Raw Vegan Pregnancy tips with Yulia from Rawsome Healthy!

Raw Vegan Pregnancy Tips from Yuliya Tarbath: Expert Advice on Healthy Pregnancy and Childbirth

I had the pleasure of interviewing Yuliya Tarbath at the Fresh Food Festival in Denmark, and she shared some incredible raw vegan pregnancy tips that every expectant parent needs to hear. Yuliya is an expert on raw parenting, pregnancy, and raising healthy children, and her lectures at the festival received rave reviews. What she shared with me goes way beyond just diet, it’s about preparing your whole body and mind for this incredible journey.

Preparing Before Pregnancy: Essential Raw Vegan Pregnancy Tips

One of the most important raw-vegan pregnancy tips Yuliya emphasized is that preparation begins long before conception. You can’t just jump into this lifestyle one week and get pregnant the next while still adapting to eating this way. She recommends giving yourself at least six months to get comfortable with raw vegan eating before conceiving.

During pregnancy, you’ll require extra calories, so you need to get used to eating large volumes of fruit beforehand. As Yuliya put it perfectly: “Get the belly big before you get the belly big.” This means training your stomach to handle the quantities of food you’ll need when you’re eating for two.

Another crucial aspect of these raw vegan pregnancy tips is getting yourself as fit as possible before conception. Do strength training, cardio, and stretching. When your body is strong and your muscles are developed, getting through pregnancy becomes so much easier. Yuliya didn’t experience any backaches during her pregnancy because she remained very active, exercising virtually every day through the end.

Having strong arms and a strong back will also be essential once your baby arrives and you’re carrying them around constantly. Plus, being strong and having developed muscles makes labor and delivery more manageable. Don’t forget to get your partner healthy too, because both parents’ health matters for creating a healthy baby.

During Pregnancy: Nutrition and Lifestyle

Once you’re pregnant, Yuliya’s raw vegan pregnancy tips focus on taking care of yourself as much as possible. Eat lots of fruit for calories and nutrients, and make sure you’re getting plenty of greens, especially during the first trimester when folate is particularly important.

Yuliya didn’t supplement with any prenatal vitamins; she followed this lifestyle and naturally consumed plenty of folate from greens. However, she recommends checking your B12 levels regularly, including at 32 weeks and 36 weeks, and your iron levels at 32 weeks and 36 weeks. If you’re short on any nutrients, you can still correct it before giving birth. Consider taking B12 and vitamin D supplements, or a good-quality whole food prenatal if you prefer.

Most women may feel like eating a little more fat during pregnancy, such as more avocado, nuts, and seeds. Allow yourself to do so. You’re fighting for room in your belly, which makes getting enough calories challenging. If you’re really struggling to stay 100% raw, some healthy, easy-cooked vegan options like vegetable soup can help you get more calories in.

Stay active throughout your pregnancy. Pregnancy is not the time to stop exercising; simply adjust your routine as needed. Spend time outdoors in the sun, read positive literature, listen to music, and talk to your baby. Yuliya talked to her baby constantly, sang songs, and her daughter is now the happiest, most social, talkative child you’ll ever meet.

Raw Vegan Pregnancy Tips for a Successful Birth

When it comes to giving birth, most raw vegans choose home birth, and Yuliya highly recommends exploring this option if you’re comfortable with it. Hospital births actually carry more risks than home births in many cases.

Here’s one of the most important raw vegan pregnancy tips for labor: you absolutely want to eat during birth. Some people say you shouldn’t eat during labor, but Yuliya’s personal experience proves otherwise. She felt like she ran out of energy to push, then had a big meal of bananas and dates, and suddenly had all the power she needed to push her baby out. The bananas and dates gave her that surge of energy exactly when she needed it most.

Giving birth is like running a marathon; you need to keep yourself fueled. Drink coconut water for electrolytes, eat calorie-dense fruits, and don’t let yourself get too hungry or undercarbed. Keep yourself topped up throughout the process.

For educational resources, Yuliya recommends watching “The Business of Being Born” and “Orgasmic Birth.” These documentaries offer valuable perspectives on natural childbirth and home birthing.

One important note in these raw-vegan pregnancy tips: don’t set rigid expectations. Raw vegan births can be very quick and painless, or they can be long and challenging, especially if it’s your first child. Be open and prepare yourself for whatever journey unfolds. Know that you have all the power and resources you need, and breathe through it with your support team around you.

After Birth: The Postpartum Period

After giving birth, be prepared for a level of hunger you’ve never experienced. Pregnancy hunger can’t even compare to postpartum hunger. Have lots and lots of fruit in your house, especially calorie-dense options like bananas. You may find yourself eating in the middle of the night. Yuliya’s friend would get up at 3:00 AM for a banana smoothie, and that’s totally normal.

Final Thoughts

These raw vegan pregnancy tips from Yuliya Tarbath are invaluable for anyone considering parenthood while following a raw-vegan lifestyle. The key takeaways are: prepare your body well in advance, stay active throughout pregnancy, eat plenty of calories from fruit, monitor your nutrient levels, don’t be afraid of home birth, fuel yourself during labor, and stock up on fruit for the postpartum period.

Want more tips from Yulia? 

Be sure to check out her website: rawsomehealthy.com and YouTube Channel for lots of great articles, tips, menu plans, coaching and more!

Check out this other interview I did with Yuliya and Dr. Rick Dina on the subject “Are Raw Vegans Getting Enough Protein?” 🙂

Special Thanks to Yuliya, Paul, and Elanie for being the bright lights they are. It was such a pleasure to connect at the Fresh Food Festival, and I am excited for more!!

As Always