Preparing for the next baby PRECONCEPTION:
Getting your house in order
by Stuart Feedenfield, MD
Carrying Your Next Baby DURING PREGNANCY:
Nutrition for your next pregnancy
by Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD
Raising a Healthy Child Delivery and Beyond
by Nancy H. O'Hara MD
Other tips for having a healthy baby
Mercola’s User-Friendly Vaccination Schedule
Vaccine Information
Recommended books & web links
DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) vaccine schedules
Even since I have speaking out about autism, I am very often asked, “What can I do to assure that I have a healthy baby?” The following is a document I created to help you on your journey to having a healthy pregnancy and newborn. The information is gathered from various sources which I feel are reliable and trustworthy. They also all believe in a healthy natural approach to life. Please remember that I am not a doctor and information given in this document should not be miscontruded as medical advice. PLEASE find a health care practitioner that you trust and consult him/her about all supplements or medications before proceeding.
Laura Sylvester, Mother to Elliot
Preparing for the next baby
PRECONCEPTION: Getting your house in order
Stuart Feedenfield, MD
Dr. Feedenfield began with horrifying statics about our environment and our culture, here’s just a few...
It’s a mad mad mad mad world
Never before in the history of evolution have the developing fetuses of any species been exposed to so many chemicals.
US EPA estimates there are over 87,000 chemicals currently in widespread use today.
There are over 60,000 actively used pesticides, none of which have been adequately tested.
Our diets are deficient in minerals and vitamins. According to the FDA many Americans don’t even eat the RDA for basic nutrients.
Americans consume an average of 140 pounds of sugar PER PERSON per year. (In the 80s in was 12 lbs each)
There are over 3,000 chemicals in our food supply. Over 10,000 chemicals are used as food additives. Only a few of these have been adequately tested for toxic effects and essentially none of them have been tested in combinations.
WHAT ABOUT MERCURY
Mercury is considered the most toxic, non-radioactive element on the planet.
Once it gains access to the body it remains in the blood stream for 3-6 weeks. As it leaves the blood it enters every organ and every cell and every subcellular organelle in the body.
This country alone releases 200 metric tons of mercury into the environment each year.
Most fish have 0.2-0.3 mcg of Hg per gm of fish. Sharks, swordfish and tilefish have 0.1mcg Hg. (A typical 6 oz [170gm] fish would yield 42.5 mcg Hg.)
And fish are not even the major source of mercury.
Amalgams account for 85%
A typical amalgam with a 0.4 cm surface releases ~17 mcg mercury per day mostly as a result of chewing. If a person has 8 amalgams that would result in ~136 mcg of mercury being released as elemental mercury vapor. Of this ~17mcg would get absorbed every day of the next 70 years.
17mcg/day would also get be absorbed by the pregnant mother every day during a 270-day pregnancy.
We are appropriately concerned with the 237 mcg of mercury injected into our children over their first two years in the vaccines.
Should we not give serious concern to the 4590 mcg given to the mother-fetus until over the more vulnerable 9 month gestation?
60,000 babies per year in the US are born with neurodevelopmental disorders due to neonatal exposure to mercury
Mercury is bioconcentrated by the placenta during gestation and has been found to concentrate 8 fold in the fetus
Mercury is transported in breast milk and breast milk may promote better adsorption of mercury by nursing infant (THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION TO NOT BREAST FEED, BREAST FEEDING IS BY FAR THE BEST THING YOU CAN GIVE AN INFANT).
PREVENTING EXPOSURE TO MERCURY
Eliminate or improve vaccines
Best prevention for our children would be to never again place a mercury containing substance anywhere in a woman’s body
If you have amalgam fillings Do NOT get cleanings during pregnancy
GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
Sleep well and sleep adequately
Learn a relaxation technique
Maintain an exercise routine that you enjoy, 2-3 times a week
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and other plant-based foods, organically grown
Minimize sugar, aspartame, refined wheat, processed foods, hydrogenated oils and margarine
Minimize dairy products
Eat less animal-based foods, especially red meats, when eating choose free-range, organically fed
Do not smoke or use unessential drugs
Drink adequate amounts of clean water
Avoid poisons in diet and environment.
Periodically detoxify your body
Do not accept “silver” amalgam fillings
If you are going to have your amalgams removed do so
BEFORE conceiving
(There is no study to give us real data, but I would exercise caution and allow three months to elapse after the amalgams removal and you have had an adequate course of chelation-type treatment.)
