Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Justice.
Hi Jessica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been working to serve and empower women for over 25 years. Starting with my first degree in philosophy and women’s studies, I discovered a passion for helping people regain their power with education and support through body positivity, fertility awareness, childbearing, and parenting. I got my certification as a massage therapist and as a birth doula, and then started apprenticing with a homebirth midwife. This led me to pursue a nursing degree, attain my RN, and begin using my accumulated skills to serve women and their families in the hospital setting. After my fourth baby was born, I chose to step back from paid work for a year. In addition to finding playfulness and joy in parenting, I used that time to gain my lactation credential. I earned my International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification and have pivoted my career to focus on breastfeeding care, continuing to support and empower women and their families throughout the childbearing year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oof, my career journey has been a curvaceous one to say the least. Between steps in my journey, I have had babies, moved houses, supported my partner through career developments, had more babies, and moved halfway across the country. I did struggle with postpartum depression, which has informed my drive to help postpartum people feel heard and find support. Additionally, that dark time reminded me that through all the medical, emotional, and educational interventions necessary to establish successful breastfeeding, we also need to help parents fall in love with their babies and find joy at every stage while raising their tiny humans.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My private practice specializes in lactation support and education, with a hands-on, holistic approach. I provide in-home, insurance-covered lactation care. Often, I meet with families prenatally to provide one-on-one teaching and assessments to get them prepared for the breastfeeding journey. Once their baby is born, I typically visit again within their first week, making sure we’re doing all we can to establish successful latching and build a strong milk supply. If any difficulties are identified, I am there as often as possible to help the family navigate whatever feeding challenges they face. If needs are identified outside my scope of practice, I frequently refer families to other trusted providers for bodywork (OT, SLP, CST) and oral structure/function assessments for babies, and breastfeeding medicine specialists for labwork and medication management. It is such a gift to be able to meet people during their pregnancy and continue working with and guiding them on their feeding journey through the baby’s first year and beyond, even helping with their next baby(s) too!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I feel so blessed to get to work with childbearing families, to see them grow and flourish together. Ohmygosh: boobs and babies?! Two of the greatest things in the world!
Pricing:
- Lactation care is covered by your insurance!
- Breastfeeding Care $200/hr
- Prenatal Education $100/hr
- Bodywork $150/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.belightful.life
