information in this book. I love how she presented everything in a non-shaming, guilt free way. I enjoyed the fact that she touched on more topics than just food (I.e. therapy and prenatal depression & toxins in your everyday environment) There were things she suggested that could be overwhelming and scary for moms, like all the chemicals in your non-stick pots and pans and plastic Tupperwares. But here’s, the thing. She’s just informing you. Obviously children and families are surviving today while using/consuming these products. She is just informing you of better/best choices if you’re able to make the change. So glean from the good/what resonates with you and leave the stuff that rubbed you wrong! You’ve got this momma! I 100% recommend this book, thank you Lily for writing it :)
September 26, 2020
Loved! I recommend this book for every woman who is pregnant of thinking of becoming pregnant. Read it as early as possible. The most valuable and up to date book on nutrition. Really informed many good behaviors for my nutrition and makes me feel much better about the prenatal I selected based on her recommendations.
Furthermore it’s so much more than just food. Also covers many other critical behaviors for an overall healthy pregnancy.
Furthermore it’s so much more than just food. Also covers many other critical behaviors for an overall healthy pregnancy.
October 28, 2020
Author is extremely biased, even though she claims the book is objective and “evidence based”. Author relies heavily on rat studies and mechanistic studies, which are very low on the scientific evidence hierarchy. Evidence is cherry-picked to support opinions. Many contradictions throughout the book (e.g. says we shouldn’t focus on macronutrients, but then spends a great deal of time demonizing carbohydrates as a whole). It is interesting the author heavily criticized soy, yet had very little to say about dairy (hello bias). Would not recommend this book to any family members or friends. Would recommend others find another book that offers a more balanced perspective, and a dietician more adept at interpreting nutrition research.
March 21, 2020
I'm a midwife. 80% of the recommendations in this book are unreasonable for a large majority of my patients. The author seemed more interested in being a maverick than anything else. She also cherry picked studies to suit her motives instead of offering a balanced perspective. Would not recommend.
March 15, 2020
Great advice about how to eat well during pregnancy. I have been making the bone broth in the crock pot and have loved it, as well as the super practical snack and meal ideas. I will continue to go back and reference this, I’m sure!
June 9, 2019
As a nutrition consultant, I would highly recommend this book to any one of my female clients—whether they're pregnant, TTC, or are even considering having children in their future. Why? The real-world advice and scientific data to back it up is relevant to every woman, in my opinion, who simply wants to start eating for optimal health. (The best possible diet for growing a healthy baby is the most nutrient-dense diet, which can also be said for the general population.)
Real Food for Pregnancy is doubly important for mamas-to-be, as it goes into detail on a number of topics that aren't usually covered by doctors, including—but not limited to—common nutrient deficiencies in pregnancy (and how they can affect you and baby), lab tests to request from the moment you find out you're pregnant, the benefits of regular movement (as well as a primer on what's safe and what's not), common pregnancy symptoms (and how to manage them), the truth about gestational diabetes (plus what to do if you're diagnosed), and tips on navigating the fourth trimester. She even provides an index of recipes at the end of the book to help with healthy meal planning.
Nichols is well-versed in prenatal nutrition, constantly citing the most updated research out there and even debunking common myths and misconceptions of conventional teaching on the subject. Her book makes apparent the fact that many health issues during pregnancy and even throughout baby's life can stem from a lack of quality nutrition while in utero; and although some of her findings can feel a little intimidating or cautionary (rather than uplifting), she encourages her readers to not stress over being perfect, but to simply do what they can with what they've got. Every mom wants to do what's best for her child, and education/awareness is the first step to doing better.
Real Food for Pregnancy is doubly important for mamas-to-be, as it goes into detail on a number of topics that aren't usually covered by doctors, including—but not limited to—common nutrient deficiencies in pregnancy (and how they can affect you and baby), lab tests to request from the moment you find out you're pregnant, the benefits of regular movement (as well as a primer on what's safe and what's not), common pregnancy symptoms (and how to manage them), the truth about gestational diabetes (plus what to do if you're diagnosed), and tips on navigating the fourth trimester. She even provides an index of recipes at the end of the book to help with healthy meal planning.
