Nourishing Pregnancy

A ONE-OF-A-KIND PROGRAM

Nourishing Pregnancy continues to be an innovative 16-week cooking and health program that serves pregnant and postpartum parents, with a focus on Black and Latine communities, giving them the tools to ensure healthier pregnancies and overall well-being in a system where access to quality maternal healthcare is often unequal.

As a community nonprofit at the intersection of equity, food and health, 18 Reasons is uniquely positioned to deliver both cooking and nutrition education and a structure for maternal health classes and workshops.

To supplement our nutrition and food skills expertise, 18 Reasons partners with doulas, lactation consultants, perinatal mental health experts, and sleep and exercise practitioners.

Curriculum Highlights

  • Healthy Eating Active Living
  • Cooking techniques and recipes
  • Sleep, exercise, and self care
  • Lactation
  • Perinatal Mental Health
  • Building a support network

Small, Culturally Connected Groups Serve Our Birthers

Outside of 18 Reasons, Black and Latine birthing parents typically receive medical care in white-dominated settings. To offset this experience all facilitators identify as Black or Latine and create a safe atmosphere of social support and belonging. Nourishing Pregnancy instructors share the lived experience of our participants, leading to improved health outcomes for both parents and babies.

Black and Latine birthers meet in cohorts reflecting their cultures. While the curriculum is the same, the classes are taught through a cultural lens that uplifts and celebrates the African diaspora and Latine community.

We all know it takes a village to raise a child; Nourishing Pregnancy helps create a village of support for our birthers. The strength of our program lies with the strength of our partnerships.

  • Lactation consultants, postpartum depression experts, sleep and wellness instructors, and others are based throughout the US

  • Families receive a fresh box of fruits, vegetables, and staple ingredients delivered bi-weekly to their homes via our food delivery partners

  • Our funding partners ensure Nourishing Pregnancy grows while remaining free of charge

"This program didn't just teach me about nutrition; it gave me a community that understands and supports me."

- Amani group participant

Our Model

Our unique online model has allowed us to expand our reach across the Bay Area in 2024. The program includes the below curriculum highlights: 

  • Healthy Eating Active Living
  • Cooking techniques and recipes
  • Sleep, exercise, and self care
  • Lactation
  • Perinatal Mental Health 
  • Building a support network

New in 2024: We've expanded our support for birthing parents with gestational diabetes through state-funded medically tailored groceries.

Thank you to our funders and supporters:

  • Anthem Health Foundation
  • Bi-Rite Family of Businesses
  • Joseph & Vera Long Foundation
  • USDA Community Food Projects
  • Food Connect
  • Arcadio's Produce

Nourishing Pregnancy helps create a village of support for our birthers. The strength of our program lies with the strength of our partnerships.

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