Each trimester, and the months after.
From planning a pregnancy to the newborn haze, I work alongside your midwife, obstetrician or family doctor, and our visits make room for all the questions that pop up in between.
- 0.4 mg of folic acid a day, from before pregnancy through breastfeeding. Government of Canada
- 24–28 weeks is when gestational diabetes screening is recommended for anyone not known to have diabetes. Diabetes Canada
- Almost 1 in 4 people who had recently given birth reported feelings consistent with postpartum depression or an anxiety disorder. Statistics Canada
Planning a pregnancy
Before you’re pregnant.
The Government of Canada recommends a daily multivitamin with 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid for anyone who could become pregnant, ideally starting at least three months before pregnancy and continuing through pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Some people need a higher dose, so ask your health care provider. Thinking about trying soon? Here are the labs worth checking first.
During pregnancy
Gestational diabetes.
Diabetes Canada recommends that pregnant people not known to have diabetes be screened at 24 to 28 weeks. People at higher risk may be offered earlier testing at their first prenatal visit.
Screening and diagnosis happen with your midwife, obstetrician or family doctor. If you’re diagnosed, a visit can focus on food and daily routines that fit your care team’s plan.
After birth
The fourth trimester counts too.
In a 2018–2019 Statistics Canada survey, almost 1 in 4 people who had recently given birth reported feelings consistent with postpartum depression or an anxiety disorder.
If that’s you, you’re not alone, and it’s worth telling your care team. Visits after birth look at recovery, feeding, sleep, mood and the support you have at home.
Your first visit
What we’ll chat about at a visit.
- How you’re feeling, physically and emotionally.
- Nausea, energy, sleep and digestion.
- Food, and what you can actually manage right now.
- Your prenatal vitamin and anything else you take.
- After birth: recovery, feeding, sleep, mood and support at home.
Working together
Part of your care team.
- You
- Your midwife or OB
- Your family doctor
- Dr. Leizl Yance, ND
With your consent, I coordinate with your midwife, obstetrician or family doctor, so your plans fit together.
After a pregnancy loss.
There’s no right way to feel about this, and no timeline you need to follow. When and if you’re ready, a visit can be a place to talk about what comes next.
PAIL Network, a program of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, offers free peer support across Ontario, online, in person and by phone, from trained volunteers who have had a loss themselves.
If you’re thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8, any time. If your safety is at risk right now, call 9-1-1.
If you’d like to talk it through, you can book a visit at FMU.
Come say hi.
Your first visit is 75 minutes, all about you. Come see me at Functional Medicine Uptown in Waterloo, or join by video from anywhere in Ontario.
Not sure yet? Book a free 15-minute intro call first.