Healthy pregnancy & Postpartum

Congratulations, you’re pregnant! Now what?

Pregnancy is the perfect time to establish sustainable healthy practices not just for you but also for your family members.

Pregnancy & Postpartum Care

"Pregnancy and birth are as ordinary and extraordinary as breathing, thinking, or loving. Whether you are pregnant for the first time or already a parent, your pregnancy will call on your capacities for creativity, flexibility, determination, intuition, endurance, and humor."

From the book Our Bodies, Ourselves

How I can help

As much as pregnancy is exciting, it can sometimes bring about unwanted symptoms for some people.

We will review your health concerns, medical history and goals for pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. At the end of the session, we will work together to decide on the next steps and come up with your plan for a healthy and well pregnancy. 

Remember that you deserve:

  • High quality prenatal care
  • A safe work and home environment
  • Enough time from childbearing leave with assured job continuation
  • Clear, accurate information about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum support so you can make informed decisions that make sense for your family
  • Nourishing food
  • Time for rest and exercise
  • Encouragement, love, and support from those close to you
  • Skilled and compassionate health care providers
  • A birth environment of your choice, attended by caregivers who sustain and guide you through labor and birth
  • A birth environment that allows you to feel confidence, reinforces your strength and power, and minimizes fear
  • Being an active participant in YOUR labor

You deserve high quality prenatal, birth, and postpartum care

Pregnancy is the perfect time to establish sustainable healthy practices

not just for you but also for your family members. Prenatal, birth, and postpartum care takes a multi-faceted approach wherein the core of care is you and your growing baby's changing needs.

Support during this time not only improves pregnancy health and reduces risks for preterm labor, but also paves the way for your baby’s best health by decreasing their risk of developing allergies, asthma, eczema, and learning problems.

You deserve to have prenatal, birth, and postpartum care that is respectful and non-judgmental, provided by skilled and compassionate health and birth care providers, and acknowledges your rights and needs as a childbearing person.

When do I need to start having prenatal appointments?

You can start getting prenatal care as soon as you know you are pregnant.

If you are not pregnant yet but are wanting to prepare your body when you are ready, then we can also start working together to optimize your health for planning your family goals.

Learn more about Preconception Care.

How often will I have prenatal/postnatal care visits?

How often you will get prenatal care depends on how far along you are in your pregnancy as well as if you and/or your health care providers are concerned with you experiencing complications related to pregnancy.

Generally, a prenatal care schedule can look like

  • Every 4 to 6 weeks for the first 32 weeks (first to middle of third trimester)
  • Every 2 to 3 weeks for the 32nd to 37th weeks (early to late third trimester)
  • Every week from the 37th week until birth

What happens during my appointments?

During our visits together, you can expect to have a comprehensive review of your health concerns, medical history, prenatal tests/screening, and assessment of your goals for pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. You can also expect to have overall wellness check-ups, exercise/movement recommendations, nutritional counseling, botanical remedies, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, and labor and birth preparation information be incorporated in your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Support Plan.

We will create a plan together that will fit you and your baby's needs. We will work together to ensure you are set up for a healthy pregnancy and an empowered birth and postpartum period

How can Dr. Kim help me during my pregnancy and postpartum period?

As much as pregnancy is exciting, it can sometimes bring about unwanted symptoms and/or pressing concerns for some people. As a Naturopathic Doctor and Birth Doula, I can be of assistance to you so you can be more informed in navigating issues that may arise and areas of pregnancy/birth/postpartum that you may need support:

Pregnancy Support

  • Morning sickness or nausea, vomiting
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Heartburn or reflux
  • Skin issues
  • Colds and flus
  • Tiredness and fatigue
  • Sleep issues or insomnia
  • Hair loss
  • Weight issues
  • Gestational diabetes
  • Thyroid issues
  • Mood issues such as anxiety and depression
  • Back pain, muscle cramps, leg cramps
  • Pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia
  • Group B Strep (GBS) infection, yeast infections prevention and co-management
  • Digestive issues such as constipation
  • Miscarriage prevention and support
  • Pre-birth acupuncture and labor induction
  • Turning a breech baby
  • Post-dates pregnancy
  • Pregnancy On-Call Service: Access my care throughout your pregnancy with any general questions or concerns you may have!

Labor and Birth Support

  • Labor and Birth On-call Service from 37 weeks to 2 weeks postpartum: Required in order to have my personal attendance at your labor and birth. You will have access to my care towards the end of your pregnancy so you can ask me with any general questions or concerns you may have. This service allows us to be in communication when you are experiencing symptoms of labor and requiring assistance. 
  • Private attendance at your labor and birth to provide on-going continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to you (and your partner), as well as advocate for you and your birth preferences
  • Stalled labor, long labor
  • Back aches
  • Co-management of retained placenta
  • Co-management of postpartum hemorrhage 

Postpartum Support

  • Postpartum recovery optimization
  • Episiotomy healing
  • Fatigue
  • Infection prevention
  • Birth after-pains
  • Cesarean section scar tissue healing
  • Postpartum mood issues such as postpartum depression (PPD), postpartum anxiety (PPA)
  • Breastfeeding issues, low breast milk production, latching problems
  • Breast issues: thrush, sore nipples, cracked nipples, clogged milk ducts, engorgement, mastitis
  • Baby’s health issues

Did you know that having a doula on your team can help you:

  • Have better labor pain management
  • Cut back on time spent in labor
  • Reduce the need for medical interventions, i.e. less epidurals, less use of instruments like forceps and vacuums, C-sections
  • Have more satisfaction and confidence with your birth
  • Improve your bond with baby especially after birth
  • Have breastfeeding success

No matter what happens and what you decide to do for you and your baby, I will support you.

As a Naturopathic Doctor and Doula, I provide support, evidence-based information, and education to you (and your partner or whoever may be in your core care team) so you can feel heard, empowered, informed, and confident. You deserve to feel confident no matter what stage you are in parenthood. 

At any time during your pregnancy, 

you can book a complimentary discovery session with me to learn how I can help you with Naturopathic Medicine and Doula Care so you can feel well and supported during your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period.

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