Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Reese.
Krystal, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2018, I viewed a video of TV Judge Glenda Hatchett’s son make a plead to the Supreme Court concerning the maternal mortality rate for POC. That sparked in me a desire to find out why that was. I worked clinical research for six years by that time, so I was able to look at what things were being done to address these harrowing findings. I found a whole community supporting families during pre, ante, and postpartum terms.
In 2019, I decided I pursue my nursing degree in hopes of becoming a midwife and combat the issue from the inside. In 2020, while quarantined, I leaped to become a certified doula. I began training under the leadership of Mama Glow’s Latham Thomas and National Black Doula Association’s Tracie Collins. My biggest supporter has been my mother and my daughters. After understanding the generational trauma of misinformed birth that my mother, my family members, and myself, I strived to break those curses and give my daughters a bright birthing future if and when they decide to become mothers. I had my eldest child at 18. I managed to graduate from high school but I realized the trauma from my unsupported pregnancy made it extremely hard for me to be a successful mother. I looked at myself as a failure. I cried constantly to myself, never realizing at the tender age of 18 that I was experiencing Post-partum depression.
I attempted to go to college but with no support on breastfeeding, I couldn’t continue that route and I didn’t understand how child care worked, so I couldn’t finish school. After many years of navigating my experiences, I was able to talk to my mother about how I felt about her lack of support and it revealed the generational curse that pledged our family. My mother was kicked out when she was pregnant with me and never received support from her mother. And the same thing happened to my grandmother when she was pregnant with my uncle. It was a revelation that the force behind my doula practice would be to support families at the foundation of a child’s life when they were in utero. Realizing that trauma was transgenerational, the unborn fetus could develop the same mental health challenges that the mothers experienced. Helping families have the most successful pregnancy and helping them navigate the familial struggles. During the COVID pandemic, some challenges have been finding clients and connecting with families. I have been able to pivot my business by focusing my efforts toward more community activism. I have begun a collaboration with three organizations, Motherhood Beyond Bars, MAAC-Teen Parent Connection, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of GA, Postpartum Support International. I will be offering free doula services and educational sessions to teen parents and parolees.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I launched my business in probably the worse time in current America. A global pandemic!!! I was navigating nursing school, unemployment and the changes my own children were going through. I was trying to explore myself as an entrepreneur and wasn’t exactly sure if launching doula support services was the right move. I decided to just get training and work myself up to launching. But it wasn’t long before that changed, as the need for support was growing greater as families were shut out of hospitals and birthing spaces. The maternal and infant mortality rate in the BIPOC community was increasing. People were looking for a lifeline. And I felt an urging on my spirit to use whatever gifts I had to help. And I knew God would cover the rest of me. It was all worth it.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My company, Wild Birth Partum Care, is an extension of my parent-company, Cashmere Living LLC: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming Fulfilled. It was derived from the need to address all facets of life for women. What we experience, what we go through and what we need. Women are diverse creatures with the diverse needs.
WBPC was created in mind to address the motherhood aspect of a women’s life. From fertility to postpartum life, I support families with all that they need. I offer many postpartum restorative services geared to help women bounce back physically, mentally and spiritually. I’m known having a great sense of humor with an endearing touch. I keep it 100 with my clients. I like people feeling empowered through knowledge and awareness. I am proud of the work I do because I know the passion that drives me will always keep the needs of my clients within sight!!! I use the word autonomy often because I believe everyone should have the rights and tools to make the best decision for their family. I believe the thing that sets me a part is my deep love for knowledge and immense empath ability to read people and help identify their specific needs.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I definitely feel that this city is an amazing place to start a business and this business fits right in. People are open-minded and their is a community of birth workers who champion this fight for equity in the healthcare systems for BIPOC and impoverished families. I believe someone was starting out, Atlanta would be a great place to build your tribe. The good thing about this work is you will do the most good in remote areas. So rather you stay here or venture out, there will always be a need for skilled and compassionate birth workers. In my opinion, Atlanta could pave the way for more birth centers so there are alternatives to hospitals. Allowing families the freedom to make their birth vision come to life!!
Pricing:
- Birth packages range from $300 to $1200 and all our customized to meet your specific needs
- Postpartum packages range from $100 to $400. And can be work in tandem with birth packages
- The Bloom Fertility Services are offered at $200 per month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thewildbirth.com
- Phone: (404) 832-0437
- Email: thewildbirth@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildbirth_partumcare/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/thewildbirth
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