Perinatal Support Services

Special Health Alert!

For those of you who live North of the equator and are entering a season of hot and humid weather and increased outdoor activity, please be aware that the extra loss of salt and fluids (through sweat) and the extra burning of calories can trigger a falling blood volume with a resulting rising BP, and other pre-eclampsia symptoms.

For those of you who live South of the equator and are entering the cold winter season, please be aware that many homes and work environments are over-heated (with very dry air) and may cause you to lose salt and fluids in the same way as hot weather does. And shoveling snow or working out in a gym burns extra calories. These losses might also lead to a falling blood volume, and its accompanying complications, just as the summer heat and activity can.

So please be watchful and care for your personally unique needs for salt and fluids, as well as your unique needs for calories and protein.

Please see the "Special Needs" page and the bottom of the "Weekly Record" page for ideas on how to compensate for these losses and thus help yourself to prevent pre-eclampsia and other complications related to low blood volume. Please see the "FAQ" page for information about why just drinking extra water probably won't be enough to keep your blood volume adequately expanded for an optimally healthy pregnancy.

Welcome to my web site!

Several months ago, I happened across a message board for expectant and new moms, and a couple of blogs about pregnancy by and for moms. As I read, I found that there were many questions and misconceptions and bits of inaccurate information about the Brewer Diet out there. So I decided to create a place that could be a resource for information about this diet which has helped many thousands of mothers over the past five decades. I'm hoping that this can be a place where mothers, fathers, birth attendants, and nutritionists can come and find answers to their questions.

See here for a list of some of the more common misconceptions about the Brewer Diet

On this website, you will find explanations about various aspects of nutrition in pregnancy, a newsletter where conferences are listed and current news items related to pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding, and parenting are highlighted, and a page where your questions are answered. You will also find a list of websites, articles, and books related to the Brewer Diet, with links that will enable you to find the ones that interest you. There is also a page of books and articles that cover other popular issues of pregnancy and parenthood.

There is also a page of items related to the history of the Brewer Diet. These items include a 130-year timeline of the development of the Brewer Diet, an overview of the history of the Brewer Diet, a reprint of Dr. Brewer's Contra Costa County Clinics nutrition lecture, a link to a November 2004 interview with Dr. Brewer (1 year before his death), and a reprint of the SPUN pamphlet.

Finally, there is a page of tribute to Dr. Tom Brewer. Many of us were saddened by the news of his passing from this world, and we feel the loss of his presence amongst us quite keenly. I would be glad to add your tributes to this page as well, in addition to links for any others which you are aware of.

So welcome to you all!

I hope that the information that you find here will help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Please include your midwife in your decision-making process.

I'm glad that you stopped by.

Peace,
Joy