Francesca Ogiermann-White is a writer, speaker and consultant specialising in aesthetics and cosmetic surgery.  In addition to being Tatler's Health & Beauty Editor-at-Large, and Chair of the Press Advisory Board for BAAPS, she is the founder of The Beauty Triangle: a platform that educates and empowers modern audiences on all aspects of their health and wellbeing, via intimate panel discussions and immersive events. Francesca is mother to Felix aged two and offers a fresh and deeply informed perspective on beauty for mothers, pregnant women and those preparing to conceive.

Pregnancy Support: Routes to Strengthening, Inside and Out

Discovering that you are pregnant is often accompanied by a tumult of emotions, feelings - and unwanted side effects. Like many, I spent my first trimester battling a constant wave of nausea (which temporarily subsided after eating a grilled cheese sandwich) and fatigue so extreme I would stay in bed all day, napping in between taking calls and writing my often-overdue copy (thank goodness working from home was in full swing in 2021).

In summary, simply getting through the day in the early stages of pregnancy is hard enough for some – let alone trying to optimise your lifestyle, or “nourish” your body, as we are so often instructed to do. However, in between the morning sickness, the tiredness and the chronic anxiety that all too often manifests in this early chapter of pregnancy, I did find some hero products and practitioners that helped me to feel more stronger, more resilient – and more like myself again.  

In between the morning sickness, the tiredness and the chronic anxiety that all too often manifests in this early chapter of pregnancy, I did find some hero products and practitioners that helped me to feel more stronger, more resilient – and more like myself again

Right from the start, you’ll want to know how to manage nausea. Morning sickness, to me, felt like a permanent hangover – cruelly exacerbated by the fact that you can’t stand the sight of a glass of red wine (this is solely my observation, but perhaps not the case for everyone). In this instance, naturopathic nutritionist and author of The Hormone Balance Handbook, Jessica Shand, recommends looking to food as medicine.

‘Ginger is my number one recommendation when it comes to combatting nausea during the first trimester’, says Shand. ‘It’s been used for hundreds of years in Chinese medicine, thanks to its anti-inflammatory content and gingerol, a bioactive compound in ginger that essentially blocks the action of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and serotonin - which can trigger stomach contractions and the vomiting reflex’. Shand suggests cutting or grating fresh ginger root, adding to hot water, and slowly sipping on it as a tea; alternatively, you could add ginger to your water bottle when you’re on the go.

Another nausea-reducing tip is to eat “little and often”, which will prevent blood sugar levels from dipping. ‘Low blood sugar can make nausea symptoms worse, as it causes the body to release stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline – leading to hormonal fluctuations that can make you feel light-headed’, explains Shand. Try eating as soon as you wake up: ‘Nausea is often worse in the morning because you’ve naturally fasted overnight’, says Shand - ‘But even if all you can stomach is a plain cracker and a cup of ginger tea first thing, it will help take the edge off’. Supplements like vitamin B6 can also be helpful in reducing nausea: ‘It plays a role in neurotransmitter production and regulation of hormones as serotonin, dopamine and GABA – which, when imbalanced, can contribute to a feeling of light-headedness’, says Shand. Otherwise, look to include B6 in your diet via animal sources such as chicken, tuna, salmon and turkey - as well as bananas, potatoes and chickpeas.

Then there are the other key nutrients that the body needs in pregnancy – and Folate (a naturally occurring form of vitamin B9) is number one, thanks to its ability to support healthy foetal development. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it’s often confused with folic acid (a synthetic form of folate, often found in fortified foods and supplements). While both play a key role in various functions, the body has to convert folic acid into the active form, L-methylfolate, to viably benefit from it in pregnancy – something which not everybody is able to do. When it comes to Folate, I swore by Wild Nutrition’s Food-Grown Pregnancy + New Mother Multi formula, which offers that all-important support for your growing baby, as well as iron levels, cognitive function and energy. Shand also advises consuming plenty of leafy greens and legumes - a natural source of Folate – especially during your first trimester, which is a critical time for neural tube development.

However, sometimes you need to spend time in the presence of someone who recalibrates you, physically as well as emotionally. Gerard Kite, colloquially known as “The Baby Whisperer” is an excellent comrade at this chapter. Not just because his Five-Element acupuncture technique supports the body beautifully (strengthening the blood, bolstering energy and re-establishing that sense of “connection” with oneself) – but because the fertility expert is also a trained psychotherapist. That twenty minutes of easy conversation at the start of the treatment enables him to understand what you need at that particular moment in time – but it also helps you to feel calmer, less anxious, and - critically – more like yourself again.

At this point, you’ll also be crying out for a good massage – and I swore by the brilliantly intuitive therapists at MASAJ (they have locations in Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Shoreditch) from my second trimester, who make light work of lower back pain and wound-tight calves with deft fingertips and handfuls of almond oil. If your legs are starting to cramp at night, nothing works better than a spritz of Better You’s Magnesium Spray; if they feel swollen during the day, then reach for Meder’s Heavy Leg Gel. Otherwise, book an appointment with the queen of manual lymphatic drainage, Flavia Morellato, who drains and debloats using her own Brazilian bodywork technique, leaving bodies feeling lighter and skin smoother. (If stretch marks are on your mind, stock up on Sarah Chapman’s Overnight Body Treatment Elixir, which contains omega-rich oils like baobab, coconut and camellia flower to support skin and enhance elasticity).

Of course, everyone’s experience of pregnancy is different. Some of us need physical support; others emotional – either way, that’s where leaning on others is key.

Of course, everyone’s experience of pregnancy is different. Some of us need physical support; others emotional – either way, that’s where leaning on others is key. The conversations that we have via The Beauty Triangle mean that we can connect our audiences with the most trusted, most practitioners so that they can find the help that they need – but they also foster a sense of community, and enable consumers to ask the questions that they need answers to. And at this pivotal, and sometimes uncertain chapter of pregnancy, that can only be a good thing.