Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Rivera-Maldonado .
Hi Jessica, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my journey in the lactation space as a nurse in the NICU. I got certified as a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor and started helping mothers and families in the NICU with their lactation journeys. I would follow the IBCLCs in our unit, trying to learn and absorb everything I could to be as helpful to our families as possible. Fast forward a few years, and I left NICU to work with pediatrics as I was working in my DNP at the time in pediatrics, but I still found opportunities to help families in their lactation journeys. When I became pregnant with my miracle baby, I went back to the NICU and realized quickly that I missed helping my patient’s families in the world of Lactation, and I started to think about pursuing my IBCLC. Once my daughter was born, we struggled with our lactation journey from the start. If it weren’t for the IBCLCs around me supporting me and helping me through all the setbacks and challenges, we wouldn’t have made it through. That’s when I knew I didn’t want to pursue my DNP in pediatrics; I wanted to become an IBCLC and spend my career helping families the way the IBCLCs in my life helped me. I began my classes for IBCLC when my daughter was about 3 months old, sat for the exam in the fall of 2022, and received my certification in December 2022. It took some courage and lots of prayers. Still, finally, in August 2023, I launched my private lactation practice, Chasing Lactation, where we believe it’s about your goals because it’s your journey, and we are here to help support and chase those goals together. If it weren’t for this fantastic group of ladies, I wouldn’t be here now, almost three years breastfeeding my first child and about to embark on our next adventure, tandem feeding with our newest edition, due in June 2024.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting any small business or practice is not smooth, but I have been blessed by the people surrounding me and the knowledge I had from my other two business adventures. Yes, Chasing Lactation is my third LLC. I currently have two, Chasing Lactation Chasing POPS (a balloon decor small business), and I had a succulent gifts and party business (formally known as Chasing Succulents) that was really where I learned how to run a business and how to start one, but I no longer have opened at this time as I am pouring all my time and energy into my family and my other two LLCs. But I have also been blessed by a group of women, some in my field and some in their small businesses, who have helped me along the way. From malpractice insurance to pricing and how to get my name out there, I have amazing people behind me and supporting me. I also have a coach who pushed me out of my comfort zone and ensured I ran full force ahead for my goals! I also have a fantastic group of mom friends that I have helped over the years. They would send me reviews and shout me out in every mom group they could! Word of mouth is significant in this line of work. My husband has supported every business venture I have wanted to pursue and helped me design our logo and come up with our name. He is always there for me to pick his brain from a dad’s point of view. It was so smooth because I had been blessed with a village behind me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, tell us more about your work next.
Professionally, my career was in nursing. I loved being a nurse. My patients and their families met everything to me, and to this day, I am still in contact via social media with some of the families I cared for, even as far back as when I started my career in nursing in 2013. When I was blessed with my miracle baby, I knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and with COVID changing the dynamic in healthcare, it was the perfect time to step back and focus on my own family.
However, after some time, I knew I had to make a decision: my baby wouldn’t be a baby forever, and I wanted to have a career or profession she could look back at her mama and be proud of. With all the struggles with lactation we had and all the love and support I received, I knew this was something I could do with passion and care and that she could one day look back and be proud of. Every time I’m with my clients, it fills my cup! I love teaching and supporting mothers. It makes me so happy to see someone reach a goal, no matter how big or small it may be to others. It’s a big deal for me to help someone get to their end goal.
I’m proud that after getting past the obstacles of becoming a new mother, leaving school, and a career I worked hard on, I was able to start something that I am so passionate about, but I am also still able to be the mother I want to be. What sets me apart is that I’m still on my lactation journey as I answer these questions. I am less than 2 months away from three years of breastfeeding my first child, and I am currently pregnant with my second. I’ve been through many of the same struggles my clients have been through, and I feel they can see that I’m not just saying, “Oh yes, I understand.” They know I do because I’m still living through it. I also was a nurse in the NICU, so that comes with a lot of knowledge and experience.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m socially awkward! People always tell me that I’m a social butterfly and know how to interact in social situations. Still, I am a lot shyer than most people would guess, and meeting new people makes me nervous, but I embrace the journey nonetheless!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chasinglactation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasing_lactation?igsh=NDVmaTZkMDBnYWN4&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/jDyo2zi2MALGGugT/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Professional pictures by Fearless and Brace Photography
