meet chelsea tatton
Clinical Nutritionist
Tell us about you – who is your family, where do you live?
I am based on the Gold Coast and live with my partner, Calum, and our very cheeky Cocker Spaniel, Winston.
What got you into your current role as a Clinical Nutritionist?
I have had a somewhat unconventional start to my career as a Nutritionist. I started and completed studies in a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, which gave me such an appreciation and understanding of the human body and the impact nutrition has on our health/wellbeing. Following this, I enrolled in a Bachelor of Midwifery as I have always loved pregnancy and postpartum and truly felt called to support women during such a transformative time in their lives. I completed a year and a half of this degree and absolutely loved being with women as they birthed their babies into the world, however, after witnessing the meals delivered to postpartum mamas (hello corn flakes, banana, and juice) - and my resultant horror - I quickly realised that my true calling was supporting women nutritionally in this beautiful season of life.
Hence, I went on to study nutrition via Deakin University and Oh Baby School of Holistic Nutrition so I can support women to feel their best during all life stages, including pre-conception, pregnancy, postpartum and beyond.
Why are you passionate about working with mothers and children?
After working/studying in hospitals, and within the conventional care model that is predominantly offered during pregnancy and postpartum, it was clear to me that there is a considerable lack of nutritional support and education available to women during this incredibly transformative time. The impact and benefits of nutrition on the health and wellbeing of the mother and baby are often overlooked – if discussed at all - and this leads to many women feeling depleted, exhausted, overwhelmed and confused during their journey. This saddens me greatly, as I have witnessed first-hand the power of nutrition and lifestyle support during this season of life. A saying I like to draw on is: “A nourished mama is a nourished bub”. I believe this so beautifully depicts the importance of nourishing the mother so she can in turn continue to nourish her growing bub.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work I love spending quality time with my family/friends, cooking delicious food, reading, and getting out in nature (Open grass or the beach are some of my favourite places to relax and unwind).
What is your one piece of advice for first time mothers?
Remind yourself daily that you are the perfect mother for your baby. You know them best, trust your divine mama instinct. Be kind to yourself in this season and know that you deserve to feel nurtured and nourished too. You have got this mama!