Nichols is well-versed in prenatal nutrition, constantly citing the most updated research out there and even debunking common myths and misconceptions of conventional teaching on the subject. Her book makes apparent the fact that many health issues during pregnancy and even throughout baby's life can stem from a lack of quality nutrition while in utero; and although some of her findings can feel a little intimidating or cautionary (rather than uplifting), she encourages her readers to not stress over being perfect, but to simply do what they can with what they've got. Every mom wants to do what's best for her child, and education/awareness is the first step to doing better.
July 7, 2021
A lot of the evidence for this book feels very cherry picked to be very pro animal products and anti plant based. I think it would have been nice to look at both sides here, as there are many studies that tout the benefits of less, not more, meat. Additionally, much of the writing talks about how much your risk is increased from not eating this or that, or how you will be at risk for this or that if you aren't eating right. This is relevant information obviously, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Does your risk go from 0.02% to 0.04%? Or from 20% to 40%? In both of these scenarios, your risk is doubled, but obviously with very different implications.
Additionally, the information in this book will just be completely inaccessible for so many. If you can't afford a diet of organic, local produce, and free range, grass fed meat and dairy, with a ton of pasture raised organic eggs, this book might just make you feel bad and not do much more. Further, a lot of the writing made me feel like my entire purpose in life is just to be a vessel to grow babies - where's the chapter on what if I want an occasional piece of cake? Instead, you are encouraged to frame everything you eat as will this grow a healthy baby?
The second half of the book also strays away from nutrition a bit, and I noticed that the citations for the information fell off pretty significantly. I think overall the book could have been much shorter and condensed in a way where the information would have been easier to take in. Overall, I think there is some good information in here, but I would have loved a more balanced and less obviously biased review of nutrition during pregnancy.
Additionally, the information in this book will just be completely inaccessible for so many. If you can't afford a diet of organic, local produce, and free range, grass fed meat and dairy, with a ton of pasture raised organic eggs, this book might just make you feel bad and not do much more. Further, a lot of the writing made me feel like my entire purpose in life is just to be a vessel to grow babies - where's the chapter on what if I want an occasional piece of cake? Instead, you are encouraged to frame everything you eat as will this grow a healthy baby?
The second half of the book also strays away from nutrition a bit, and I noticed that the citations for the information fell off pretty significantly. I think overall the book could have been much shorter and condensed in a way where the information would have been easier to take in. Overall, I think there is some good information in here, but I would have loved a more balanced and less obviously biased review of nutrition during pregnancy.
May 16, 2018
I received a copy as a doula and childbirth educator, and loved the content of this book! It is a great balance of research and traditional wisdom, and covers every topic that most pregnant women have questions about. This is definitely a recommended read for my students and clients!
October 15, 2020
Very thorough, and a balanced, intelligent take on outdated and updated data. Wish I had read this during my first pregnancy. Highly recommend.
March 26, 2024
Highly recommend this book for every woman! I love how evidence-based every recommendation is and the study results are fascinating.
February 3, 2023
This book is absolutely amazing. It is so well-researched, and since it's written by a fellow mom, it's not guilt-inducing or chastising. Rather, it feels encouraging that I CAN make better choices to fuel my body and my baby. 100% recommend for anyone pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
November 14, 2019
I'm not pregnant, this is for work I swear.
Read
March 21, 2024As the primary cook in the house, this book was helpful! Would recommend
August 28, 2025
4.5 stars - packed with lots of great researched info about nutrients/vitamins/toxins/4th tri but tended to get very repetitive sometimes. I would often find full sentences repeated a few pages/chapters later but i guess it helped to bake the info in 🤓
April 28, 2022
4.75 stars
Overall, this book was incredibly helpful. I loved the refreshing perspective that food is our best medicine and the best way to nourish our bodies, whether pregnant or not.
HOWEVER--it is a LOT of information. If you are someone who is easily overwhelmed by academic writing, take it slowly or seek condensed resources. This book is too important not to try and glean from!
