One thing I enjoy about own Carolina Birth and Wellness is that I am in the position to connect and network with so many amazing providers that are in the field of women’s health in the triangle. Well, during a pandemic that is no different, well a little different.
Recently I connected with Kerry Jones of Milestones Pediatric & Maternal Nutrition over Zoom to talk about all things women’s health. As a pediatric and maternal dietitian, she works with women in the preconception stage, as well as through pregnancy, the postpartum stage, and even helps with getting those picky toddlers to eat more than 2 foods.
I love her realistic approach to nutrition coupled with her passion for preventing disease and illness before it becomes an issue that requires medications and more interventions from medical providers.
Right now, she is seeing her patients via tele-health and hopes to be able to moved into her own office space in Cary once it is safe to be in public again! (We all are excited about that!)
What led you to pursue a career as a women's health dietitian?
I have always loved science and medicine. I was pre-med in undergrad at NC State (go pack!), when I took a nutrition course. This is when I had my first lightbulb moment. I thought, "why would I want to treat a disease when I could prevent it in the first place." After that course, I switched my career path to nutrition. Fast forward a couple of years to my Master’s program at UNC – Chapel Hill, I learned about the fourth trimester project. For those who haven’t heard of the fourth trimester project, researchers essentially found that for the first 12 weeks after giving birth (what they have dubbed the fourth trimester) women experience considerable challenges and yet are not properly supported by medical professionals. This was my second lightbulb moment. I realized that I wanted to be there to support these women! After grad school, I established a nutrition practice where I could provide nutrition education and support to women from conception through pregnancy and through the first year postpartum and then help their children as they grow.
I love that you work with women from preconception to having picky eaters as toddlers. What do you find the biggest struggle that most of these clients’ face?
I think the biggest universal struggle is that there is an overload of nutrition information and sources out there that claim to be “credible.” It can be hard to navigate and find out which foods are best for you and your family, especially with everything else parents have to deal with and manage.
What does a typical session look like with you?
My first session with a client is either a discovery call, which is a free 15-minute phone call where the family gets to determine if I am the right fit from them and their nutritional needs OR it is the initial appointment. During the 1-hour initial appointment, I learn about the client and their family to understand their goals, lifestyle, and medical & nutrition history and then we create an initial plan and set of a couple small, attainable goals. We have follow-up appointments typically every 2-4 weeks, depending on the client. At these appointments, we review goals set during previous appointments and make any adjustments. Currently all appointments are conducted through a secure video chat and all clients have access to a health system & app where they can message me in-between appointments to ask questions and get additional support.
What is a staple in your own kitchen?
There are so many! If I were to pick two it would be coffee and onions. Clearly, they don’t go together (haha), but they are always stocked in my kitchen. Coffee, because it is necessary to function. Onions, because they are a perfect addition to any meal (I challenge someone to tell me a meal (not dessert!) that onions do not go with).
When you aren't working with clients, where can we find you?
Currently, I am challenging myself to visit all NC state parks in 2020, so you would likely find me on a trail with my dog.
