Meet Emily
Pregnancy and postpartum can make food, your body, and your health feel unexpectedly stressful.
Let’s rebuild trust in your body.
I’m Emily Piazza, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Intuitive Eating Counseling, and Birth Doula
I support women who want evidence-based care without fear, restriction, or shame, including those navigating gestational diabetes, body image concerns, or a history of disordered eating.
My work is rooted in helping you feel calm and supported around food, reconnect with your inner wisdom, and move through pregnancy and postpartum with more confidence, compassion, and ease.
I’m also a wife, a mom of three, and a Vermonter. Most days you’ll find me with a cup of coffee in hand, thinking about what’s for dinner while juggling work and family life — and sneaking in a chapter of my latest romantasy novel whenever I can.
My Story
I’ve been a registered dietitian since 2009, trained in a traditional, weight-focused model.
But it never fully sat right with me.
The work I do today was shaped by both my professional training and my own experiences with pregnancy, birth, gestational diabetes, and unlearning diet culture. That’s why this work matters. It’s personal.
Becoming a Birth Nerd
During my first pregnancy, I dove headfirst into learning about birth. I read the books, listened to the podcasts, went to classes, practiced prenatal yoga, and hired a doula. Having that support changed everything. I felt informed, empowered, and deeply respected.
I also got my first glimpse into how quickly birth can become medicalized. My baby was born large for gestational age, which meant extra blood sugar monitoring. It planted a seed in me: the birthing person deserves to be centered, always.
That experience sparked my path into birth work and eventually led me to train as a doula.
Experiencing Gestational Diabetes
In my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and it shook me. The pressure to “do it right” felt constant. I tried to manage it through strict rules and control, and that intense focus pulled me into disordered eating patterns that lasted long after pregnancy.
And still, I had a supportive team and a birth experience that centered me, not just a diagnosis. That contrast stayed with me. You can take gestational diabetes seriously without losing the human in the process.
Launching Nourished Journey
After my second pregnancy, I began questioning not just how I was eating, but how I was practicing.
I saw how much pressure women were under to manage their bodies during pregnancy, and I recognized the same fear and rigidity in my professional training that I had internalized myself.
I gradually embraced an anti-diet approach grounded in Health At Every Size and Intuitive Eating. My work changed. I shifted away from control and toward trust, flexibility, and the bigger picture of health.
In 2019, I opened my private practice to focus on supporting pregnant folks with nutrition counseling and doula support. Shortly after, I became pregnant with our third child.
During that pregnancy, I approached things differently. Knowing my increased risk for gestational diabetes, I focused less on control and more on the big picture of my health.
Life with young kids and a global pandemic shifted the timing of my launch, but that pause gave me space to clarify how I truly wanted to support clients.
When I returned to my practice, I did so with clarity and intention, offering nutrition counseling alongside doula-informed care. While nutrition is the primary focus of my work, my background as a doula deeply shapes how I show up.
My Approach
There isn’t one “right” way to nourish yourself. There’s the way that works for you.
I work with real people living real lives. Neurodivergent brains. Busy moms. Women navigating complicated feelings about their changing bodies.
I know what it’s like when meals are rushed, skipped, or made up of your toddler’s half-eaten sandwich. I get the feeling of looking in the mirror and wondering where this body came from.
Together, we build an individual approach that supports your season of life and values rather than asking you to fit into a rigid plan.
At the core of my work is body respect. You don’t have to love your body to care for it. Moving away from punishment and toward neutrality, kindness, and trust is often where healing begins.
Your Body is Amazing
You don’t need to earn trust in your body.
You don’t need to eat perfectly to be healthy.
Your weight does not determine your health.
You are worthy of nourishment just as you are.
Vermont Birth Network
Emily is the founder and director of Vermont Birth Network, a statewide community of perinatal professionals providing care for Vermont families.
Vermont Birth Network helps families find trusted providers and begin building the support they need.
Vermont Birth Network
Emily is the founder and director of Vermont Birth Network, a statewide community of perinatal professionals providing care for Vermont families.
Vermont Birth Network helps families find trusted providers and begin building the support they need.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’re looking for individualized, compassionate nutrition support during pregnancy or postpartum, or steady, respectful support as a birth doula, I’d love to work with you.