Mom Life Feature: Melissa @confessionofadietitian

Meet Melissa, a registered dietician of 15 years, and Mom to Max (14 months old). 

About Melissa

Melissa is a registered dietitian and owner of Melissa Rifkin Nutrition LLC curating meal plans for her clients according to their specific nutritional demands.

She started her business 5 years ago, and was already working remotely then - now with the pandemic she was certainly well ahead of the times.

Melissa started her Instagram account in 2012, as she wanted to share her expertise with the world. 

Melissa recently launched a new eBook titled 'Starting Solids in the First Year', which is available for purchase on her website and amazon kindle.

On Motherhood

Motherhood means giving your all, every single day to raise a loving, caring, fun filled life to another. It is the most unselfish job on the planet, and frankly the hardest. I love every single moment of being a mother. I love how my son hugs me and trusts me. And I love when we laugh together, as a family.

Pre-conceived ideas

I used to be a nanny, so I knew how to take care of kids. But I had NO idea how much I would change as a person. Motherhood has changed me for the better. I am everything I wanted to be and more because of my son. 

Most Challenging Time

Lack of sleep had a HUGE impact on me. We had a baby nurse most nights for 2 months. But I am someone who relies on my sleep for my mental health. I started an antidepressant to help me get through my post partum depression (PPD), which helped me sleep better too. I gave birth in lockdown and it was a traumatic experience leading up to a very smooth delivery, thank God. 

On Baby Advice

So many people told me to sleep as much as I could before hand - how silly, you can’t catch up on sleep. Meanwhile, my son sleeps 13 hours a night now. I have found no matter what, to follow my own lead, and not listen to others. 

Melissa's advice to a first-time Mom

Give yourself SO much grace, and to not stop loving yourself. I lost myself in the first few months, I was depressed and in shock. I felt like I couldn’t care for myself, let alone another human being. The fact that he needed me so much was daunting, when I see my son want me now, I am honored. 

Top Baby Must-Haves

• We had the Snoo which we liked. Our life saver was the baby swing. And my baby nurse.
• Love my cozy sheets from Baby Loves Sleep, I love our sleep sacks too.
• I love my son's mattress, it’s incredible.
• Love my Spectra pump.
• Could have used more Mom clothes post partum.

Discovering Baby Loves Sleep

On Instagram! Recommended by another follower! Love love love their sheets, we even bring them to my Moms when we travel so Max can have cozy sheets that smell like home :)

Where You Will Find This Awesome Mama
Instagram: www.instagram.com/confessionofadietitian
Website: melissarifkinnutrition.com
Melissa's ebook: melissarifkinnutrition.com/babys-first-year-of-eating