Other considerations:
I'm a bit torn on a point other reviewers have already mentioned, that is, Nichols often states which risk factors are increased due to various nutrient deficiencies but doesn't attach any percentage to the increase. I would love to know, as it could assauge my fears, but including this information would make it read even more like a textbook than it already does.
So maybe it's better she left them out and we'll just have to remember these two things: 1) God designed our bodies to filter out toxins. As Nichols said herself, our bodies are always filtering. It's what they do. So I don't have to panic about environmental toxins, but I can be more proactive about making changes. 2) Humans have survived and produced healthy babies for thousands of years, which is a LITERAL MIRACLE, when you think about it. Especially when you consider that we get nitpicky about cumulative toxins whereas women used to use lead makeup every day or take belladonna to enlarge their pupils...and we still lived?
Nichols spent a lot of time on soy, but I'm curious what studies done in cultures where soy is commonly consumed (probably not as an additive, I'll grant that) reveal. Nichols did an excellent job of that when it came to seafood/iodine, but it was surprisingly lacking with the soy information.
She did mention several times throughout the book that even if you can't eat organic, pasture-raised etc. That it is still more important to eat nutrient dense food than to avoid because of toxicity concerns. I think she could have said that more, as many women I think would give up because they don't have access to or can't afford to eat completely clean.
The exercise chapter seems superfluous, honestly. There are a lot of other resources out there that are just as good and it just made this feel even more like a textbook. Especially because the statement "I'll have you know I'm also a certified pilates instructor" struck me as grandiose.
Overall, this book was incredibly helpful. I loved the refreshing perspective that food is our best medicine and the best way to nourish our bodies, whether pregnant or not.
HOWEVER--it is a LOT of information. If you are someone who is easily overwhelmed by academic writing, take it slowly or seek condensed resources. This book is too important not to try and glean from!
Other considerations:
I'm a bit torn on a point other reviewers have already mentioned, that is, Nichols often states which risk factors are increased due to various nutrient deficiencies but doesn't attach any percentage to the increase. I would love to know, as it could assauge my fears, but including this information would make it read even more like a textbook than it already does.
So maybe it's better she left them out and we'll just have to remember these two things: 1) God designed our bodies to filter out toxins. As Nichols said herself, our bodies are always filtering. It's what they do. So I don't have to panic about environmental toxins, but I can be more proactive about making changes. 2) Humans have survived and produced healthy babies for thousands of years, which is a LITERAL MIRACLE, when you think about it. Especially when you consider that we get nitpicky about cumulative toxins whereas women used to use lead makeup every day or take belladonna to enlarge their pupils...and we still lived?
Nichols spent a lot of time on soy, but I'm curious what studies done in cultures where soy is commonly consumed (probably not as an additive, I'll grant that) reveal. Nichols did an excellent job of that when it came to seafood/iodine, but it was surprisingly lacking with the soy information.
She did mention several times throughout the book that even if you can't eat organic, pasture-raised etc. That it is still more important to eat nutrient dense food than to avoid because of toxicity concerns. I think she could have said that more, as many women I think would give up because they don't have access to or can't afford to eat completely clean.
The exercise chapter seems superfluous, honestly. There are a lot of other resources out there that are just as good and it just made this feel even more like a textbook. Especially because the statement "I'll have you know I'm also a certified pilates instructor" struck me as grandiose.
January 23, 2022
I kind of feel a little bad for my first two kids that I didn't know the information in here for when I was pregnant with them, but better late than never I suppose! This seems very sound and sensible. What's most helpful in this book is that it actually goes through what unique nutritional needs come up in pregnancy, as opposed to most generic prenatal nutrition advice that seems more about trying to take advantage of a big life event to get people to improve their diets at a baseline. It will be least shocking to people who are generally already on board a Whole30/Paleo-style "we're probably mostly supposed to eat vegetables, meat, fruit in the whole form" diet philosophies. My main conclusions were to regularly add more: bone broth, liver, and low mercury fish.
Also seems much more comprehensive and thorough than the chapters on prenatal diet recommendations in Expecting Better, though that comes with a risk of being overwhelmed by too much information on how to optimize. Probably Expecting Better is a better fit if you need to reduce anxiety about all the no-nos that MDs issue.
