Auckland Family Nutrition
Specialist Child & Maternal Dietitians
Convenient Online Consultations
Personalised Plans
Evidence-Based Practice
Growing Families With Reliable, Expert Nutrition Advice.
Nutrition in the first 1,000 days is vital for setting the foundations for growth, development and health later in life. This starts by optimising nutrition pre-conception and during pregnancy, through to breastfeeding, early infancy and starting complementary foods.
Whichever stage you’re at, Auckland Family Nutrition can work with you and your family to assess your current stage and nutritional needs. We work collaboratively to come up with a detailed patient centred care plan to optimise you or your family’s nutritional status.
Confused by conflicting nutrition advice and unsure what to believe?
You’re not alone. And we’re here to help!
Auckland Family Nutrition was established because too many New Zealand couples and families are confused about what foods are appropriate when trying to conceive, through pregnancy and in the precious early years of a child’s life. Additionally, our society is exposed to more foods and diets than ever before and the advertising and media industries are awash with information that doesn’t always stand up to robust scientific analysis.
We’re here to provide nutritional support and advice to mothers and children. Your nutritional questions will be answered by a qualified and experienced New Zealand Registered Dietitian with over ten years experience working in prenatal and paediatric nutrition. Together we’ll decipher fact from fiction and put together a personalised plan to support you through whichever nutritional stage you or your family may be at.
How we can help
We offer advice on a full range of maternal and child nutrition from fertility nutrition to school-age children. Some of the most common reasons people seek advice from a dietitian include:
Eating while pregnant
Help grow your baby and support your own health during pregnancy.
Eating while breastfeeding
Supporting mothers to give children an optimal breast milk supply.
Starting Solids
Learn about how often, how much, and the types of food that should be introduced when weaning.
Fussy Eating
Learn simple techniques to help children grow out of this phase.
How we can help
We offer advice on a full range of maternal and child nutrition from fertility nutrition to school-age children. Some of the most common reasons people seek advice from a dietitian include:
Eating while pregnant
Help grow your baby and support your own health during pregnancy.
Eating while breastfeeding
Supporting mothers to give children an optimal breast milk supply.
Starting Solids
Learn about how often, how much, and the types of food should be introduced when weaning.
Fussy Eating
Learn simple techniques to help children grow out of this phase.
Finding a Balance Can Be Hard, but Eating Healthy Doesn’t Have To Be
It can be difficult to find time and ideas to offer a rich, varied and healthy nutrition for ourselves and our children, whether it be for a large family, a single parent or simply overwhelmed parents. It is, however, very important to help our children develop good eating habits to promote their growth and to avoid present or future diet-related illnesses.
Helping children eat the right foods and have a healthy, well balanced diet doesn’t have to be complicated and if we can start by improving the younger generation’s nutrition, it’s likely to have an effect on future generations as well.
Let’s work on a plan together, it might be easier than you think.
Meet your Dietitian
Sarah-Jane Simpson B.Sc., PGDipDiet, NZRD
Sarah-Jane has worked as a New Zealand Registered Dietitian optimising the nutrition of mothers and babies for over 10 years in both public and private settings. Sarah-Jane uses evidence-based practice in dietetics to provide patient-centred dietary interventions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Learn How it Works!
What can I expect from my consultation?
Appointments are run via a telehealth (virtual video link). You are sent a link and passcode to join the dietetic appointment on Kalix. Kalix is our patient management system.
A telehealth appointment allows the dietitian to be able to see on the screen during the appointment and offers the flexibility of “after hours” appointments outside of regular business hours.
An initial assessment is 50-60 minutes long.
During an initial assessment we will ask you your expectations or what you would like to gain from the appointment. We will ask a range of questions including medical history and investigations, medications, gastrointestinal function, biochemistry (blood tests), social history and then complete a comprehensive dietary assessment. The dietitian will discuss recommendations and together will set goals with you.
