Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Hairston.
Leah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Most kids play pretend and want to be a firefighter or pilot or artist. I, on the other hand, usually pretended to be pregnant, breastfeeding, or leading an organization that helped pregnant people receive support in vulnerable situations. Little did I know this would become my life.
I learned about doulas, birth workers who support families before, during, and after pregnancy, as a teenager. I watched tv shows about having babies for hours on end. Forever an inquisitive and detail-oriented person, I noticed those who had a doula and strong support system reported more enjoyable experiences with fewer health complications. However, I didn’t see any Black doulas and naively assumed that opportunity would not be available for me. I decided instead to pursue a career in medicine.
My senior year at Roland Park Country School, I shadowed a Black woman OB/GYN and other reproductive wellness health practitioners. Inspired, I began my time at Howard University studying Biology. My path, always ordained to vary from the ordinary, led me instead to a double major in Psychology and Spanish. I examined the intersections of sexual violence against women and individual versus societal responsibilities for trauma and healing. After graduation, I worked as a bilingual crisis center counselor combating Intimate Partner Violence at House of Ruth Maryland. Providing personal support solidified my desire to ensure efficiency in social care systems and remove barriers those in need too often face. I moved to New York City in 2015 to pursue Macro Social Work, concentrating in Social Enterprise Administration at Columbia University School of Social Work. There, I answered the call to birth work.
In spring 2016 I spoke with a colleague who was completing her doula training. She introduced me to a network of other Black doulas, equipped to address the disparate rates of maternal mortality among Black and brown women in the USA. I completed my training with Ancient Song Doula Services in April and spent the next 8 weeks supporting families. Fueled by the adrenaline of finally living out the purpose my soul had always known, I walked with families through incredibly vulnerable experiences, both in the hospital and in their homes.
As a social worker and doula, I was uniquely equipped to create plans to navigate these challenges and process feelings with clients through trauma-informed, person-centered care. My myriad career and life experiences laid a foundation for me to curate a safe space grounded in empathy, attentive listening, solution development, and wisdom for which I am forever grateful.
By the end of that summer, I confirmed that birth work is my purpose. I believe everybody deserves a doula. Now, I lead Sweet Bee Services as the CEO and founding doula. As a reproductive wellness coach, I am dedicated to empowering folks with female reproductive systems so they can navigate their experiences with confidence. I have supported over 50 doula families thus far. I am proud to also be a lactation consultant, placental encapsulator, doula instructor through the National Black Doula Association, and to offer a mentorship program for burgeoning birth workers.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not in the least! For one, I am an intuitive birth worker. This means I support clients through instinct, knowledge, and experience. When I am not living from a place I call “saucer love”, it hinders my ability to do this work well. Saucer love, as I tell my mentees often, is the overflow. Think of a teacup on a saucer plate. If you pour into the cup and let others drink from it, the cup will empty quickly. However, if you pour into the cup and let it spill over, there’s plenty in the cup for you and also an abundance that others can receive.
In early 2019, I became the Director of Operations for a church in the Baltimore area. I was proud to have worked my way into an executive leadership position at a young age. My areas of leadership were thriving and my team members regularly commended me for the impact I made in shifting the culture to a healthier place. But my own life wasn’t as healthy. I was losing a battle to depression and anxiety. I had put my doula business on hold to focus on my nonprofit career, thinking I needed to dedicate more time to the business that was paying most consistently. However, by that summer I was like a walking zombie.
When I reached my breaking point in September, I acknowledged that I was burned out. I went on medical leave. I began therapy and learned to release control. I rediscovered myself, and in doing so, I welcomed back my inner child, that little girl who knew birth work was her calling. But also, the woman who needed to harness the strength of her life lessons in order to move into a new season. I learned to be instead of striving to do. I began to put up and enforce healthy boundaries. I started embracing balance in my life so I could live from the saucer love I had so often preached to clients. I fell in love with living in the present.
Ironically, my progress in healing began in time for the 2020 pandemic and consequential baby boom. I have been able to support clients and mentees with greater empathy and depth after learning how to live as my most grounded, authentic self. As I dove even deeper into my passion, and eventually took on full-time entrepreneurship, I intentionally took time to sit in the saucer love. This practice allowed me to navigate the last two years of growth in business and continues to keep me aligned with my intuition.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Sweet Bee Services (SBS) is a reproductive wellness agency on a mission to educate and empower women with female reproductive systems.
As CEO and founding doula, I remind women of their inherent power, especially when navigating challenges within reproductive wellness experiences, by educating them on what to expect, how to advocate for themself and how to have an empowering experience. Clients and mentees come to me with questions and often have endured traumatic circumstances alone. We work together so they can make decisions that fit them best, speak and know their voice is heard, and navigate future situations with confidence.
I am known for my kind demeanor, wealth of knowledge, and empathic listening. I am also known for being a traveling doula. I have served families from NYC to Florida and as far west as Tennessee. I’m proud to have created a niche for myself in the birth world. I love to travel, I love developing solutions, I love helping people, I love teaching, and I love being a birth worker. My areas of passion and expertise intersect perfectly to provide what I need to lead SBS well presently and into the future. I am proud to lead a Black-owned, woman-owned business in the Baltimore area.
SBS offers birth preparation, virtual and physical labor support, placental encapsulation, lactation support, and doula mentorship. I am accepting birth, postpartum, placenta, and mentee clients for 2022. I would love to connect with you to see how we can work together. Visit www.sweetbeedoula.com to learn more and schedule your consultation.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Yes. Success requires flexibility and creativity. I also learned that everything relates to birth! In labor, there are moments of quiet and stillness, despite the seeming chaos of contractions. The Covid-19 Crisis was like the chaos of contractions. Yet, amidst the sorrow and grief, there were moments to celebrate and moments to plan for when the clouds would clear a bit. I’m grateful I had the space to embrace these lessons, even while navigating the angst that accompanied such a tumultuous time.
Contact Info:
- Email: leah@sweetbeedoula.com
- Website: www.sweetbeedoula.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetbeeservices/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetbeeservices
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SweetBeeDoula
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJNCl5QIaxQYQdeAYsCHEQ
Image Credits
Kent Edwards
Bashirah K
Fathia Savory
