Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Tolar.
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?
Honestly, Love to Mama was born out of my own messy, beautiful postpartum season. After my first baby, I remember sitting in the quiet hours—exhausted, emotional, and wondering why nobody had warned me just how much support a new mom needs. I kept thinking, there has to be a better way for parents to feel cared for.
I then went on to have a redeeming and healing second baby and that really was the final piece of the puzzle I needed to launch into this birth space. At first it was just me teaching birth classes, but every time a mama would open up, I felt this spark—like, yes, this is what I’m meant to do. One class turned into workshops, workshops turned into community events, and before I knew it, Love to Mama became this warm circle where parents can learn, laugh, cry, and feel completely seen.
It’s still growing and evolving, but the heart is the same as that very first idea: when mamas are loved and supported, whole families flourish. That’s why I keep pouring into it—because I know firsthand how powerful that love can be.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting Love to Mama was never a straight, easy road—it was a winding path full of late nights, second-guessing, and a lot of trial and error. I launched this dream while juggling babies on my hip, homeschooling part-time, and trying to figure out what it meant to be both a present mama and a small-business owner.
In the beginning I had no funding, no “perfect” plan, and more laundry than time. I fought through self-doubt, seasons of burnout, a client’s birth outcome that brought my to my knees, and the constant tug between home life and the passion to serve other families. There were days when I wondered if anyone would show up, or if my voice even mattered. I witnessed heartbreak and joy on repeat and there were so many times I stepped up to the front of the class and wasn’t sure I even believed the words I was saying at the time. My heart and my mind battled through those first couple years to be totally honest.
But every time a parent walked away feeling heard, prepared, or simply less alone, I knew it was worth it. Those quiet victories—one mama at a time—built the foundation for what Love to Mama is today: a thriving, supportive community born from persistence, faith, and a deep belief that families deserve gentle, evidence-based care and endless encouragement.
We’ve been impressed with Love to Mama, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Passionately advocating for new and expecting parents through birth and postpartum education and events! Through birth classes, community events, moms groups, and a provider collective, I truly just put all the perfect people in the same space so they can thrive together. That’s the village that I build for this community and the heart behind it all.
I took my own journey into motherhood and created what I wish I had as a new mom. I took every vulnerable, uncomfortable, and hard part of postpartum and threw it on stage so that no one would feel alone. It’s so dear to my heart and to my own story.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Honestly, you can’t do it alone so find your people and learn to delegate. I spent so much time trying to learn the tech-y side of business and it was exhausting and got me nowhere. We have strengths that we need to lean into and the things that don’t come naturally can easily be passed off to someone you trust! Hire the website designers and bookkeepers, they are worth every cent!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lovetomama.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love.to.mama/?hl=en
Image Credits
Fantastic Photography by Nicole Hendley