A follow up appointment is 25-30 minutes long, where we will cover any updates since the initial assessment, dietary assessment and review the outcome of the initial goals set with you.
How do I connect to the virtual appointment?
You will be sent a link to join the virtual appointment after you have “opted in” to receive emails from Kalix our patient management system. At the time of your consultation, click the link and type in the passcode to join. You will need to enable voice and video settings after you join the appointment. You do not need to download an app to join the appointment, and there is no extra charge for you to join the telehealth (virtual) appointment.
What information do I need to provide before or during the appointment?
You will be sent a pre-assessment questionnaire to fill out online and submit to Auckland Family Nutrition prior to your dietetic appointment. This needs to be completed at least 24hours before your appointment. It is useful to compile a list of questions before the appointment so you remember to ask these during the appointment.
What is a Dietitian?
Dietitians are registered health practitioners answerable to the New Zealand Dietitian’s Board.
Dietitians evaluate scientific evidence about food and nutrition and translate it into practical strategies. New Zealand dietitians work in partnership with individuals, whanau, communities and populations, in states of health and disease, to support optimal health and well-being.
Dietitians use their dietetic knowledge, skills and judgement in a variety of contexts, which includes promoting and protecting public health, directing and delivering medical nutrition therapy services, and managing food and health systems. They may perform a variety of functions, including policy development, leadership, management, research, education, and communication roles.
Will my appointment be covered by my health insurance?
Some insurance companies may contribute to the cost of an appointment with a NZ Registered Dietitian. Please check your policy or contact your insurance company to find out if your policy includes a Dietitian, and if there are any terms (e.g. many Southern Cross policies require a specialist to refer to the dietitian for the consultation to be covered). You will need to pay for consultation at the time of booking and then you can claim some, or all, of the cost back from your insurance provider.
How do I book and pay for appointments?
You can click here to book an appointment. You can book online at your convenience. Payment is required at the time of booking.
Within 1-2 working days of booking an appointment, you will be sent an “opt in” email from Kalix our patient management system. Once you have “opted in” to receive these emails you will receive the link to join your dietetic appointment, appointment reminder emails and a pre-assessment questionnaire.
What is the difference between at Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
Dietitian
The term dietitian is a protected term. A dietitian is a registered health professional who meets standards required by the Dietitians Board and has both an undergraduate science degree in human nutrition and a post-graduate qualification in dietetics. To practice in New Zealand, a dietitian must, by law, be registered with the Dietitians Board and hold a current practicing certificate. The Dietitians Board protects the health and safety of the New Zealand public under the Health Practitioners Competency Act (HPCA) 2003, by ensuring that every dietitian working in New Zealand is fit to practice and meets standards of professionalism. In New Zealand dietitians are the only nutrition health profession to be regulated by law. Dietitians work in a variety of settings from hospitals, the community, public health, food service, sports, education, research, media and the food industry. The Dietitians Board regulates the dietetic profession and only those on the Register can call themselves a dietitian and practice as a dietitian.
Click here to check your nutrition health professional is registered with the Dietitians Board and has a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC).
Nutritionist
The term nutritionist is not a protected term, there is no specific qualification or statutory legislation that regulates that profession and therefore the title can be used freely by anyone. This could range from someone with a PHD in a specialty area of nutrition to someone with no formal training. The Nutrition Society has a programme for registration of nutritionists where a set criteria must be met to achieve registration status. Nutritionists can be an associate member of Dietitians NZ if they hold a scientific qualification in human nutrition approved by Dietitians NZ or occupy a prominent position in work or research relating to nutrition or dietetics.
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand that family commitments can change, if you need to change your appointment, we require 24 hours’ notice or the full appointment fee applies. Please contact us to change your appointment.
Contact Us
For GP referrals click here, for media enquiries click here.
Email Address
hello@aucklandfamilynutrition.co.nz
Phone
(021) 369 802
Postal Address
PO Box 28127
Remuera
AUCKLAND 1541