Pregnancy Naturopathic Care in Toronto
Evidence-based support for all the questions that come after the positive test.
Pregnancy often comes with a lot of questions and an incredible amount of conflicting advice.
What can I take for nausea? Am I eating enough of the right things? Is this supplement safe? Can I keep exercising? Is this symptom normal? When should I start thinking about my pelvic floor or preparing for birth?
I'm Dr. Fiona Callender, a Naturopathic Doctor and Pelvic Therapist in Toronto. I support my patients throughout pregnancy with evidence-based, individualized care that works alongside your midwife, family doctor or OB.
Whether we've worked together through your fertility journey or you're meeting me for the first time with a positive test, we start with where you are now.
Not sure if we're the right fit? Book a complimentary 15-minute Meet & Greet with Dr. Fiona Callender, ND.
YOU AREN’T EXPECTED TO BE PERFECT
There are certainly things we know are important during pregnancy, but there is also a lot of nuance to these conversations.
Recommendations can depend on your health history, symptoms, medications, pregnancy risks, preferences and what you're realistically able to do while growing a human (and navigating your career and/or caring for other little ones).
My role is to help you sort through the online noise, build understanding around your options, and craft a plan that makes sense for you.
We'll talk about what the evidence tells us, where the evidence is less certain, and the potential risks and benefits of your options, so you can make informed decisions about your care.
Evidence guides my approach, while you and your needs are always at the centre.
Still trying to conceive? → Explore Fertility & Preconception Care
HOW CAN A NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR SUPPORT YOUR PREGNANCY?
Naturopathic Support for pregnancy-related symptoms
Pregnancy can come with some very real and often debilitating symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, constipation, reflux, headaches, fatigue, sleep changes and aches and pains can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life.
We'll first consider what's causing your symptoms and whether anything warrants further investigation. From there, we can discuss evidence-based options that are appropriate during pregnancy. This might include adjusting your nutrition, lifestyle strategies, exercise/movement prescription and supplements when indicated. There are times when medications or another healthcare provider may be the right option for you too - it doesn’t have to be “natural” to be the right choice.
Nutrition and supplements during pregnancy
Pregnancy nutrition doesn't need to be perfect - whatever perfect even means!
We'll focus on making sure you're getting enough energy and important nutrients to meet your needs, while working with your appetite, symptoms, food preferences, and culture.
My approach to nutrition is weight-inclusive and non-restrictive. We'll focus on nourishment, adequate intake and supporting your health and pregnancy.
We can also review your prenatal and other supplements to make sure you're getting what you need without taking unnecessary pills. Depending on your individual needs, we will likely discuss nutrients such as folate, iron, vitamin D, choline, calcium, iodine and omega-3s. Your supplement plan should be based on your diet, blood work, health history and risk factors, not a generic pregnancy supplement list.
More isn’t always better when it comes to supplements.
Exercise in pregnancy
For most uncomplicated pregnancies, movement isn't something we need to be afraid of.
Exercise during pregnancy has important benefits for maternal health, and in many cases people can continue activities they already enjoy with modifications if needed as pregnancy progresses.
We can talk about what you're currently doing, what's considered safe during pregnancy, how your training may need to change, and symptoms that mean it's worth modifying your activity or checking in with your healthcare provider.
With a background in kinesiology and sports nutrition, as well as my additional training in pelvic floor therapy, exercise is an area I particularly enjoy supporting during pregnancy. We can consider your training, nutritional needs and recovery, alongside pelvic-floor symptoms and pressure management needs as your pregnancy progresses.
Your pelvic floor THERAPY in pregnancy
You don't need to wait until after birth to start thinking about your pelvic floor.
Pregnancy changes the demands placed on your abdominal wall, pelvic floor and surrounding muscles. You may notice leaking, pelvic pressure, pelvic girdle pain, painful sex or simply that movement feels different as pregnancy progresses. Pelvic floor therapy can help us understand what's contributing to those symptoms and determine what actually needs attention.
Pelvic floor preparation doesn't automatically mean doing more Kegels. Depending on your needs, we may work on strength, relaxation, coordination, breathing, mobility, pressure management or strategies for the activities that matter to you.
Explore Pelvic Floor Therapy →
Preparing for birth
Birth preparation is about much more than trying to make your pelvic floor "strong."
