How and why I became a certified postpartum nutrition consultant with Oh Baby Academy. And why I know you will love it too!
I’m nearing the end of my studies with Oh Baby Academy and I will be starting to offer one on one consultations with mamas. Holistically supporting them and any postpartum conditions they may experience.
If you have read my latest instagram post or ‘my story‘ you can skip past the next section ‘where it all began’. This is where I share my journey from pregnancy to writing a book and adding studying into the mix too.
Where It All Began
This year I decided to study postpartum nutrition through Oh Baby Academy. I made this decision 8 months into my village for mama journey.
The day my first business sold, my beautiful bright yellow healthy Mexican cantina, I found out I was pregnant. I suppose you could call this serendipitous timing and in many ways it was! But it also left me in a bit of a difficult position. I was ready to start a new chapter of my life. To discover a new career direction. But I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. The longer I took to decide, the more pregnant I was going to be. The more pregnant I became, the less desirable I became as a potential employee.
So I decided to just embrace a ‘free’ pregnancy. Use it as a time to recharge after 3 years full of long days in a kitchen. And the responsibilities and stresses of running a small food business. I picked up freelance work, completed my yoga teacher training and read every book I could find about pregnancy, birth and beyond.
A few months after my daughter was born, the village for mama idea came to me. I was excited and inspired but also a little overwhelmed and exhausted. As the idea slowly came to life, I realised that for the first time in a long time, I had found my ‘true calling’.
I would get lost in research, obsessed with reading and writing and not once did things feel like ‘work’. It has been just over 12 months of pouring, love, time, energy and money into something that I am beyond proud of. And deeply passionate about.
The creation of village for mama has only further emphasised the need for postpartum support. Countless women have reached out to me expressing their need for postpartum support. There is such a gap in the conventional health care system. The more people there are helping mamas, the more awareness there will be around this monumental and fragile time in a woman’s life.
Studying with Oh Baby
This knowledge desperately needs to be put in the hands of passionate people who are ready to make a real difference.
Oh Baby offers certifications in Pregnancy Nutrition, Postpartum Nutrition and Baby Nutrition. You can complete them individually, pair two together or complete a masters certification in all three.
Each certification includes a foundational nutrition unit which provides the framework for becoming a Certified Nutrition Consultant. The content is built upon the Oh Baby philosophy for optimal health. It will ensure you have an indepth understanding of holistic nutrition while also honouring the unique nutritional needs we have as individuals.
There is also a bonus business development unit. This provides you with all the tools and resources you need to set up your own thriving business supporting other women.
Foundational Nutrition
This initial unit sets the foundation for the rest of the course. It provides you with the Oh Baby food philosophy, an in-depth understanding of macro and micronutrients. Understanding food quality and reading nutrition labels. It provides you with the tools to support clients with supplements and the knowledge and confidence to conduct a nutrition client trial.
A new module opens each week which includes reading, video lessons, a quiz and some assignments. Everything has been designed to do at your own pace. While some of the content is dense, everything is incredibly easy to follow and digest.
The workload varies from week to week, some weeks taking about 4 hours and others about 6. There is constant access to your community via a Facebook group and also a discussion board to ask questions.
Each unit ends with a bigger assignment, a client trial and a final exam. The exam is open book and allows you three hours to complete. I loved this as it really removed the stress and pressure that often accompanies big exams.
I really enjoyed the foundational nutrition module even though it wasn’t directly related to postpartum mothers. The knowledge I have gained has already deeply benefited my own life and I am incredibly excited to share this knowledge and support with other women.
Postpartum Nutrition
This unit was the reason I decided to dive into study this year. It gives you the tools and knowledge to support women in replenishing their bodies as they begin their journey through motherhood. Despite having dedicated most of my year to learning about postpartum and nourishing the new mother I have learned so much from this course. It offers so much more than just nutritional education. It covers nourishing the early days, important postpartum nutrients as well as protocols for postpartum conditions and breastfeeding support. Completing this unit gives you all the relevant knowledge to not just be a nutrition consultant but to also help women as a postpartum doula.
Motherhood, Work, Life, Study… Balance…
Despite providing invaluable information, I think the thing I have loved most about Oh Baby is the ability to become qualified in a new field without any feelings of stress and overwhelm. It is so incredible to be studying through an academy that embraces and supports motherhood and everything that goes along with it. To be able to sit and breastfeed or wrestle your toddler while taking part in the zoom calls and to jump online and chip away bit by bit when motherhood and life permits. This course has been designed for mothers by a mother and that is so evident through every part of the course.
There are still time limits for how long you have to complete each unit to ensure you complete the course but these are incredibly reasonable and achievable without you feeling and unnecessary stress, pressure or overwhelm.
Becoming a qualified nutrition consultant is not the same as a nutritionist or dietitian but it still provides you with the skills, education and confidence to holistically support women with their nutritional needs through pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood.
Women Supporting Women
If you too would like to work alongside village for mama, helping pregnant, postpartum and new mothers wanting to give their baby the best nutritional start to life, then I encourage you join Oh Baby Academy. I am currently studying pregnancy nutrition with Oh Baby and I would love to connect and learn alongside you! This online course will empower you with everything necessary to help mothers and babies thrive. Because when women support women, incredible things can happen.
You don’t have to have any previous nutritional education, just a passion for a holistic approach to nourishing and nurturing. And a passion for helping other women. These courses are also ideal for any practitioner. Midwife, nurse, naturopath, yoga teacher.. looking to deepen their expertise, expand their offering.
I am available for 1:1 consultations now too. Supporting pregnant mamas nearing the end of their pregnancy who would like some help preparing for their postpartum period. I also support postpartum mamas at any stage during their postpartum period. This to me is not just the first 6 week following birth. The postpartum period is as long as you need it to be. Women can experience the side effects of depletion for years after their baby is born.
I absolutely love working one on one with women who are wanting to restore their health and vitality as mothers. I can do face to face consultations with local mamas here on the Gold Coast, Australia. And also online consultations via zoom with other Australian and international mamas.
Otherwise I hope you consider enrolling with Oh Baby and creating your own business. So you too can support other women while embracing your own unique motherhood journey.
Ps. If this article helped you decide to study with Oh Baby, I would love it if you popped village for mama down in the ‘where you heard about us’ section of your application. I get a small kickback in return which helps me keep sharing content and love.
love Leila x