Leading
Prenatal Mental Health Researcher,
Psychiatrist, and Neuroscientist
Meet Dr. Freedman
Robert Freedman MD is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. As Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Colorado, he realized that many mental illnesses began as problems in brain development before birth. He then led a research team to discover what women can do to prevent problems in their babies’ brain development, and ultimately, to prevent mental illness—in the womb. His work is published in leading scientific journals, and he was recently featured in Smithsonian Magazine.
Mission
Dr. Freedman's mission is to help women improve the odds for their baby’s future mental well-being before birth. An unborn baby’s healthy, well-developed brain at birth will help that growing child bond closer with its mother, pay attention in school, make friends, and ultimately be protected from mental illness. What a baby has not developed before birth unfortunately cannot be developed afterwards. Many parents of children with mental health conditions have expressed how they wish that they had known what to do earlier to help their baby build its brain. Dr. Freedman's work is dedicated to providing that help.
Give your baby a healthy brain
before birth.
Before Conception
Make sure your body is ready.
Update your vaccinations and any treatments for depression or anxiety.
Start prenatal vitamins and choline.
First Trimester
Your egg is implanting in your uterus and starting to grow.
If you use marijuana, alcohol, or cigarettes, stop as soon as you can. Taking folic acid now is critical to prevent spinal cord and facial birth defects.
Second Trimester
Your baby is forming the brain it will have for a lifetime.
Choline and folic acid are critical nutrients that your baby needs to build its nerve cells. These nutrients also build cells in the placenta that help prevent preterm birth.
Third Trimester
Help your baby in the final growth spurt.
If your baby’s growth is slowing, choline and folic acid supplements can help it achieve that final growth spurt. Choline also helps put the final touches on the brain to increase its processing speed.
After Birth
Take care of your baby and take care of yourself.
Your breast milk or formula has everything your baby needs. Just add your love.
Your partner should watch over you to make sure you get help if you get depressed.
5 Steps You Can Take to Help Your Baby
Visit the Prenatal Health page for more information.