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
Naturopathic support through pregnancy and into the postpartum months with Hannah Ward, a degree-qualified naturopath who holds a Masters in Reproductive Medicine. 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 Hannah would be the first to say so. Her work sits alongside that care, looking 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 Hannah at every stage, from the early weeks through to birth preparation and the months after. Some have been working with her since before conception and simply 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 pregnancy progresses. Care centres on nutrition for each 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: that bone-tired, nothing-left-in-the-tank feeling that’s more than just broken sleep.
Continuing on from fertility care
Plenty of women work with Hannah on the fertility side first and simply continue once they’re pregnant. 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, Hannah’s 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 prescribed is chosen for pregnancy specifically. Herbal medicine here is deliberately conservative; Hannah works only with what’s appropriate for the stage you’re at, and she doesn’t over-prescribe at the best of times. If gestational diabetes comes into the picture, she 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 Hannah works with it rather than around it; her postgraduate training means she 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 honestly, it’s one of the more useful places to spend a consult.
Then there’s the fourth trimester, which is something Hannah takes seriously. Postpartum depletion is real, and recovery after birth takes longer than most people expect. Her 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. She also looks at thyroid function and other hormonal markers that can affect mood, energy and recovery. The work here is about replenishing, gently, over time.
How it works
All online, wherever you are
1
A proper initial consultation
Around an hour, over secure video. Time to 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
Hannah starts with the bloods you already have from your GP or antenatal care, and 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
The basics done well first: food, movement, sleep and stress, with targeted nutrition and pregnancy-appropriate herbal medicine added where there’s a clear reason for it.
4
Ongoing care
Anything prescribed is dispensed and posted out express, and follow-ups adjust the plan as your pregnancy progresses.
Google Reviews
Rated 5.0 from 35 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 an easy, no-pressure way to figure that out.
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 Hannah’s 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 Hannah would actively encourage that. Her postgraduate training means she can read your results in both languages and work with your midwife, OB or GP’s care rather than around it, and she’s 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, with time for discussion, assessment and ongoing review in much the same way as an in-person appointment. Your treatment plan comes by email, and anything prescribed is dispensed and delivered express to your door. Testing, where it’s appropriate, can be organised remotely.
Do I need a cupboard full of supplements now I’m pregnant?
No. Hannah is 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 Hannah recommends 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 Hannah is trained to judge. She prescribes only what’s appropriate for pregnancy, only where there’s a clear reason for it, and plenty of plans lean mainly on food and targeted nutrition.
When should I start?
There’s no wrong time. Women come to Hannah 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; that’s what the fertility naturopathy side is for.
Can Hannah help after the baby arrives?
Yes. Postpartum recovery is a real focus of Hannah’s 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 those get looked at 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.