As you approach the third trimester, we can shift some of our work toward preparing your body and helping you understand what to expect during labour and birth.
Depending on your needs, birth preparation may include pelvic floor awareness and relaxation, breathing and pressure strategies, labour positions, and discussions about how to advocate for your preferences during birth.
We can also talk through the questions that come up as you prepare: induction, pain management, interventions, recovery and what you may want to discuss with your midwife or OB.
We can't guarantee any particular birth outcome. The goal is to help you go into birth feeling informed, prepared with options and able to participate in decisions about your care.
What about after baby arrives?
Care doesn't have to end at delivery. The postpartum period brings another enormous shift, physically and emotionally, while you're also caring for a new baby.
We may discuss postpartum nutrition and recovery, iron and other nutrient needs, sleep, feeding, bowel movements, pain, return to movement, pelvic-floor symptoms and navigating the many physical changes that can happen after pregnancy and birth.
Your body has just gone through pregnancy and birth. The focus is supporting recovery, function and your health as you move into this next phase.
PREGNANCY CARE FAQS
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Any time you have questions or would like additional support.
Some patients book shortly after a positive pregnancy test to review supplements, medications, nutrition and what needs to change now that they're pregnant. Others come in later because they're dealing with a particular symptom or want support with exercise, pelvic health or birth preparation.
There isn't one "right" trimester to start.
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Absolutely.
Naturopathic care does not replace your primary pregnancy care provider. I work alongside midwives, family doctors, OBs and other members of your healthcare team.
Part of my role is giving you additional time to understand your options, ask questions and determine when something needs to be brought back to your pregnancy care provider.
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Yes. Nausea and vomiting are common in pregnancy, but that doesn't mean you simply have to suffer through them.
We can discuss nutrition and lifestyle strategies as well as evidence-based treatment options that are appropriate during pregnancy.
It's also important to recognize when nausea or vomiting is becoming more severe and requires medical assessment or prescription treatment.
My approach is not to avoid medication simply because you're pregnant, it's to help you find an appropriate level of care for your symptoms.
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Yes.
Bring your prenatal and any other supplements you're taking to your appointment. We can look at the ingredients and doses together and determine what makes sense based on your diet, health history, medications, blood work and pregnancy symptoms.
If something isn't necessary, I'll tell you that too.
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Usually, you don't need an entirely new way of eating just because you're pregnant.
We'll make sure you're covering important pregnancy nutrition needs while taking into account symptoms like nausea, food aversions, reflux or constipation.
My approach is weight-inclusive and non-restrictive. The goal is nourishment and adequate intake, not creating more food rules during a time when eating can already feel complicated.
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For most people with uncomplicated pregnancies, yes, exercise is encouraged. What makes sense for you depends on your pregnancy, health history, previous activity level and how you're feeling. We can discuss appropriate modifications, fuelling, recovery and pelvic-floor considerations, as well as signs that mean you should pause and seek medical advice.
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You don't have to wait until you have symptoms!
Pelvic floor therapy can be useful during pregnancy if you're experiencing leaking, pelvic pain, pelvic pressure, painful sex or difficulty with exercise. Some patients also choose to start in the third trimester specifically for birth preparation.
What we work on depends on your symptoms - pelvic floor therapy isn't automatically about strengthening or doing Kegels.
I typically recommend waiting until about 16 weeks for an internal assessment. That said, if you are experiencing urinary symptoms or pain, we can start earlier even without an internal assessment.
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Birth-specific pelvic floor preparation often becomes more relevant during the third trimester, but there’s no time that’s “too early” to start building some strategies and connecting to your body. This is especially true if you're experiencing any symptoms or simply want to understand your pelvic floor before birth.
We can discuss pelvic-floor relaxation, coordination, breathing, positioning and preparation for labour.
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Yes. Naturopathic pregnancy appointments are available virtually for patients located in Ontario as well as in-person at Crafted Balance Clinic in Toronto.
Pelvic floor assessments are generally best suited to an in-person appointment, so we can discuss whether incorporating in-clinic care would be useful for you.
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No. You don't need a referral to book a naturopathic or pelvic-floor appointment with me.
You can book directly whether you're newly pregnant, looking for help with a particular symptom, wanting a second set of eyes on your supplements or nutrition, or preparing for birth.
Still have questions? Feel free to give us a call or send us a note.