FAQs About Nutrition Coaching & Doula Services

NUTRITION COACHING

Q: I am a vegetarian that doesn’t eat eggs. Can you work with my diet preferences? 

A: Yes! No matter what you do and don’t choose to eat for whatever reason, we can work together to find foods (or supplements) you do enjoy that have the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to meet the high demand of fertility, pregnancy, or postpartum. Depending on your dietary preferences, it may be necessary for you to supplement certain vitamins - for example, vegan diets and certain vegetarian diets must supplement vitamin B12. 

I have worked with clients whose diets range from they don’t eat meat except fish here and there to others who are open to eating any and everything. I can also work with individuals who are dairy free, gluten free, allergic to certain things, or just don’t like certain foods - and anything in between! 

Q: I have a complicated medical history and take many prescription medications. Can you still help me optimize my preconception or pregnancy health through nutrition coaching?

A: The big thing would be supplements. There can be a lot of contraindications between prescription medications and supplementation. Likely any wellness recommendation that I would make for food (as long as I know what you are allergic/sensitive to) or lifestyle would be something you could implement. So, depending on what you are taking or what your medical history is, I may not be able (within my scope of practice) be able to give you the full protocol of a coaching session. 

This is something we can discuss further in a Free Nutrition Info Consultation - a free consultation I provide to anyone with questions prior to booking.

Q: I’ve been trying to conceive for 6 months and have not gotten pregnant. Can your nutrition coaching help me with this?

A: My nutrition coaching will be a supportive component that can help you balance your meals, investigate root causes, make shifts in lifestyle areas (such as sleep and stress), give you questions to ask your care provider and labs to request, and choose a supplement protocol to fill in the gaps.  

As a Certified Nutrition Consultant, I do not diagnose, treat, or heal. You would not be considered my patient, but rather my client. I would give you recommendations based on the information you provide to me - including your typical diet, general health history, current supplements, any labs you provide to me, and lifestyle. My goal is to give you holistic, high-quality, evidence based options and insight to guide you and help you make informed decisions to optimize your health.

Might working with me and making these changes lead to a pregnancy? Absolutely! Can I guarantee that working with me will solve any and every fertility issue? No, but I would love to support your journey in the ways that I can.

Q: I’m not trying to conceive but I want a more regular cycle. Is your fertility nutrition coaching still right for me?

A: Yes! In many ways fertility equals health. So, all of the principles I use to optimize your health and get you ready to conceive can also apply to general health and thus a more regular menstrual cycle. I can support many different conditions that may affect your menstrual cycles and give you recommendations for testing to get to dive deeper into the root causes or deficiencies behind your irregular cycle.

Q: I just found out I have Gestational Diabetes. Can you help me figure out what to eat and give me other tips for how to deal with GDM?

A: Yes and yes - I would actually highly recommend you book a coaching session with me if you have GDM! 

My pregnancy nutrition coaching can support your Gestational Diabetes and overall health with guidance on ways to balance meals, foods to add and foods to avoid, supplements, and lifestyle changes that can manage or help manage blood sugar. It is important for both you and your baby to maintain balanced blood sugars and nutrition and lifestyle are key components to that.

With my support as a CNC, it’s possible to support "morning" sickness (more appropriately: all day, any time nausea!), fatigue, constipation, heartburn, mood swings, pre-eclampsia, anemia, swelling, cravings & aversions, postpartum depression, GBS+, hemorrhoids, and more. 

DOULA SERVICES

Q: My partner is really supportive and willing to learn how best to support me. Do I really need a doula as well?

A: I am so pleased to hear that you have a supportive partner. The decision to hire a doula or not is really up to you! 

Doula presence at births comes with a lot of benefits - an extra set of hands for comfort in labor, another support person dedicated to your wellbeing, childbirth education, birth plan creation, postpartum support, and emotional availability. Research shows the presence of  a doula greatly improves birth outcomes. 

 Book a  Free Doula Info Consultation where I can answer any of your questions.

Q: I am already 35 weeks pregnant. Can I still hire you as my doula? 

A: Yes! You can absolutely still hire me as your doula if my schedule allows. I accept clients up until they are 36 weeks pregnant. Beyond that is not enough notice for me and my current life. 

How this would work if you book the signature package is we would have one longer prenatal meeting combined with either a pregnancy nutrition coaching session or prenatal yoga session. Then, I would be on-call for and attend the birth. 

Finally, I would give you a voucher for either 1 private yoga session or a postpartum nutrition coaching session & one private yoga session for you to use after the birth. 

If you book the birth doula services alone, we will still aim to have 2 prenatal meetings, I will attend the birth, and have a postpartum check in.

Q: I just found out I am pregnant. Is it too early to hire a doula?

A: Not at all! While we may not start our prenatal and birth plan meetings until later in your pregnancy, we can certainly meet and get your estimated due date on my schedule so your spot doesn’t get taken.

If you book the signature package, we can also do the pregnancy nutrition coaching session and follow up anytime throughout your pregnancy - same with your prenatal yoga session. 

I think booking this early is a great idea, particularly for getting the most out of my services and enhancing your pregnancy health and experience.

Q: Do you have a backup doula? 

A: As of now, no. 

So, it is typical for doulas to have a back up doula for births in case something comes up that simply cannot be missed for the main doula or if the birth is lasting a significant amount of time and the doulas need to trade off. Doulas will trade off if they are very tired so you are getting the best possible support. You would meet the back up doula ahead of time so you are familiar and comfortable with them. 

My goal is to create a doula collective in the Watertown NY area to better support women in pregnancy, through labor, and into postpartum. But, for now, when you hire me as your doula, it is just me. 

Q: I was just looking for a doula. Can I get a lower price if I don’t want the nutrition coaching and prenatal yoga?

A: Yes! I offer a Birth Doula Package that is less expensive and includes the 2 prenatal meetings, attendance at labor and delivery, and a postpartum check in.

I'd love to discuss further in a Free Nutrition Info Consultation - a free consultation I provide to anyone with questions prior to booking.

Q: I am planning on giving birth in a hospital and getting an epidural. Do doulas support hospital births? Do doulas only support ‘natural’ births?

A: Doulas are support for labor & birth - no matter what that birth looks like. Doulas are a calm, knowledgeable presence who is focused on you, your partner, and your wants and needs. No matter what kind of birth you are planning, as your doula I can provide resources and education ahead of labor and birth - as well as comfort measures, encouragement, and support during and after birth. I support home births, unmedicated hospital births, medicated hospital births, inductions, planned or unplanned Cesarean births. My goal is to be there for you, however birth happens.

A bit about me: I am a Birth Doula, Pregnancy & Fertility Nutrition Coach, and Certified Yoga Instructor serving Watertown NY, Fort Drum, & Thousand Islands NY areas.