The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I have had many breastfeeding challenges myself. Two of our three children were born very prematurely at 28 weeks and 29 weeks gestation. I had so many ups and downs and often felt that I could not persevere any longer. The love and unconditional support of my husband meant the world to me, especially when I felt that I had not enough milk when expressing at 2 am, or when our youngest daughter simply could never latch on the breast. I often talked about giving up, yet persevered because I never felt judged or pressured. This has led me to acknowledge how heart wrenching situations with a new baby can be and how important unconditional, kind support is. We moved many times and finding a tribe is something that always takes time. Driven by my own experiences of at times feeling lost without a network, I aim to contribute to women feeling that they matter and that an extra layer of support is available when things are challenging.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Let’s start with the cons as I am an optimist by heart. It takes time, effort and perseverance to build up your own business. It requires commitment and a lot of soul searching. It can be devastating when it doesn’t work out and it can be challenging to set boundaries to protect your private life. In terms of pros, I could not imagine not working with women and babies in some capacity. It is absolutely miraculous to witness how families are born and evolve. By having my own business, I have the liberty to decide how much time I want to dedicate to each client, I can set my own rules, I can dream big or be content with what I have already set up. It allows me more flexibility and creativity.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My vision is to contribute to more women having access to the care and support that they deserve. I am dreaming of more collaboration between providers to ensure we have a tight knit network for families. On a local level, we have started a business network to create this collaboration. I have also started more online activities to enhance access to my services and enjoy the flexibility that this gives us. This is one of the lessons Covid-19 has taught us – to be open and more available in an online capacity. In a way, whilst many of us have physically been more constrained than ever before, we also have experienced the freedom of accessing more care no matter where we are on the planet.
For more information, visit the Breastfeeding Help Online website and join the supportive Breastfeeding Help Canberra communities on Facebook and Instagram.
