Unfortunately, one of the most common concerns I hear about Dr. Brewer’s website and the information presented on the nutrition factor in toxemia
, is that it makes women feel guilty. Some women find out that their nutrition was insufficient to support their pregnancy, and they feel guilty. While I understand that feeling as a natural response, I also want to be sure that no one thinks Dr. Brewer EVER had that intent.
If you find that the truth about diet and drugs in pregnancy makes you feel guilty, or if you think it’s intended to make women feel guilty, then you are sadly misunderstanding the point. Women are the victims here…not the perpetrators.
How would you know what a proper diet for pregnancy is, unless someone told you? If this is the first time you have heard this information, feel angry at those who failed to inform you, not guilty about something you had no control over. Dr. Brewer’s information should EMPOWER you to make changes, not make you feel guilty.
Doctors won’t tell you how to eat. So if you didn’t know, and didn’t eat very well, you are not to blame. This information has been hidden under a bucket for ages, so it is not surprising that you didn’t know. But all that has changed now, so instead of being angry at Dr. Brewer for pointing out the truth, or blaming yourself for something you didn’t know, commit yourself to learning all there is to know about proper prenatal nutrition and health and be one of the CHANGERS who helps other women to learn the truth and not become victims.
I have been in the unenviable position of trying to explain the HOPE contained in Dr. Brewer’s diet to a woman who had a child with cerebral palsy, following premature delivery due to severe toxemia. She was expecting her second baby, and they were telling her it was likely she’d have the same problem again. I wrestled for months, trying to figure out how to tell her. When I finally did, she was glad I had told her! She read Dr. Brewer’s book, and made changes in her diet. She felt better, and she felt empowered to make changes. And she carried her second baby to term. I wish I had told her sooner…I waited until her blood pressure went up, and the fears started to come true. She did get her blood pressure back down with Dr. Brewer’s diet, and everything ended well….but it would have been nice for her to have avoided the scare, and just enjoyed her pregnancy.
But I mention that story because I decided not to wait anymore. I can risk that someone will feel guilty, if I can explain that they are NOT AT FAULT. And that is what I want you to hear. It’s what Dr. Brewer wanted you to hear. Women aren’t doing anything wrong, they just aren’t being told the TRUTH by those who should know.
That leaves it up to us. You, me, and every woman who reads this. We have to tell our sisters the truth. We have to help them learn how to eat right for two. The doctors are still denying that there is any help in good nutrition, but some of us moms know better.
September 15th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
If you would, please tell Dr. Brewer thank you for me also. My first baby was twins, I got HELLP syndrome and had a near death experience, the babies were 30 weeks gestation. They are 15 now, and as healthy as can be and I’ll be 40 on Monday and pregnant again. In between these two, I had a big fat healthy baby via VBAC, no complications, thanks to Dr. Brewer’s diet, except a lot of hassle from the OB who said I was getting too fat. I’m seeing a midwife this time who reminded me of the diet and I’m following it closely again and feel much better, it’s amazing what you forget in just a few years.
I thought I dealt with the guilt of the boys’ birth the last time, but it has recurred. It is very helpful to be reminded that when I ASKED the OB what I should be doing, I was told, “eat normally, a healthy, well-balanced diet, not too much salt, gain 35 pounds.” (I am 5′11″ and was probably underweight when I conceived.) When I told him I was mostly vegan and 100% vegetarian all he said was, good, then you won’t get too fat if you don’t eat ice cream and cookies. I was a 25 year old person obsessed with my appearance, severely restricting my diet for years, pregnant with two babies. I had NO idea what a healthy well-balanced diet was. No one ever told me that eggs were the perfect protein. No one ever mentioned 120 grams of protein a day. I didn’t know. And we almost died. And when I asked the first OB I saw this time, he said the same simplistic thing, “eat a well balanced diet, limit your salt, gain 20 pounds.” I found a midwife as soon as I could convince my husband it was essential for our survival. Your book helped open his eyes.
What you share IS what every pregnant woman should know. I remember you in my prayers every day and thank you for your work to save us from ourselves.
Lee Ashwood Stone
Tyler, Texas
February 6th, 2009 at 10:12 am
I developed preeclampsia in 1999 at 22 weeks. By 25 weeks I was having a crash c-section and delivered my daughter, who weighed 514g on 2/9/99. I had HELLP and required a week stay in ICU due to blood and lung issues. My daughter passed on 3/1/99 due to PIE and kidney/organ failure. My pulmonologist told me to not get pregnant again.
I started seeking answers and ended up talking to Tom. I remember him saying “I’m so sorry” and I said (out of habit) “That’s ok” and he said, “NO, it’s not ok, it doesn’t have to happen.” He offered to help me sue my doctor but I didn’t take him up on it, and I regret that. I wasn’t brave enough at the time. I knew someone the Brewer diet worked for, and that was the courage I needed to try it. I also helped others to try it too and know babies that have had normal gestations as a result.
I got pregnant 9 months after losing my daughter…I didn’t expect to get pregnant so quickly. My son always measured a week or two ahead size wise. My blood pressure increased in trimester 3 but I felt good and my labs were always normal.My son was born at 36 weeks and was 6 lbs 15 oz. We both went home a few days later and he is now 8.
18 months later I got pregnant again. I followed the Brewer diet again, eating 120g protein per day,2500 or more calories per day. My daughter was born at 38 weeks 0 days and was 6 lbs 13 oz. My blood pressure went up, but no bedrest or meds were pushed on me and it was wonderful to have the most normal full term pregnancy of all.My daughter is now 6.
I was cleaning up the other day looking at my papers and I saw a note from Tom and I know that he had hoped I would be someone who could continue to be a voice for this truth and so, as my daughers 10th birthday approaches and I honor her memory, I just wanted to thank Gail, as I have thanked Tom in my prayers for her perserverence in this truth and I wanted to continue to share my story as someone who almost lost their life to HELLP and who misses her sweet first born and let people know that you can be as sick as I was and go on to have healthy babies by following this healthy diet. This diet creates miracles. I know, I get to look at them every single day :-).