MERCURY DETOX
Improvements in body burden and decreases in readily available mercury can be done any time but more potent chelation should be done after amalgams are removed.
Begin with nutritional fortification (Omega 3, antioxidants)
Alkalinize (ph should be 6.5 - 7.5, shift diet to achieve)
Specific treatments may be recommended for specific diseases or symptoms
Vitamin C (reduces the charge of mercury ions)
Protect Liver from toxic burden with mil thistle and alpha lipoic acid
Support sulfation needs with garlic, eggs, onions or odorless garlic supplements
Support cellular energy needs with COEnzyme Q 10
Use adequate antioxidants
Help to repair nerve damage with GLA and ALA vinpocetin
St. John's Wort may help to prevent depressive feelings
Cilantro may help promote clearance of mercury from the brain
Avoid fish
Supplement EPA/DHA from mercury-free supplements
Once all amalgam fillings are removed you can add a chelating substance such as DMSA or DMPS or Penicillamine
This process should continue until subsequent provoked urine testing shows low levels of toxic metal AND any symptoms have resolved
May need to retest 3-6 months after completing treatment as levels from redistribution (DMPS challenge is the best way to test mercury levels in the body)
Carrying Your Next Baby
DURING PREGNANCY: Nutrition for your next pregnancy
Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD
NORMAL NUTRITION NEEDS IN PREGNANCY
A healthy diet for a pregnant woman should be nutrient dense
Choose foods with a high nutritional content
Reduce or avoid non-nutritious foods like refined sugars and processed junk food
Healthy pregnancy diet may require vitamin or mineral supplements, especially iron, calcium, folate, and for some women Vitamin D
Eat organic whenever possible
CALORIES/PROTEIN/FLUID
Calorie needs increase by 300 per day
Low-carb diets cause fat to be used as energy. Ketone bodies form and disrupt acid-base balance. Chronic ketosis can affect brain development. NO LOW-CARB DIETS DURING PREGNANCY.
Protein: 0.8g/kg plus 30g
Fluids: 8 cups per day
Honey is a good source of calorie
SUPPLEMENTS
FOLATE
Needs double: RDA is 400mcg, actual need is 800mcg from supplements
Bolsters area of fetal brain responsible for memory and thinking
Essential for purine, pyrimidine synthesis, DNA/RNA
Oral contraceptives reduce folate adsorption in gut
NOT fortified in gluten-free grains (as in NON GF grains) so ensure adequate intake if you are gluten free
Food Sources: lentils, asparagus, spinach, oranges
B12
Dose: RDA 26 mcg, 150 mcg recommended
Necessary for DNA/RNA, RBC production nervous system
Defiency shown to cause neurologic impairments
Present in many foods of animal origin and also produced in gut by good flora
Chronic antibiotic use depletes flora and reduced B12 production
Food Sources: animal protein
B6 (PYRIDOXINE)
Dose: RDA 2.2mcg, 75mcg optimal
Necessary for synthesis of antibodies, formation of RBCs,
digestion of protein, nervous system
Deficiency shown to cause irritability, ataxia, tremor, abnormal gait and seizures
Food Sources: beans, nuts, legumes, animal protein
VITAMIN A, C, E
Dose A: is a teratogen-can cause birth defects. Limit to 5000-8000IU per day - NO MORE.
Dose C: RDA 70 mcg, 500-1000 mcg recommended
Dose E: RDA 10mg, 400IU recommended
Preserve structure and function of cell
Antioxidants
THIAMINE, RIBOFLAVIN, NIACIN
Dose: Thiamine 1.5mg, 50mg recommended
Dose: Riboflavin 1.6 mg, 50mg recommended
Dose: Niacin 17mcg, 75-100mg recommended
Necessary for energy production
Needs based on caloric/energy intake. Increase as calories increase
MINERALS
IRON
Dose: 27 mg per day
Needs increase by 50%
Essential for cognitive performance, formation of RBCs
Low levels in infancy can reduce cognitive performance in teens even when treated early
NOT fortified in gluten-free grains (as in NON GF grains) so ensure adequate intake if you are gluten free
Food Sources: liver, meat, poultry, seafood, spinach, kidney beans, wild rice
Take with vitamin C to improve absorption
ZINC
Dose: 15 mg
Maintains acid-base balance, immune system
Essential for multiple enzymatic reactions
Promotes DNA synthesis
Adequate stores may be protective against toxins (thalidomide)
NOTE: excess zinc can displace copper, Copper deficiency is harmful to fetus
Food Sources: animal protein, beans, nuts, seeds
CALCIUM
Dose: 1000mg per day
75% of women are deficient before pregnancy
Reduces preeclampsia
Casein-free diets are limited in calcium - ensure adequate intake
Food Sources: calcium fortified juice, tofu, unhulled sesame seeds, almonds, broccoli
EFAs IN THE DIET
Dosage: 500 mg per day DHA
Food Sources: Tilapia, trout, pollock, DHA rich eggs
Take with an antioxidant (vit E) to prevent free radical damage
Use products uncontaminated with heavy metals/PCBs
Use DHA-rich supplements not EPA rich
PROBIOTICS!!!
