New Mom … Again

New Mom … Again: Janie Burkett

For Janie Burkett, family and career are all about growth these days. With husband Jake, Burkett welcomed baby Byron just over a year ago; he joins brother Banner, 2, and sister Blake, 4. The Burketts’ business, The Biscuit Bar, recently opened its fifth location in the Fort Worth Stockyards (in addition to restaurants in

Dallas, Plano and Arlington); new locations are coming in early 2021 to Coppell, Addison and Abilene.

The venture came about following a tragic season: Born premature, daughter Brycee Jo passed away in the NICU, while sister Blake remained in the hospital for two months.

Loved ones gathered for biscuits and other comfort food— inspiring the Burketts’ journey forward.

HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD THE COMPONENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT?

When we brought Blake home, we couldn’t go anywhere because it was RSV season. So all our family came to us for Christmas. We were making biscuits and gravy and fried chicken. I was like, “Where can I buy this, so I don’t have to clean up my kitchen?” My husband, whose background is in venture capital, said, “I bet the margins on this could be great.” That’s how The Biscuit Bar was born.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC

AFFECTED YOU? The pandemic has drastically impacted our business. But we have done our best to pivot to online ordering and third-party delivery while safely reopening our dining rooms. As a family, we were impacted by having our New York relatives come live with us for five months. It was fun!

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT ALL

WORK? I do have help; our nanny lives with us. And we now have corporate offices a block from home. I can go home to breastfeed Byron. And I leave my computer at the office and am able to more fully focus on my kids at home.

THE ROAD TO PARENTHOOD

WASN’T EASY. We had been trying for seven years to get pregnant, then we saw fertility specialists. I had my first round of [intrauterine insemination] and got pregnant with triplets. We lost baby C in the first trimester, then both baby A and baby B had umbilical cord defects. At 24 weeks I went into the hospital, and at 28 weeks we had to deliver. Brycee Jo was doing well but developed a severe infection, and she passed.

Since Blake was born quite early, she has some developmental delays in her speech, but it’s getting better. Banner was born at 35 weeks and has had more delays due to poor eyesight and moderate hearing loss. Since we’ve had his sight corrected with glasses and hearing corrected with ear tubes surgery, he’s really catching up! Byron was born at 36 weeks.

DID YOU GO THROUGH FERTILITY TREATMENTS TO HAVE BANNER AND BYRON?

With Banner, yes. Byron is here to tell me that I’m no longer infertile. It was a very, very big surprise. Moms, know that you can get pregnant while nursing.

HOW IS IT WITH A LITTLE

ONE AND BIGGER KIDS? I was always worried our middle child, particularly, was going to jump on him or something! Banner is much gentler now, but he wants to high-five Byron all the time—and lots of times he misses and hits him! There was also an instance when Banner tried to stand on the baby to get on the couch. You’ve got to keep an eye out.

NEVER A DULL MOMENT. It is a circus, that’s for sure. I was kind of scared of having this baby; I didn’t plan for him and I was like, “Oh my gosh, three under 3? This is impossible.” I think my expectation was low enough that it’s not been that bad. (Laughs.) It’s controlled chaos. ●