Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Jones.
Hi Lauren, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a proud Nashvillian of 8 years but was born and raised in a small town called Griffin just south of Atlanta, Georgia. A graduated from Auburn University, majored in interdisciplinary studies with emphases in nutrition, health administration, and hunger studies and after I graduated, I moved to Nashville. I chose Nashville because I love music, had some friends in town, and wanted a big city with less traffic than Atlanta, although things have changed in the traffic department since then, ha!
The only thing I knew about myself when I graduated from college was that I wanted to help people in some way and make a positive impact in my community. I started the long journey to where I am now as a telephonic health coach for state employees, I then became a prenatal yoga studio assistant, then I worked for the Franklin and Nashville Whole Foods in their marketing and demo department, After that, I became a WIC nutrition educator and soon became a certified lactation counselor at that job, this is where my passion for women and maternal health started to grow, almost like a fire was lit under my ass.
I became frustrated for all of the teens I was seeing at WIC and found a job teaching sex ed in middle and high schools around middle TN, and then wanting to get closer to the fire, I took a job with a local nonprofit in a sort of social work role working with young adults aging out of foster care. I started that job in February 2020, and after a year and a half of trying my hardest to be “okay” caring for (I automatically took on this role of “caring for”, this was not my job description) some of the most systematically traumatized people in our community, I finally accepted that for my own health, I had to step away.
After feeling like a failure and taking a minute to breathe. I realized I had left another dream untouched and it was time to revisit it. Since becoming a certified lactation counselor in 2017, I had been helping families with breastfeeding on the side of my different full-time jobs and loved doing it. I thought about creating a side business a few years ago, but I got discouraged after putting myself out there and didn’t feel like I had the capacity to devote myself to what it took to start a business.
I continued helping friends and their friends but It wasn’t until recently that I realized all of my different “professional” experiences were giving me little puzzle pieces that would eventually come together to be the confidence I needed to start Realistically Fed.
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?
For the most part. As you can probably tell, I am pretty comfortable taking on new roles that are already designed to see where I fit in. I was often finding out that I could do the job, and maybe be good at it but I kept noticing that I was always trying to forge a different path. In most jobs, you can’t just forge your own path.
Thankfully I have always had a family, good friends, and even coworkers that have been supportive of my ideas and who encourage me to do what I think is right for me. With that being said, the struggles of starting a supportive service business are real. Imposter syndrome creeps in every now and then, I compare myself to other professionals in my field and I get overwhelmed with taxes and finances.
But with each breastfeeding class I teach or a home visit with a family I have, I am reminded that I am where I am meant to be.
As you know, we’re big fans of Realistically Fed. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The focus of Realistically Fed begins and ends with prioritizing birthers and mothers and empowering them throughout their infant feeding journeys. When I meet with families prenatally we discuss the realities of breastfeeding- how it works, why it’s nutritionally superior, and how to reach and adjust goals.
During home visits- this is when I come to a family home to help them with any issues they are having with breastfeeding- I listen and encourage the lactating parent to use their instincts and remind them that babies have instincts and those need to be respected and encouraged too. We troubleshoot, try new things, laugh, cry, jump for joy– we do whatever they need. I also offer continued support through calls and texting, sometimes families just need a little reassurance or to talk it out. At the end of the day, my goal is that all families are informed, educated, and supported enough to feel confident when they are making the decisions that are best for them.
Alongside my work as a lactation counselor, I find myself to be a “passionate connector” of sorts. When I moved to Nashville, I immediately felt a sense of community and embraced it. My brain likes to solve problems and find out where things fit– naturally, I love networking and meeting other helpers in the community, and learning about resources is fun for me.
Although I’m not as comfortable being in the spotlight, I like playing the role of human Rolodex and knowing who people are, what they do, and connecting people who could mutually benefit from knowing each other. We are all in this together, so let’s be all in this together!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Hmm. I am pretty much an open book when it comes to sharing in my relationships with clients and peers.
So I don’t know if there is anything surprising to find out. But for those of you reading this who don’t know me, I am a huge advocate for therapy because it changed my life, I love riding my bike- it is truly my best tool for stress relief and I feel like I’m on top of the world when doing it.
I wasn’t a real dog person until my husband and I rescued our sweet pup Juniper, and when I hear a new song that I like, I play it over and over for weeks until I’m just over it.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.realisticallyfed.com
- Instagram: @realisticallyfed
Image Credits
Bailey Brandon and Erin Tatum
