Feb 18, 2018
In this episode, Sara talks with Rebecca Blankinship about how
she pivoted from global travel and cross-cultural awareness to
parenting and childbirth support—and did it as a single mom.
Rebecca shares how she recognized her passions, how parenting
traditions in other cultures inform the work she does today and she
gives some easy self-care tips for new parents. Offering a
continuum of care from preconception to parenting, Rebecca
Blankinship has been described as a life doula, holding space and
helping her clients tap into their innate wisdom and strength from
preparing to become a parent, all the way through parenting.
Sara and Rebecca discuss:
- Rebecca's career path
- Hosting exchange students in high school
- Visiting Turkey
- Studying Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations
- Working with J-1 Trainee Visa Sponsorships
- Working as an international flight attendant
- Starting to formulate a vision for her own, cross-cultural awareness business
- Using her 30th birthday as a significant milestone
- Leading her first trip to Tanzania
- Falling in love with her business partner
- Getting pregnant
- Ending the relationship with her daughter's father
- Moving in with her mom
- Starting to see her deep passion for parenting and childbirth
- Becoming a doula
- Realizing that the first mom she supported suffered from severe postpartum depression
- Noticing that she wanted to provide a continuum of care
- Getting more support and training
- How her experience in cross-cultural understanding informs the work she does now with parents
- The freedom we have in the U.S. of incorporating aspects of other cultures into our own
- Coaching people to create their own traditions
- Rebecca's support systems
- How she distinguishes between her passions and her interests
- Noticing when she's in her "flow"
- Noticing when she's blocked from moving forward
- Rebecca's passion for communication and healthy, integrated systems of care
- Moments of self-doubt
- A powerful piece of advice she received
- The importance of mentors
- What it means to be "on track"
- Rebecca's resource recommendations:
- Her sister, Heather Fantin's, inner circle group coaching program, Soul on Fire
- Joyful Courage podcast from Casey O'Roarty
- The Four Agreements (book) by Don Miguel Ruiz
- The Million Person Project (storytelling coaches)
- Her upcoming workshops at the International Childbirth Education Association Conference in April
- Simple self-care techniques for new parents
- Mindfulness tips
- One piece of advice for new moms who also have a career ambition
- The importance of getting rid of the "shoulds" and just being
Connect with Rebecca:
- Website: www.rebeccablankinship.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elevateparenting
Rebecca's full bio:
Offering a continuum of care from preconception to parenting,
Rebecca Blankinship has been described as a life doula, holding
space and helping her clients tap into their innate wisdom and
strength from preparing to become a parent, all the way through
parenting. Rebecca is an internationally certified Childbirth
Educator, a birth doula, a certified postpartum doula, an infant
massage instructor, positive discipline parent education, and
The Gottman Institute's 7 Principles for Making
Marriage Work Leader and Bringing Baby Home Educator. Through her
business, Mama Nunu, Rebecca combines all of these areas into
one-on-one coaching for parents to not just survive this time
period, but look back at it as the best time of their lives.