Today we’d like to introduce you to Britni Hatfield.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Here is a little bit about me and why I decided to become a Birth/Postpartum doula, and more. I was 6 years old when my mom got pregnant with my little sister. Even that young, my mom said I was fascinated with the baby in her belly! I went to the appointments and listened intently to the heartbeat. When my little sister was born, I was instantly a little momma to her. I wanted to feed, change, and rock her constantly. I was almost 8 when my brother was born. I loved nothing more than helping take care of them. Growing up, I watched my siblings and other children in my family. It has always come naturally to me, and I have always enjoyed it!
After I graduated high school, I started working at a daycare. While working there, my boss got pregnant with her second baby. She told me about her horrible hospital experience with her first baby. That was the reason she was pursuing a midwife for an at-home delivery for her second baby. That opened my eyes to a whole new world; only 18 at the time.
In 2018 when I got pregnant with my first son, I knew I wanted to deliver in a birthing center with a midwife. I wanted to avoid all the mess she had told me about having no one to advocate for her. That birth was amazing, but 3 months postpartum, I got pregnant again with my second son! I could not afford a birth center so quickly after my first birth. I reluctantly had to start looking at having a hospital birth. I found a midwife that worked with the hospital, and she was amazing! She was not there the whole time, but she advocated for me when I needed her to! She made my birth something I can look back on and say was not dreadful. I became a doula to help other mamas be able to say they had an amazing birth experience, whether it be at home, at a birthing center, or at a hospital. I will always advocate for anyone and will help in all your Birthing and postpartum needs. Breastfeeding my own is another reason I decided to get certified. Loving every second of it. It was a joyous experience, and even after I had my surrogate baby back in May, I decided to pump for 6 weeks and then naturally dry up. My family and what I do are my entire world. Putting everything into helping mamas and families, whether they want natural or c-section, I can help No judgment everyone has a way they want to birth and tell their story, and standing by their side and making that happen is what I love most. Even helping mamas dry up if they don’t want to breastfeed. Holding no judgment on the person birthing or how they wish to go on their postpartum journey.
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?
It was not always smooth sailing juggling being a mama of two boys under four. When I started, they were under one, and/I was pregnant. I was still breastfeeding and pumping while trying to put my name out there. Thankfully everything comes together eventually, and I have met some amazing people. They have helped my business grow, and I am forever grateful and will continue to support them as well.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Childbirth Educator, Breastfeeding counselor/Advanced lactation, and prenatal Nutritionist, but most of all a mama of two beautiful boys and a wife. I am all of these things and will continue to add more because I want to be able to help the Birthing person or if it’s a family adopting etc every step of the way. I know personally that going to several different places with kids if you have them or even just trying to schedule everything and keep it coordinated is not fun, especially when you just want to enjoy the pregnancy or baby. So my long-term goal is to open a building with rooms for everything I do and more. Add a prenatal massage room and get a prenatal chiropractor, plus a midwife. So everything you will need is in one place. Also, what sets me apart is I attend Home Births, Hospitals, or birthing centers most people I’ve talked to don’t like assisting with anything but the Hospital. All of this is also why my business name is what it is. The name and photo represent all aspects of what I do, and the photo itself is me holding my boys.
What were you like growing up?
I was the little mama. I loved playing house with dolls or barbies with my best friend and cousins. I could make friends with anyone. Being outside is what I love most, being in nature, swimming, hiking. I have a huge interest in the birth world I always have.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MyBumpBabyandBeyond.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/Bump_BabyandBeyond_
- Facebook: @BumpbabyandBeyond
