The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
My two biggest challenges have been overcoming imposter syndrome and balancing family and work when there have been significant family priorities.
As I’ve learned more, started working with clients, and started producing content, the imposter syndrome has slowly faded away. Don’t get me wrong, there are still moments when I doubt myself, or wonder why someone would want me to support them, but then a client will comment how much my support helped them, or I get a social media comment about hitting the mark with some content, and I realise that I am making a difference and I need to back myself and go for it.
My son was quite unwell last year – he seemed to be hit hard with every virus that came around and would often end up in the ED with breathing difficulties or dehydration. On four occasions, he had to be admitted for treatment; two of those admissions were for four nights each, with pneumonia. That was a very challenging time, stress and emotions were high, and my partner and I had to lean hard on our families to help us out. They cared for our daughter, made sure we were eating properly, brought care packages to the hospital, and checked in regularly; they are our village, and they really came to the party to support us. It was a humbling moment, being put in a situation where you have to ask for help. It really put into perspective what many families struggle with – asking and accepting help – and changed the way I approach the concept of “asking for help” in postpartum. Instead, we’re “gathering your village”.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros are having the autonomy and independence to define my working hours, the flexibility to keep the household running and the pride knowing that you’ve built this and you’re making a difference. A difference that is contributing to a societal shift in how we view and care for birthing people and their family. We’re letting go of the expectations of birthing people to do everything, be everything, and neglect their own recovery and care in doing so.
The cons are being independently responsible for the business. There are no paid sick days or paid annual leave. These need to be budgeted for, especially if you need to pay someone else to step in for you. Running a business takes a lot of work. You need to balance the administrative side with the operational side and doing that on your own can be taxing. I watched my dad run his own business my entire life, and while he established a very successful business, there were a lot of sacrifices to be made. I often go to him for business advice, and I learned a lot watching him over the years.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I would love to see postpartum care and support become the number 1 item on people’s baby budget – for it to be prioritised, and one day, subsidised and available to all families. I don’t think people generally comprehend the long-term impact on women’s health from neglecting to care for them in their postpartum. Ysha Oakes once said, “The first 42 days after birth sets the stage for her next 42 years”. We can all do better to care for the birthing people in our villages after birth.
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