At Alima Center, our mission is to support pregnant women in vulnerable situations through perinatal social nutrition and thus give their babies every opportunity to develop fully. Our approach is focused on addressing the factors which affect nutrition and health by providing transdisciplinary perinatal services to individuals and communities. This approach aims to reduce health inequalities, primarily in nutritional status, among families living in precarious situations during the perinatal period. This presentation will showcase the practical application of perinatal social nutrition through a case study. By focusing on pregnant women in vulnerable situations, it will highlight the challenges they face and the tailored interventions designed to improve mom and baby’s health.
Since 2008, Suzanne has been applying her expertise at Alima, Perinatal Social Nutrition Centre (formerly the Montreal Diet Dispensary), where she supports clients in vulnerable situations. She holds a bachelor's degree in dietetics from McGill University and a certificate in nutrition and public health, fostering a strong interest in food security and interventions aimed at improving healthy lifestyle habits. For her, understanding the interactions between food, healthy eating, the joy of cooking, and education is essential to promoting lasting changes critical to preventing health issues and chronic diseases. Her expertise in nutrition spans several areas, including twin pregnancies, gestational diabetes, breastfeeding and low-cost nutrition. As a coordinator, Suzanne plays an active role in various multi-disciplinary committees such as Quebec’s committee of expertise of nutritionists in fetal-maternal medicine. She works closely with researchers in fetal-maternal nutrition, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the field. Her hands-on experience allows her to co-author scientific articles on perinatal nutrition. As one of Alima’s spokesperson, she frequently engages with the media to raise public awareness of food insecurity issues and client needs. Her commitment to training future professionals is reflected in her supervision of more than thirty nutrition interns, helping to foster excellence and the transmission of knowledge in her field. Finally, Suzanne is an affiliated member of McGill University, further strengthening her involvement in nutrition research and education.