I nodded and smiled with my midwife a bit. I think I mentioned that I avoided gluten, sugar and "junk" which was fine with her! She trusted me when I told her I was taking a "prenatal", though I didn't mention it didn't contain DHA and I was getting that from fish and cod liver oil. I did take a folic acid supp because of the MTHFR mutation however, just to be safe. I think avoiding the stress of an argument is the way to go.

If you're seeing a traditional OB, you might want to avoid "Paleo" and go with you avoid processed foods and sugar and focus on whole, natural food options. Mentioning gluten-free might help. But if you're seeing a midwife, they tend to be more open to discussion and non-traditional approaches so you will probably find more support for Paleo there. At least that was my experience with both an OB and then my midwife. In fact, my ex-OB thought I was nuts hence my change to a midwife who actually began her own research in paleo/primal eating after our first appointment together.

I would recommend finding a doc/midwife/obstetrician that was open to discussing your diet with you. I find that there are some very open minded health care providers if you look for them. Because if you're maternity health care provider is not open to your diet, they are likely not to be open to alot of other wishes for your pregnancy, birth and beyond and that will be far more stressful than the arguement over 'paleo'.

If you come into the conversation well versed then there should not be any issues at all.

My maternity doctor was great, the only time she recommended taking any supplements was in the first trimester when I was extrememly nauseous and not eating. For the rest of my pregnancy she advised that a good diet full of whole foods was going to get me better nutrients than any vitamin or supplement on the market. We didn't talk diet much (and I wasn't 'paleo' then), but she did advocate no sugary drinks and loads of fruits, veggies and meats.

I was open to my doctor about being GF, and following a paleo diet. I did however, take B and folic acid supplement (I cannot tolerate prenatal or multi vitamins) to be on the safe side. My doctor did test me a couple times to see where all my levels were, and everything was perfect. I did continue to take my B and folic acid. I also took a non-stimulant greens drink to make sure I got some extra veggies in my diet and added it to my smoothies (since I was not eating a ton of veggies). I was 42 and got pregnant naturally with my first. Because of my age I really wanted to make sure I was getting extra folic acid. And I ate a TON of sweet potatoes to keep my carbs up (along with fruit).

My midwife loved it. She couldn't believe a client could eat so healthfully. Because of it, she was comfortable with me opting out of the GD screen at 28 weeks. Around 32 weeks, I started gaining really fast and decided to take the test. Because my sugar consumption was almost nil, my blood sugar reading was off the charts. Coupled with the weight gain, I continued eating paleo, but this time under strict orders. Turns out, there was no GD. Just a baby ready to come early (at 37 weeks).

I would not say Paleo - I would say GF and low carb

I don't think you ever do yourself any favors by withholding relevant information (assuming it is truly relevant) from your treatment providers. Using the word "paleo" may not be necessary, however.

If some of your practices turn out to be a bone of contention, ask (respectfully) why and listen to the answer. It may turn out your provider actually knows something that you do not (e.g. current research in obstetrics). If not, or if your provider doesn't like being challenged, you can find another care provider.

Don't forget that the well-being of two people is at stake here, and one is very small and vulnerable. Self-experimentation is one thing. Experimenting on a fetus is quite another.

We didn't want the fight. So we just said that we eat "lean meat, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables". Didn't go into any more detail and never got into any fights.

Curious as to why you wouldn't take folic acid? I would think you might want to take it just to be on the safe side in case you aren't getting enough from food....I'm not trying to be argumentative at all, just genuinely curious. Not that I'm one to talk, 9 times out of 10 I forgot to take my prenatal in my second pregnancy and she was just fine.

I told my OB (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston - one of the top maternity hospitals in the world) straight up what I eat, why I eat it, and she was happy with me. She was impressed with the dedication, both with time and finances, that we have to our diet.

She had no problem letting me out of the Glucola 25 week GD test and letting me do a fasting blood glucose and a 2 hour post prandial test instead.

She encouraged me to keep my diet and exercise up (modified kettlebells) as the pregnancy is going very smoothly.

Give your healthcare provider some credit - they just want you to be healthy. And think of it this way -- if they aren't going to be receptive and supportive of your diet, you want to find another doctor for your pregnancy, anyways.

Can I ask you where you are (plan on) getting your folate from? As in which foods?