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Nutrition Services
Pre & Post Natal Nutrition
In my experience as a doula attending births since 2009, much of what unfolds in the birth room is the result of the way a mother has prepared and the kind of support she’s received. Ensuring proper nutrition is an essential aspect of preparing for a healthy pregnancy, birth, baby, and postpartum period. I'm committed to supporting you in making healthy choices leading up to birth, so that during and after delivery you feel confident, strong, and able to trust your body's signals.
Getting the right nutrients, in proper amounts throughout the day, is crucial for preventing gestational diabetes, miscarriage, preterm birth, low birth weight babies, postpartum depletion syndrome, and even postpartum depression. That's because amino acids are the precursors to your neurotransmitters, while protein, essential fats and micronutrients optimize hormonal balance and are the building blocks for your baby's tissues.
Every mom knows how challenging it can be to balance self-care with the demands of a new little one. We will put structures in place, enabling you to make the transition with ease and grace so you can fully enjoy this special time. In addition facilitating your return to your pre-pregnancy weight, we will ensure you're receiving all the nutrients you need for breastfeeding, sustained energy and balanced mood.
By caring for yourself in this way, you ensure that your weight, hormones, energy, and libido bounce back after pregnancy just as nature intended.
Nutrition for Fertility
If you're planning to become pregnant, nothing is more important than your nutrition---and this is even more true as we age. In modern society, we are exposed to the same toxin load in a month as our grandparents were in their entire lifetime. Why does this impact our fertility? Because the same toxins in our environment--- from household cleaners to plastic water bottles--- are known endocrine disruptors. This means they interfere with our natural balance of hormones, decreasing our ability to conceive in any given cycle.
Similarly, the chemicals in our food, from pesticides to heavy metals, negatively impact fertility and threaten your baby's health. But don't stress! Armed with the right knowledge and a few simple shifts, you can protect and even reverse damage to your fertility, whether you are planning to conceive naturally or with assisted reproductive technology. Understanding how to balance your blood sugar, get key micronutrients, and cleanse your system from accumulated toxins (without extreme detox regimes) will put you on track for achieving a viable pregnancy.
Weight Management & Body Image
Have you ever thought your appetite was “too big”? Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, your appetite is exactly the perfect size for you.
What may also be true is that you’ve learned to use food in place of other important needs you yearn to have fulfilled. Together we will discover what your deeper needs are and take steps to meet them, so that food can begin to take its proper place in your life.
Maybe you’ve been a chronic dieter and your metabolism has slowed to the point where you’re barely eating at all. We will take steps to restore your thyroid and other vital organs, increasing the amount of food your body can process while stabilizing your weight in a healthy range. Because we live in a media-driven culture, many women- and men as well- have unrealistic ideas of what their weight should be. Together we will discover your body’s unique ideal weight, and work on clearing the limiting belief systems created by the impractical images of perfection we’ve been fed.
Family Meal Planning
There are lots of “easy” recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less. But for a busy mom like you, that can seem impossible! I’ll show you how to cook for your family in a fraction of that time. Cooking nutritious, delicious meals your family will love can be simple and fun. You’ll learn easy ways to plan and cooking techniques that make feeding your family a joy… with more time spent eating together and less time spent in the kitchen preparing.
Based on your family’s diet and preferences, we will create individualized meal plans and shopping lists, taking the guesswork out of keeping everyone healthy and well-fed. I also offer grocery store tours and home visits, if you need extra support to get you set up for success. Vegetarian? No problem. Having been raised in a vegetarian household, I know first-hand what it takes to help your kids thrive, fit in with their peers, and adjust to making their own food choices.