I might hesitate to recommend it to vegetarians and vegans because there's a pretty strong position taken that optimal prenatal nutrition is extremely difficult without eating animal products. Some of the later sections on toxins started to sound slightly kooky to me (avoiding aluminum foil in cooking, for example) but I'm trying to keep an open mind to it given how well-reasoned the rest of the book is.
Also seems much more comprehensive and thorough than the chapters on prenatal diet recommendations in Expecting Better, though that comes with a risk of being overwhelmed by too much information on how to optimize. Probably Expecting Better is a better fit if you need to reduce anxiety about all the no-nos that MDs issue.
I might hesitate to recommend it to vegetarians and vegans because there's a pretty strong position taken that optimal prenatal nutrition is extremely difficult without eating animal products. Some of the later sections on toxins started to sound slightly kooky to me (avoiding aluminum foil in cooking, for example) but I'm trying to keep an open mind to it given how well-reasoned the rest of the book is.
June 30, 2020
Things I loved:
-Her real-food approach to nutrition is refreshing and sound. There are no fad restrictions here, just good solid reminders of the nutrition your body needs and how to get it from the food God gave us.
-She gives the science behind the nutrients that we need and how they impact our growing babies.
-It is a good guide for women at any life stage, not just pregnancy. It is especially helpful for women who are TTC, pregnant, or postpartum, but I think her nutrition information is valuable and applicable for any woman of childbearing age.
Neutral:
- There is a lot in this book that is not about food. I'm a Type A person, so I already knew plenty about toxin avoidance, unhealthy foods, supplements, exercise, stress, etc. If you are NOT a type A person who has already learned all they can about those topics, it would be very helpful for learning those essential elements of preparing your body for conception. I ended up skimming a lot of that.
Cons:
There weren't many recipes. I was hoping for more of a recipe book, so I think that's why I was disappointed to see so much about the topics above, and just a small section of recipes.
-Her real-food approach to nutrition is refreshing and sound. There are no fad restrictions here, just good solid reminders of the nutrition your body needs and how to get it from the food God gave us.
-She gives the science behind the nutrients that we need and how they impact our growing babies.
-It is a good guide for women at any life stage, not just pregnancy. It is especially helpful for women who are TTC, pregnant, or postpartum, but I think her nutrition information is valuable and applicable for any woman of childbearing age.
Neutral:
- There is a lot in this book that is not about food. I'm a Type A person, so I already knew plenty about toxin avoidance, unhealthy foods, supplements, exercise, stress, etc. If you are NOT a type A person who has already learned all they can about those topics, it would be very helpful for learning those essential elements of preparing your body for conception. I ended up skimming a lot of that.
Cons:
There weren't many recipes. I was hoping for more of a recipe book, so I think that's why I was disappointed to see so much about the topics above, and just a small section of recipes.
June 24, 2019
I am glad I read it for the information and insight provided, but I would never recommend this book to a client or friend. And although the book is extensively cited, some of the research cited is not of high enough quality to translate into clinical recommendations. Number of references doesn't matter, quality does. I think there is useful information to glean from the studies but she presents fearful messages in a matter of fact way that just isn't true.
In all fairness she does preface the book that the research isn't highest grade evidence, but an average reader without a science background may easily feel that the must follow all the recommendations or else negative consequences will result. We will never have super high quality studies for pregnant women, so we need to interpret animal research and make the best decisions with what we have, but we also need to be cautious to not cause undue worry and fear.
In all fairness she does preface the book that the research isn't highest grade evidence, but an average reader without a science background may easily feel that the must follow all the recommendations or else negative consequences will result. We will never have super high quality studies for pregnant women, so we need to interpret animal research and make the best decisions with what we have, but we also need to be cautious to not cause undue worry and fear.
January 15, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! I am not pregnant yet, but since I'm starting my IVF journey next month, I thought I would get a head start in nourishing my body!
