Sue G
Aug 2022
You can’t help but feel a good vibe at Sprout Natural Health. Both Conor and Hannah are professional, caring and understanding in a relaxed environment. I feel like I’m in good hands.
View on GooglePregnancy naturopathy · Online Australia-wide
Pregnancy naturopath, online Australia-wide
I’m Hannah Ward, a degree-qualified naturopath with a Masters in Reproductive Medicine, and I offer naturopathic support through pregnancy and into the postpartum months. Consultations run online, Australia-wide, and the care is built to sit alongside your midwife, obstetrician or GP, never instead of them.
Where this fits
Built to sit alongside your midwife, OB or GP
Pregnancy asks a lot of your body, and what it asks changes as you go. Your midwife, obstetrician or GP leads your antenatal care, that doesn’t change and I’d be the first to say so. My work sits alongside that care and looks after the day-to-day side of growing a baby, what you’re eating, where your iron and nutrient levels are sitting, and how your body is holding up as each stage brings something new.
Women come to me at every stage, from the early weeks through to birth preparation and the months after, some have been working with me since before conception and just carry on, others book for the first time partway through. Wherever you’re starting from, consultations run online, Australia-wide.
Where it fits
What pregnancy naturopathy can support
Nutrition, trimester to trimester
What your body needs shifts as your pregnancy goes along, so I work on nutrition trimester by trimester, including the weeks when nausea makes eating well feel like a big ask.
Iron, folate & nutrient status
Iron, folate and overall nutrient status, with your existing bloodwork read properly and further testing only where it would change the plan.
Gestational diabetes dietary guidance
Practical dietary guidance if gestational diabetes comes into the picture, worked in alongside the plan your medical team has set.
Preparing for birth & breastfeeding
Preparing your body for breastfeeding and postpartum recovery while the last stretch of pregnancy is still underway.
Postpartum depletion & recovery
The fourth trimester, and the depletion that can come with it, when you’re tired right down to your bones and even a proper night’s sleep doesn’t seem to touch it.
Continuing on from fertility care
Plenty of women work with me on the fertility side first and just carry on once they’re pregnant, all the preconception groundwork carries over.
More on fertility naturopathy →Not sure how it all fits together? Fertility and pregnancy care at Sprout has its own overview covering both sides of the clinic.
Trimester to postpartum
From the early weeks to the fourth trimester
Through pregnancy my care centres on nutrition and supporting mum and bub safely as things change trimester to trimester. In practice that starts with where you actually are, how you’re eating, what your energy is doing and what your most recent bloods show. Iron, folate and nutrient status get a proper look, because these are the levels pregnancy asks the most of and they’re straightforward to check.
Anything I prescribe is chosen for pregnancy specifically. I’m deliberately conservative with herbal medicine here, I only work with what’s appropriate for the stage you’re at, and I don’t over-prescribe at the best of times. If gestational diabetes comes into the picture I can help with the dietary side, working in with whatever plan your medical team has set.
None of this replaces your antenatal care. Your midwife, obstetrician or GP leads that and I work with it rather than around it, my postgraduate training means I can read your results in both languages. If you’ve had bloods done recently, bring them. Results that came back “normal” can still deserve a second read, because reference ranges are broad and the overall picture matters more than any single number.
As birth gets closer the focus shifts again, toward preparing your body for breastfeeding and the postpartum recovery ahead. It’s an easy stage to skip past when the to-do list is long, and I think it’s one of the more useful places to spend a consult.
Then there’s the fourth trimester, which is something I take seriously, because postpartum depletion is real and recovery after birth takes longer than most people expect. My postpartum work is quite thorough, nutrition assessment and support, targeted supplementation for things like iron, B vitamins and omega-3s that are often depleted after pregnancy, and herbal medicine where it’s appropriate, and I also look at thyroid function and other hormonal markers that can affect mood, energy and recovery. It’s about replenishing, gently, over time.
How it works
All online, wherever you are
1
A proper initial consultation
Around an hour, over secure video, and we go through your pregnancy so far, your history, any results you already have and what you’ve been finding hard.
2
Your results, read properly
I start with the bloods you already have from your GP or antenatal care, and I can organise further testing where it’s appropriate in pregnancy and would genuinely change the plan. No testing for testing’s sake.
3
A plan built around your life
I start with the basics done well, food, movement, sleep and stress, and add targeted nutrition and pregnancy-appropriate herbal medicine where there’s a clear reason for it.
4
Ongoing care
Anything I prescribe is dispensed and posted out express, and we adjust the plan at follow-ups as your pregnancy goes along.
Google Reviews
Rated 5.0 from 40 reviews
Start with a free 10-minute call
If you’d like this kind of support through your pregnancy, or you’re not sure whether it’s the right fit, a quick call is the easiest way to figure that out, and there’s no pressure either way.
On the Gold Coast?
Pair it with pregnancy acupuncture
If you’re local, pregnancy acupuncture runs in person at our Paradise Point clinic, with sessions adjusted to your trimester, and it sits well alongside my online care, plenty of women do both.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this replace my midwife, obstetrician or GP?
No, and it’s not designed to. Your medical team leads your antenatal care and I’d actively encourage that. My postgraduate training means I can read your results in both languages and work with your midwife, OB or GP’s care rather than around it, and I’m always happy for your treatment plan to be shared with your care team.
Is everything really online, even during pregnancy?
It is. Consultations run over secure video, Australia-wide, and there’s the same time for talking things through, assessment and ongoing review as you’d get at an in-person appointment. Your treatment plan comes by email, anything I prescribe is dispensed and delivered express to your door, and where testing is appropriate I can organise it remotely.
Do I need a cupboard full of supplements now I’m pregnant?
No. I’m deliberate about not over-prescribing and pregnancy doesn’t change that. A small number of supplements earn their place here, folate being the obvious one, but a cupboard full of bottles is not a plan. Anything I recommend has a clear reason behind it and is chosen with your stage of pregnancy in mind.
Is herbal medicine safe during pregnancy?
Some herbal medicines are appropriate in pregnancy and many aren’t, and the stage you’re at matters too, this is exactly the sort of thing I’m trained to judge. I only prescribe what’s appropriate for pregnancy and only where there’s a clear reason for it, and plenty of my plans lean mainly on food and targeted nutrition.
When should I start?
There’s no wrong time. Women come to me at every stage of pregnancy, from the early weeks through to birth preparation, and the postpartum months are part of the picture too. If you’re still in the planning stage, the three months before trying are their own window, and that’s what the fertility naturopathy side is for.
Can Hannah help after the baby arrives?
Yes, postpartum recovery is a real focus of my work. Iron, B vitamins and omega-3s are often depleted after pregnancy, and thyroid function and other hormonal markers can affect mood, energy and recovery, so I look at all of those properly. It’s slower work than most people expect and the plan is built around replenishing steadily.
Ready when you are
Appointments are booked online or by phone, or start with a free 10-minute call.