My Pregnancy Guide: Ensuring A Healthy Pregnancy and Labour

About the book

My Pregnancy Guide is based on my 20 years of clinical experience supporting women through pregnancy and labour, combined with the latest scientific evidence from over 750 peer-reviewed research studies. This comprehensive self-help guide blends modern fact-based research with the proven theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to give you everything you need for a healthy, confident pregnancy and a positive birth experience.

The book is designed to be both a thorough reference and a practical week-by-week companion throughout your entire pregnancy. Whether you conceived naturally or through IVF, whether this is your first pregnancy or not, My Pregnancy Guide will provide you with information and guidance that goes significantly beyond what is offered in standard antenatal resources — combining the best that western obstetric medicine and Chinese medicine have to offer.

Pregnancy week by week

My Pregnancy Guide explains what to expect at every stage of pregnancy, from conception through to the postnatal period. For each week, I explain how your baby is developing, what physical and hormonal changes you can expect in your body, and what you can do to support your baby’s growth and your own health at that specific stage. The book covers:

A complete week-by-week guide to your baby’s development and your body’s changes throughout all three trimesters
The full range of antenatal tests available and what the results mean
How pregnancy acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in pregnancy can support your health at each stage
Common pregnancy problems and what to do about them — including morning sickness, fatigue, back pain, oedema and heartburn
How to manage pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, slow baby growth and breech presentation
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and how to protect yourself and your baby
How to reduce your baby’s risk of developing autism, based on the latest research evidence
Optimising your health for breastfeeding and postnatal recovery

Diet and supplements

An optimal pregnancy diet is set out in detail, based on both nutritional science and the principles of Chinese food therapy. A comprehensive supplement guide covers the evidence base for the most important nutrients for mother and baby throughout pregnancy, including folic acid, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, iodine and a wide range of others shown in research to support healthy fetal development and reduce the risk of complications.

In-depth guidance is also given on how to optimise your lifestyle throughout pregnancy — from exercise, work, sleep and stress management to clothing, footwear and environmental exposures — all based on current research alongside the tried and tested principles of Chinese medicine.

Risks and how to avoid them

My Pregnancy Guide explains the full range of environmental and dietary risks to your baby’s development and how to avoid them, including:

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in food, cosmetics, household products and plastics
Heavy metals and their specific effects on fetal neurological development
Air pollution, pharmaceutical drugs and other environmental hazards
Foods and substances to avoid during pregnancy and the evidence behind each recommendation
How to minimise the risk of miscarriage and fetal abnormalities

Labour and birth

Detailed guidance is given on preparing for and managing every stage of labour, including:

The three stages of labour and what to expect at each
Evidence-based advice on going beyond 40 weeks
Acupuncture for labour induction and prebirth acupuncture — the research evidence and how it works
Pain relief options including acupressure points that have been shown in research to reduce labour pain
Natural herbs and Chinese medicine approaches to support labour and reduce complications
How to manage and treat a breech baby using moxibustion
Postpartum recovery — how to restore your energy, Blood and Qi after birth