Today we’d like to introduce you to Jet’aime McKinney.
Hi Jet’aime, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Since I can remember, I have always been passionate about all things birth. I was amazed at the pregnant body and I watched every episode of “A Baby Story” and “Bringing Home Baby” that I could on TLC. I knew that I wanted to be intimately involved in birth in some aspect, but was not exposed to much of the birth worker realm until later in life. I ultimately went to college and got my degree in education and immediately began teaching. I was a teacher for ten years; first teaching special education and spending my last four years teaching middle school history. I loved teaching, but also still had the dream of owning my own black doula firm one day.
I got pregnant in 2018 and gave birth to my daughter in December of that year. While my pregnancy was great, I had a very traumatic birth experience at a local hospital. Hospital staff did not listen to me nor take me seriously, and I ultimately gave birth without my doctor in the middle of an OR because they didn’t believe that I was in labor or that my baby was coming. I was devalued, neglected and ignored; all based on the color of my skin. While I was aware of the statistics in this country concerning black birthing women, this experience gave me an up-close and personal view of how broken our maternal care system is. This only increased the fire in me to answer the call to birthwork one day.
In 2020, the pandemic changed everyone’s lives and also turned education on its head. I continued to teach, but it was hard. By October of 2020, I began to feel a prompting from the Lord to leave my job. To be honest, it made no sense to me and I was terrified to quit in the middle of a global pandemic; so I shrugged it off and continued to teach a little longer. Despite my attempt to ignore it, I continued to feel led to leave the classroom. After much going back and forth with God (lol), I decided to take the leap of faith, trust God and quit my job in February 2021. I was so scared, but also felt the peace of God in the transition. So I did it afraid.
I had a very close friend who was pregnant and due in April. She really wanted me to be her doula, as she knew my passion for birth, postpartum and motherhood. Due to COVID, you could no longer be the friend/doula in the delivery room without certification. After a ton of researching, I found a doula training and certification program that most aligned with my values and registered! I doubled up on the coursework, attended the intensive workshop and passed my exam! By the beginning of April, I was a certified doula! Just in time to support my beautiful friends as they welcomed their baby girl into the world!
On April 19, 2021, the same day that my first doula baby was born, I launched my doula business. To my surprise, I had so much support from the community and had inquiries coming in immediately. It is known that the first year in birthwork is typically the hardest year. Many people only get 1-5 clients on average during that first year. During my first year of business, I supported 40 families. God is crazy faithful.
I was so scared of quitting my job and losing provision, but that one decision in obedience to God changed my life. His plan for provision required my faith to step out and into purpose. Scripture says in Psalm 25, “No one who trusts in the Lord will be put to shame.” Even in fear, I trusted the Lord in what I believed that He told me. Surely, I have not been put to shame.
I have grown my business to include birth doula support, postpartum doula support (daytime and overnight), and childbirth education courses. I soon plan to offer birth doula training as well. My calendar stays full every month as the Lord continues to bring me before families to support. I don’t consider this work to be my job; this is my purpose and I love it here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Two months into building my business and working for myself full-time, my husband made the decision to leave our marriage. It came as a huge blow, and we had a two-year-old daughter that I immediately became the sole provider for. I was afraid that I would not be able to grow my business and make the money needed to support my daughter and I. I wondered if I missed God. I was now a single mom who had to move in with my mom and try to make things happen. I went from taking my time to grow and build my business to hustling and working hard to get my name and business out there.
But again, God is faithful. In ways that I can not even explain, I began booking clients every month, to the point in which I had to turn some away. In the midst of what has been a difficult season, God has continued to provide; even beyond my expectation.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Within my business, I offer Birth Doula support, Postpartum Doula support (daytime and overnight), and Childbirth Education courses to families in the metro Atlanta area. I support women birthing at all birthing locations (hospital, birth center, home) and support all types of birth (medicated, non-medicated, cesarean). I believe that every birthing woman deserves support and that birth should be a beautiful, empowering experience. I build relationships with each of my families and support throughout pregnancy, birth, postpartum and often beyond.
Pricing:
- Birth Doula Packages ranging from $600-$1550
- Postpartum Doula Packages ranging from $600-$2000
- Childbirth Education Course: $250
- Overnight Postpartum Hourly Rate: $35/hour
Contact Info:
- Email: jetaime@fullbloombirthing.com
- Website: www.fullbloombirthing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullbloombirthing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FullBloomBirthing
Image Credits:
Louis Cuthbert Photography