Dose: 3-5 Billion live organisms
Klaire TherBiotic, Culturelle (studies showed Culturelle reduces allergies in infants)
Healthy gut flora improve digestive function, reduce colonization of bad bugs
Increased progesterone levels in pregnancy promote yeast overgrowth, probiotics protect
Maternal colonization with good flora (Lactobacillus GG) reduces allergies and dermatitis in infants
Acidophilius flourishes in gut and vagina-vaginal birth promotes infant colonization
Important strains: L.acidophilus, L. bugaricus, B bifidus
NOTE: PDR does not recommend in pregnancy - but we do!
NOTE: Limited safety research in pregnancy, Research in immune compromised population shows benefit.
THINGS TO AVOID
Alcohol
Caffeine
Raw animal food, sprouts, unpasterized food
Methylmercury (fish)
Fluoride (try Spry brand with xylitol)
Artificial Sweeteners (aspartame, splenda) - use stevia, xylitol or honey
Any food that immediate family members are sensitive too, especially ASD siblings
Low-carb diets
MSG, food dyes
Raising a Healthy Child
Delivery and Beyond
Nancy H. O'Hara MD
DELIVERY
No case-controlled evidence that any medication implicated in ASD
Less is better (medications, interventions etc.)
Cranial molding is necessary after birth (ALL OTHER COUNTRIES DO THIS)
Begin breastfeeding as soon after delivery as possible (more EFAs, immunity, colostrum)
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
may influence neurodevelopment
may influence incidence of GI disturbances
may influence incidence of ear and sinus infections
need qualified practitioner (osteopath, craniosacral therapist, chiropractor)
BREASTFEEDING
continue pre-delivery eliminations (toxins, allergens etc.)
appropriate exercise, rest and meditation
no smoking
minimize chemical/pesticide exposure
do NOT remove or replace amalgams
avoid fish
eat organic, especially meats
MINIMIZE OR ABSTAIN FROM
any known allergen (self, previous children, close relatives)
wheat and dairy
sugar and aspartame
processed foods
hydrogenerated oils
CAN'T BREASTFEED, CONSIDER
Nondairy formula (Neocate - but it has corn oil) More info
Predigested formulas (Alimentum, Nutramagen - but milk based)
European formulas - can't get in US
Not best to change to soy formulas
FEEDING THE BABY
Best to start AFTER 6 months
Super Baby Foods Cookbook
Best first foods - rice cereal, avocado
Avoid any allergens of siblings or parents
SUPPLEMENTATION (AFTER 3 MONTHS) - IF Breastfeeding is stopped
Probiotics (Primadophilus, Saccharomyces boulardii - needs to be refrigerated)
Essential Fatty Acids (Flax Oil start with 1/8 tsp up to 1 tsp)
Garlic (Kyolic capsule or fresh clove - not cooked)
Alkalinize (Baking Soda or Epsom Salt bath, activated charcoal, trisalts, Alka Seltzer Gold)
VACCINE PROTOCOL
Do not give vaccines to ill children (fever, cold, antibiotics)
Separate vaccines in time
Use thimerosal-free vaccines (still in flu and RhoGam)
Separate M, M and R
Consider checking vaccine titers (blood test) before giving boosters
Keep children on nutrient-rich diets
Limit environmental exposures
BEFORE YOU VACCINATE, ASK
Is my child sick right now?
Has my child had a bad reaction or deterioration in health after previous vaccinations?
Does my child have a personal or family history of: vaccine reactions, convulsions or neurological disorder, severe allergies, immune system disorders?
