As both a mother and anthropology student, I’ve been so fascinated by how food and pregnancy connect - and stoked to finally share a discussion on this topic! This week I’m speaking with Lindsay Grenier, a research assistant at McMaster University.
Lindsay did her Masters research as part of the Mothers2Babies study, which is a long term study on maternal nutritional health through McMaster University. She currently works as a research assistant at McMaster, where she focuses on maternal health and nutrition. Her research interests revolve around women’s health and social issues, particularly during pregnancy, along with health literacy, knowledge translation, and social determinants of health.
In this interview, we discuss food guidelines and taboos for pregnant people in Canada, and explore the ways in which social and biological factors shape access to nutritional knowledge during pregnancy. Knowledge translation is a big priority for a lot of academics in recent years, so we break down what this term means for prenatal health and nutrition research, and how cultural belief systems impact the attitudes and behaviours surrounding food consumption and avoidance during pregnancy.
Access to food and the social and cultural implications of this during pregnancy is a topic I’ve been very passionate about, particularly as a young mother who worked at a restaurant throughout my pregnancy and definitely had to hustle to make ends meet. It means a lot to share this discussion, in the hopes that it raises some awareness about the limitations and barriers some people face during their pregnancies. Enjoy in the link above, or on any major podcast platform!
Resources:
Mothers To Babies Study info:
Canada Food Guide/Pregnancy nutrition resources:
