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Why this retreat existsWhat you'll masterThe three daysWhat's includedWho it's forWhat you can do afterThe settingThe investmentHow to apply
Why this retreat exists
Every birth worker knows the truth: the mother is sent home with a baby and almost no plan for her own recovery. Doulas and midwives are trained to support birth — but nobody trains them to do the one thing that rebuilds a mother's body fastest: cook for her.
There are certifications for birth, for lactation, for sleep. There has never been a certification that teaches birth professionals to cook the food that heals the postpartum body and steadies postpartum mood. That is exactly what you'll be certified to do here — in Emily's hands-on, food-first sitting-month method.
“I don't want mothers to just survive the fourth trimester. I want them nourished back to themselves — and I want you to be the person who does it.” — Emily Montague, The Postpartum Chef
What you'll master
The recovery kitchen
The warming soups, broths, porridges and recovery teas of the sitting-month tradition — how to cook them, batch them and adapt them for vaginal and cesarean recovery.
The nutrition science
Why iron, protein, collagen, omega-3s and warming foods matter for healing, energy and mood — so you can explain the “why” to every client with confidence.
The 30-day program
How to deliver Emily's structured 30-day postpartum nourishment program for your own clients — meal maps, prep systems and family hand-offs included.
The three days
Day 1 — The method & the science
The story of zuo yuezi, the physiology of postpartum recovery, and the food principles behind it. You'll cook your first batch of foundational recovery dishes side-by-side with Emily.
Day 2 — The recovery kitchen, hands-on
A full day at the stove: broths, iron-rich stews, warming porridges, lactation-supportive meals and recovery teas — plus batching and freezer systems so a mother is fed with almost no effort of her own.
Day 3 — Your program & your practice
How to package this as a paid 30-day program, price it, and fold it into your doula or midwifery practice. You leave certified, with your program mapped and your first launch planned.
What's included
- Three days of in-person, hands-on training with Emily Montague
- Your Certified Postpartum Recovery Chef credential and digital badge
- The full recipe & meal-plan library for vaginal and cesarean recovery
- The done-for-you 30-day program framework to run with your own clients
- All meals and cooking sessions across the retreat
- Business tools and guidance to launch, price and fill your program after you leave
- Ongoing access to the certified-practitioner community
Who it's for
This retreat is built for doulas, midwives, birth workers, lactation consultants and postpartum professionals who already care for mothers and want to add a powerful, food-first recovery offer to their practice. It's also for chefs and cooks who want to specialize in postpartum care.
It is not a medical or clinical credential, and it doesn't replace medical or mental-health care — it makes you the person who nourishes a mother's recovery alongside her care team.
What you can do after
Certified graduates run their own paid 30-day postpartum nourishment program — a natural, high-value add-on to doula or midwifery work. Many practitioners find a single client program more than covers their retreat investment. We also give you the tools to launch and fill it: a simple client site, follow-up messaging, and a system to enroll the mothers you already serve.
The setting
Cohorts are held at a private countryside retreat property in New Harmony, Utah — four working kitchens, big windows, mountain air, and room to cook, rest and learn without rushing. With only five practitioners per cohort, you get real kitchen-side time with Emily, not a lecture hall.
The investment
The retreat is application-based and limited to five seats per cohort. Because it's small and in-person, we talk about the investment (and your goals) on a quick call — so you know exactly how you'll earn it back through your own client programs. When you apply, Emily will personally follow up.
How to apply
Ready to become one of the first Certified Postpartum Recovery Chefs in your area? Text Emily to apply for the next cohort, or ask any question about whether it's the right fit for your practice. Seats are limited and cohorts fill by application.