Do I have full information on the vaccine's side effects?
Do I know how to identify and report a vaccine reaction?
Do I know the vaccine manufacturer's name and lot number?
For more information, contact the National Vaccine Information Center, www.900shot.com
(Sorry she did not say what to do if you answered yes to any of these questions, especially number 3. See Dr. Cave's book below for more info.)
2 DAYS PRIOR TO VACCINATIONS, GIVE:
Vitamin C (250-500 mg/day)
Vitamin A (5000-8000 IU/day)
Glutathione (75-150 mg/day)
Dosages change with age and size of child, above is for an infant
INFECTION PROTOCOL
Avoid antibiotics as much as possible
Give garlic (Kyolic capsule or fresh clove - not cooked), dose: one/day, take with meals, mix with cinnamon applesauce
Vitamin C - buffered powder form, max. dose: 500mg/day spread throughout the day
See your primary care doctor if your child develops a fever or worsening symptoms.
HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD
Avoid pesticide use on lawn and house pet
Avoid wall to wall carpet (outgas before installation and use nails not glue)
Use natural cleaning products
Use low VOC paints
Use air and water ionizer/ozonator
For info - www.checnet.org (GREAT SITE!!)
SUMMARY
Leave chemical triggers out of your home
Omit heavy metal exposure
Viruses - prevent and treat naturally
Eliminate allergens
LOVE your child and yourself in a healthy, nontoxic, and peaceful environment
Q&A
Infant mattresses have antimony and urine releases antimony
Cover mattresses
Antimony is also on all flame-retardant materials - avoid them
RhoGam is suppose to be thimerosal-free; check the insert before receiving
Other tips for having a healthy baby
My two favorite resources for health are
mercola.com and bodyecologydiet.com
Mercola links:
Beneficial Bacteria (Probiotics) May Halt Allergies In Babies
Pregnancy Nutrients Can Super Charge Your Baby's Brain For Life
"Eating for Two" During Pregnancy No Longer Recommended
Pregnant Women Warned--Mercury in Fish can Damage Infants' Brains
A User-Friendly Vaccination Schedule
Body Ecology Diet:
All Roads Lead to Probiotics - THIS IS A MUST READ!!!!
From the Q&A section of the Body Ecology Diet web site:
Q. I just found out I'm pregnant. Can I stay on the diet? What foods do I need to emphasize or add?
A. Absolutely. Pregnancy increases a woman's protein needs. Since the algae family provides excellent sources of concentrated, easily assimilated protein, Vitality SuperGreen would be an ideal food during pregnancy. Women should also listen to their cravings for animal foods and eat them accordingly. Consuming plenty of ocean vegetables and taking liquid trace minerals will ensure that both baby and mother get enough minerals. Leafy greens provide calcium and should be eaten as much as possible.
The essential fatty acids are crucial to the developing fetus; salmon and unrefined oils such as pumpkin and flax are wonderful sources. Aside from what she eats, the expectant mother should pay careful attention to colon health since the elevated levels of progesterone during pregnancy contribute to constipation. By doing occasional lower-bowel enemas if she becomes constipated, she will protect her baby from toxins.
And don't forget to take plenty of friendly bacteria to establish the baby's ecosystem. Excellent sources include... Lifestart by Natren (Bifidus Infantis) and Continental Liquid Acidophilus Culture. Kefir is an excellent source of protein, minerals, B vitamins, Vitamin K and beneficial flora. It is excellent for a mother-to-be.
Recommended books
WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT VACCINATIONS
By Stephanie Cave, MD
“Reading this book, evaluating your OWN PERSONAL medical history and your PERSONAL child's medical issues should help you understand; how to vaccinate, when to vaccinate, when not to vaccinate, and how to get out of doing future vaccinations - by law. Please take the time to read it.” - TACA
EVIDENCE OF HARM
MERCURY IN VACCINES AND THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC: A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY
by David Kirby
Kirby, a contributor to The New York Times, investigates the controversy about the connection between autism and vaccination by following the increasingly desperate efforts of several families to find the cause of their children's sudden behavioral changes. He reports on the closed meetings of the FDA, CDC and drug companies, as well as open Congressional hearings, and marshals both statistical and anecdotal evidence to argue that the medical establishment is determined to deny evidence of harm from thimerosal and mercury in vaccines.
Recommended web resources
