Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Edwards.
Brittany, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From a fairly early age, my passion has been helping people. I vividly remember sitting with my father and school counselor in the 9th grade and describing how my path was to become a nurse. While they definitely encouraged me, I don’t think they grasped how strongly I felt about this career, and in the end, I showed them I had made up my mind! With that said, I did make a very valuable detour in my education by first majoring in Public Health at The University of Georgia. However, I quickly returned to school and received my Bachelor’s in Nursing. I went into pediatric nursing, working in many different departments and specialties for roughly 12 years. During that time, I extended my passion of service to join the Air Force Reserve as an Aeromedical Evacuation Flight Nurse. I thoroughly enjoyed being a pediatric nurse for my ‘day job’, while continuing to train and deploy with the military in my secondary role for a decade, but I ultimately decided to return to school for my Masters in Nursing as an Acute and Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, which I finished in 2017. I tout my biggest and most humbling “job” is that of proud mama to my 3-year-old little girl, as well as nurturing wife, friend & family member. I have culminated a wide variety of experiences professionally and personally, but my new business is unlike anything I have done before.
One thing I have always struggled with is feeling like I’m unable to dedicate as much time to my patients and their families as I personally would like. When I became pregnant in 2019 and was now the patient myself, my eyes were opened to just how little information and time was given to expectant and new mothers. My passion for helping others, mixed with my personal experiences of pregnancy and postpartum, created my desire to start The Mama Coach with the goal of simplifying and helping new families not just simply survive but to thrive!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Starting a new business venture and the word smooth do not really go together, do they? I think in a way you can compare starting a business to becoming a new parent. You know it will be a challenge, but you can’t really know just how much of a challenge it will be until you’re right in the middle of it! Part of the struggles are simply learning all the pieces and parts that go into making a business successful; from the operational aspect to medical charting, accounting, branding, advertising, etc. It adds up quickly!
Another challenge I would say is simply getting the word out as to who I am, what I offer, and how I can help new mamas and growing families. Advertising via social media is unfortunately one of those necessary evils these days, but ensuring that your message is conveyed properly and that it gets to the right people is no easy task! Trying to have people “get to know you” simply via text on a social media post, e-mail or otherwise is incredibly difficult, as words themselves are only a small part of how people communicate. I grapple with the vulnerability it takes to put myself out there for the world to see and critique. I wish I could speak in person to each and every prospective client so they could truly “see” me and know how I come from a place of love, understanding and support through this most challenging yet exciting time in their lives. I also find that too much time on social media impacts my mental well-being and it can be challenging to find the proper balance of time invested in this piece of the business while ensuring I still care for myself and “protect my peace”, in order to truly embrace filling my own cup in order to pour into others; my family, my patients/clients, my passion for this work and my community.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The purpose of The Mama Coach is to help make motherhood/parenthood easier as they prepare for the arrival of their little one, how best to care for their child (and themselves!), and for a successful transition into this new chapter of life. My goal is to bridge the gap in support and education between hospitals and homes. There is a vast amount of material on the internet, in books, and let’s face it, from your family and friends! While this plethora of information is great, it can be overwhelming to navigate it all.
What makes my business and services unique is that I am able to provide a variety of classes and coaching in person, tailored and specific to your baby and circumstances, in your own home, and with my 15 years of medical experience as a pediatric nurse and nurse practitioner. Nothing I do is “cookie cutter”, as I am trained to use my nursing assessment skills to evaluate each child individually, resulting in comprehensive and personalized plans. I offer education and support in areas such as prenatal education, postpartum support to baby and mama, newborn education, lactation, breast and bottle feeding, starting solids, CPR and choking workshops, sleep support, toilet learning, organizational assistance and more. I serve families in the greater Atlanta area, as well as virtually online Nationwide.
I work under the motto that more prepared = less worry, and I love to take my training and anticipatory guidance to the next level to empower families, resulting in my clients feeling more confident not just in their knowledge but in trusting their intuition as well. My job is to listen to their priorities and specific goals as a parent, walking beside them and sharing in their challenges, as well as triumphs. I make a promise to support them with empathy, compassion, respect and without judgment. While I have a vast amount of knowledge and experience to help these growing families, I am not too proud to admit when I may need to look up an answer to their question, nor will I hesitate to refer them to a specialist or other professional when their needs are outside the scope of my practice or expertise, or when someone else may be better suited for their particular challenge. That is one reason I am excited to be growing and collaborating with my network of trusted professionals within the local birthing network.
While my business is independently owned and operated, I take pride in that I also partner with a team of professionals who work together to collaborate, grow professionally and continue our education to stay up-to-date on current guidelines, research and medical practices. There are other Mama Coaches scattered throughout North America, the UK and Australia, but each and every Mama Coach™ is a registered Nurse or Certified Nurse Practitioner, making us a unique and qualified group of experts.
As far as the future is concerned, I am excited to be completing my coursework and mentoring to become an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and would like to eventually get involved with legislation efforts to improve maternal and child health in our state and nation. On a community level, my next “longer term” goal is to educate myself on ways to apply for grants and funding (or dream up other creative means) to provide some of the same services in the underserved and underprivileged communities.
What does success mean to you?
I’m sure you could ask 100 different people this question and get 100 different answers… On second thought, that’s probably why you’re asking how I define success. I feel that one of the most important things in our lives is the relationships we have. Therefore, I would define success as knowing that I have made a positive impact in the lives of others through my relationships and even day-to-day interactions with them. Things like helping a new mother push through the struggles of breastfeeding, feeling more confident about starting their little one on solid food, working through their baby’s difficulty sleeping and ultimately making their lives easier, less stressful, more confident, etc., is one way I would define success. On a more intimate level, in the past, I defined success as simply reaching my own goals, but as I get older, my definition of success includes being able to enjoy the journey as well – making a difference and feeling inspired by others on my path to ‘success’ rather than it just being a destination.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brittany-edwards.themamacoach.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britte.themamacoach/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/britte.themamacoach/
Image Credits
Leanne Hymes Photography Amanda Gaenssley Photography
