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You are here: Home / Become a doula / Postpartum Nutrition For The Doula

Postpartum Nutrition For The Doula

January 24, 2022

As doulas, our role is to provide holistic family support. This means that as professionals, we aren’t simply holding people’s newborns during recovery. This means we encourage evidenced-based healing, bonding, and postpartum wellness. And of course, postpartum nutrition education.

A major factor for postpartum wellness is adequate nutrition. During the previous nine months, a birthing person’s body goes through immense changes as they grow an entire human being. Their nutrient stores are often depleted, especially if they faced prolonged nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

During the postpartum period, the body goes through a more rapid changing process as the uterus returns to typical size, edema resolves, and hormones fluctuate. In as many as 30% of US births, there is also recovery from major abdominal surgery.

All these things can benefit from adequate nutrition, and they can also be prolonged or worsened from poor nutrition.

Fortunately, our amazing human bodies can provide adequate human milk for our babies even in the wake of a subpar nutrient status. However, just like in pregnancy, if the person is not consuming adequate nutrients it is pulled from the body’s stores. This means poor nutrient intake can lead to anemia, low calcium levels, vitamin B deficiencies, and more.

Even without deficiencies, poor nutrition will make a new parent feel extra exhausted and unwell. For these reasons, it is vital that postpartum doulas understand and can support good nutrition in the postpartum period.

What Do Doulas Need to Know About Nutrition?

As a postpartum doula, you are not a licensed dietician, so you are not prescribing specific diets, supplements, etc. However, you can provide evidenced-based general nutrition information and recommendations for overall healthy food options.

During the International Doula Institutes Postpartum Doula Certification Program you will learn all about necessary postpartum nutrition. When you understand current recommendations, you can support your clients with healthy meal and snack planning.

IDI is based in the US and often shares US recommendations. In our training course you will find current USDA guidelines, as well as guidelines from Canada. For this article, I’m sharing with you the current guidelines from Canada as it provides a very simple breakdown of balanced nutrition.

Canadian nutrition

What About Specific Supplements?

The recommended daily allowance varies based on pregnancy status and lactation. As a postpartum doula you should not provide any specific recommendations on supplements for vitamins. However, you can share information about general recommendations for continuing a prenatal vitamin or other multivitamin. They should check with their providers for more information.

Here are current guidelines:

nutrition guidelines

You can also remind clients that a diet rich in iron can be especially important following childbirth. Their providers might prescribe an iron supplement if appropriate but taking without need can cause unnecessary gastric upset.

During our postpartum doula training, you will learn about a variety of recipes, recommendations, etc., from registered dieticians and resources to help your clients make healthy food choices. You will learn about the importance of leafy greens for iron, protein for healing and energy, and fiber for supporting the gastric system in healing after birth.

Supporting Clients With Meal Preparation

As a doula, you will provide holistic support to families as they adjust to life with a new addition. Providing meal support is a vital part of nurturing families during this time.

Our thorough postpartum training includes information about healthy meal and snack options. It also includes important safe food handling guidelines to ensure you keep your clients safe. Have clients with allergies, special diets such as vegan or kosher? We cover that too!

Our training ensures all our trainees can provide support for ALL families regardless of their circumstances. Best of all, our training even makes it easier for you to navigate meal planning for yourself and your family.

IDI provides holistic support to our students. In turn, students can then provide holistic support to their clients.

Are you ready to get started? Be sure to register now for our newly updated Postpartum Doula Certification program. Improve your life and the lives of new families in your community!

Aliza Juliette Bancoff
Author: Aliza Juliette Bancoff

Aliza Juliette Bancoff is a well-known doula and doula trainer who has been providing doula services to families for over a decade. She is the founder of Main Line Doulas, a doula group providing doula support in the great Philadelphia area for the last decade, the International Doula Institute, which provides online doula training and lactation training and certification programs and  the International Breastfeeding Institute which provides lactation training and certification.   She is the co-founder of United Birth, a company devoted to increasing access to doulas across the country to make the perinatal time safer both physically and emotionally. “Every birthing person deserves access to quality doula support. And we are working to make that a reality across the country. The work we are doing to get doulas to every birthing person will decrease the black infant and maternal mortality rate significantly by 2030.” Says Bancoff. Aliza is known for her compassionate and empowering approach to doula work, and she has been featured in numerous media outlets, including United Nations Maternal Health Report,  Parent Magazine, CafeMom, theBump and many more. Aliza's journey into doula work began when she gave birth to her first child and felt a strong calling...

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Tracy tells us,
“This course was informative and educational. I enjoyed learning how to become a doula.”

Patricia shared, 
“This course was great. I loved how easy it is to use, as someone who is not very technologically inclined. The coursework was challenging and I learned so much. My instructor was always very easy to reach and very responsive to any issues I had. I loved being able to work at my own pace and skip around a bit. Videos are hard for me as I am very self-conscious so it was nice to be able to postpone them for a bit until I could really practice and feel my best. ”

Judith shared, 
“The instructors and course materials/videos were all so wonderful and informative. I truly feel very well equipped with all the knowledge and tools I now have to start as a full spectrum doula with multiple certifications under my belt. Thank you, IDI, from the bottom of my heart. My true passion is blossoming before my very eyes!”

Miranda tells us, 
“I started my training at IDI almost a year ago. The courses have given me exactly what I needed to become a confident doula! After looking at several different doula training programs I decided on IDI because I have two young children and could work at my own pace online. I also really liked that the curriculum was contributed to by different backgrounds and trainings, not only from one perspective. This program has offered more to me than I ever could have thought! Not only have I learned how to support Moms and families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum but I’ve been given tools in growing my reach and communication… just to name a few. There’s also huge support from other doulas in the program. I recommend this program to future doulas!”

Mary says, 
“Started my journey (with admitted fear) only a month ago and felt immediately at ease! This program is very fluid. Work at your own pace. Easy to reach help and support the whole way through. Everything you need to know to hit the ground running with confidence once certified.”

Brenda tells us, 
“My name is Brenda and I have been studying with IDI for a while now, looking forward to the Postpartum course also. I have found the studies, books, and information to feel well rounded in information and comprehensive. I love all the books they have chosen for my studies. Also, the opportunity to be hands-on with the additional class, interviews, videos, and Moms-to-be. This is a part of the program that brings all the reading, studying…everything to light! The teachers are kind, understanding and obviously VERY experienced and can guide and support me throughout this wonderful journey of certification to be a “Doula” I’m so happy I chose IDI to be my training! Thank you!!!! I look forward to the future!♡”

Joyce says, 
“I love being a student with IDI!”

Laura tells us,
” Easy to do at my own pace, good supplemental readings. ”

Hannah tells us,
” Hey this is Hannah! I’m SOO excited to have finished my courses & have become a CERTIFIED DOULA! I almost can’t believe I have that title, with my name!!! This has been a lifelong dream. I’m very grateful to have been able to do it online, as I am a stay-at-home mom to 7 amazing children. It was very convenient for me to work on, as I had quiet time, during my little’s naps. Having been through labor, birth & breastfeeding stages of my life, helped tremendously. However, it was a very practical course & easy to understand the instructions. I highly recommend IDI to anyone who is interested in becoming a doula!! Thank you, IDI!!! ”

Tatyana says,
“I enjoyed everything about this course. Very informative and detailed.”

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