This book is for those who follow a Weston A Price eating style, with traditional foods. She does a more lower carb perspective than most, but I still wouldn't call this book keto or low carb in any sort. However, if you are against eating animals, raw milk, or fermenting grains, then this book is probably not for you. I totally agree with that eating style, and I can't wait to adapt it into my life. I also loved the chapters about the 4th trimester, how to rest for a long time, take it easy, etc. A lot of this isn't talked about, and women are rushed to get back to their normal routines. Lily shows us how many other countries and cultures, a woman will rest for a good month or so, while her mom and others cook, clean, etc!
I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to have a holistic, but traditional pregnancy.
This book is for those who follow a Weston A Price eating style, with traditional foods. She does a more lower carb perspective than most, but I still wouldn't call this book keto or low carb in any sort. However, if you are against eating animals, raw milk, or fermenting grains, then this book is probably not for you. I totally agree with that eating style, and I can't wait to adapt it into my life. I also loved the chapters about the 4th trimester, how to rest for a long time, take it easy, etc. A lot of this isn't talked about, and women are rushed to get back to their normal routines. Lily shows us how many other countries and cultures, a woman will rest for a good month or so, while her mom and others cook, clean, etc!
I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to have a holistic, but traditional pregnancy.
March 18, 2019
Comprehensive and somewhat urgent; I wish I had read it at the start of my pregnancy instead of toward the end! Nichols presents an evidence-based approach to nutrition for pregnant women, avoiding much of the tired fear-mongering that’s present in so much common advice for American women (e.g., paranoia over raw eggs, soft cheese, seafood, etc.) and instead prioritizing health through whole, natural foods (with some interesting additions, at least for American eaters, like her high praise for organ meats, bone broth, eggs, and seaweed). Highly recommended for all who are currently (or about to be) pregnant.
August 7, 2021
This book is a fantastic resource for pregnant and postpartum moms, healthcare providers, doulas, and really anyone who cares about moms. This thoroughly researched book includes vital information on how to properly nourish a pregnant (and postpartum) mother. It provides quality information without guilting or fear mongering. I know this information will come in handy for me as I nutritionally care for my postpartum clients. I recommend this book to literally any woman who is pregnant, wants to become pregnant, or just cares about women’s nutrition!
September 11, 2018
The timing on receiving the book was so perfect for me - we were trying to conceive and did become pregnant with my second child while I was reading Real Food for Pregnancy so it has been not only professionally relevant but also personally beneficial for me. I have several recipes tagged now and have already integrated more dark leafy greens into my diet thanks to the book and I find it is accessible as well as dense with great information.
March 23, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
I’m not pregnant, but it’s a long-term goal, and so my dietitian suggested reading this together as a sort of book club.
It is very dense with a lot of research, which is good! I think it could have been simplified if it’s meant for pregnant women to read; it’s written more like a textbook for providers.
I found some parts to be possibly perceived as fear-mongering, and I think it’s nearly impossible to isolate ONE outcome to ONE cause, when there are so many factors. For example, a lot of studies she cites say that XYZ can predetermine obesity in later life for the child; I would say that is much more correlation than causation, especially over that length of time.
Overall, I this book has good information about nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum. I would take it with a grain of salt, though. Do the best you can with what you have. While it’s great to want to set yourself and your baby up for as much success as possible, humans are resilient. You aren’t going to doom your baby if you don’t do it all “perfectly.”
I’m not pregnant, but it’s a long-term goal, and so my dietitian suggested reading this together as a sort of book club.
It is very dense with a lot of research, which is good! I think it could have been simplified if it’s meant for pregnant women to read; it’s written more like a textbook for providers.
I found some parts to be possibly perceived as fear-mongering, and I think it’s nearly impossible to isolate ONE outcome to ONE cause, when there are so many factors. For example, a lot of studies she cites say that XYZ can predetermine obesity in later life for the child; I would say that is much more correlation than causation, especially over that length of time.
Overall, I this book has good information about nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum. I would take it with a grain of salt, though. Do the best you can with what you have. While it’s great to want to set yourself and your baby up for as much success as possible, humans are resilient. You aren’t going to doom your baby if you don’t do it all “perfectly.”
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