IN LOVE BIRTHING

Exclusive interview with Doula, Childbirth Educator, and Fertility Coach JENN BRAZELTON

HELLO, my name is Jenn Brazelton, owner of In Love Birthing. I am a Doula, a Childbirth educator, as well as a fertility coach. I work with women in all stages of fertility, and I support them in having the best possible conception, gestation, and birth experience imaginable. My mission is to deconstruct the myth of insufficiency in the female body that causes women to live, birth and operate from fear instead of confidence in their heart, body, and mind’s ability to accomplish AMAZING things.

"It matters who you allow to fertilize your soil. "

I believe it is wildly important for women to have a Doula support them through the fertility journey and to support, educate and empower them to embrace their own authentic practices that align with their beliefs, convictions, and passions about birthing their children in a way that is impactful to their future.

I became a Doula six years ago after crossing paths with a first-time mom who was adamant about having a natural birth, but due to the discouragement of her doctor, she did not feel like it was possible for her. After having had spent a great amount of time studying (for my own births) what is possible for the female body and what God has said concerning our ability, a desire billowed up in my heart to assist her in her birthing time.

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to assist that young lady and I do not believe she got the birth experience that she had desired. The next month, I was in a Doula training program to become a certified Doula so that I would never have another situation where I was not able to help a woman who needed support in her birthing time.

"She sacrificed her thoughts, desires, and her body so, that her tiny little someone could make their way into the world."

My enjoyment of being a Doula comes from watching women of all different ages, demographics and social statuses embrace their divine ability to do AMAZING things. As much as BIRTHING is a focal point of what I do, I WHOLE HEARTEDLY believe that women are designed to do INCREDIBLE things but, the weight of the world boxes us in and makes us average. Personally, I believe that birthing is one of the proving grounds to ignite great expectations out of our entire being. Once a woman can see herself as capable, powerful, and strong in such a “vulnerable” time I believe it can and will UNLOCK the pathways for her to become even MORE SO capable, powerful, and strong in EVERY area of her life. This is not subject only to physical birth. If you follow me for any period of time, you will hear me say that women are constantly in a season of conceiving and birthing. It matters who you allow to fertilize your soil.

She sacrificed her thoughts, desires, and her body so, that her tiny little someone could make their way into the world.

Success in my business has not come without many sacrifices. Of course, there is always the financial investments that cause one to grow in their craft. At the same time as I have been growing my business, I have also been growing my family. Late nights on the roads driving to the hospital, early morning text messaging while timing contraction patterns, hours of continuing education to keep up with my professional development. It is all to the benefit of that mama who sits up in the hospital bed and says, “I can’t believe I just did that on my own.”

Yup, she sure did do that all on her own. She sacrificed her thoughts, desires, and her body so, that her tiny little someone could make their way into the world. Any sacrifice I make on that day is minor in comparison to her great accomplishment.

The most difficult sacrifice I have had to make to be a Doula was walking out of the house on a two-week-old, 18month old & 3-yr. old to tend to another family. I do it willingly to give other families the same hope and encouragement that I have for myself, my family, and my future.

In one of my recent videos on Facebook I mention that I do not care for the term infertility. I want to clarify that statement because with our culture being so familiar with that phrase it lacks sensitivity for those who may be struggling with that diagnosis. According to the dictionary, infertility is defined as the inability of one to reproduce according to natural means. The medical dictionary for infertility is defined as one’s inability to reproduce within a 12-month period. I know this may seem like wordplay but according to the dictionary, infertility is a permanent thing and according to the medical community infertility is a periodical assessment. The term infertility, when diagnosed, has the capacity of causing a woman to look negatively at her body, her life, and her value. The trouble with all of this is that according to global statistics* there is only about 3% of women globally who are infertile meaning they have no ability to reproduce at all. Unfortunately, globally there is about 11% of women who are diagnosed with infertility. The issue is seen in the gray numbers between. There are 9% of women globally who are diagnosed with infertility who are NOT ACTUALLY INFERTILE!! Some of these women go on to conceive in different costly manners and some of these women go on never to conceive because they believed the diagnosis that said they were incapable. Having been previously diagnosed with infertility, I stand in my household with four young children who doctors told me every year would never be here So, it is my passion to inform women that against all odds, medical conditions or medical diagnosis with the right preparation, care and consideration for their heart, mind, body and spirit their Fertility Journey can look quite different from what they have been told.

*Infertility information mentioned in this article:

(1) RESOLVE - The National Infertility Association

(2) Sun. (2019). Global, regional, and national prevalence and disability-adjusted life-years for infertility in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: results from a global burden of disease study, 2017. Global, Regional, and National Prevalence and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years for Infertility in 195 Countries and Territories, 1990–2017: Results from a Global Burden of Disease Study, 2017, 11(23), 10952–10991. https://www.aging-us.com/article/102497

Jenn Brazelton owner of In Love Birthing, LLC. Certified Doula, Childbirth Educator, Fertility Coach and Enneagram Coach. Wife of Kenny, mother of four, stepmother of two and grandmother of one. NYC Native, Combat Army veteran, and Daughter of the One & Only True King.

You can follow me on social media:

IG @INLOVEBIRTHS

FB @INLOVEBIRTHING

YOUTUBE @DINNERWITHTHEDOULAS