Meet Erin McCaffrey Crespo | Nurse Practitioner, Doula, and Lactation Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin McCaffrey Crespo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Doula support benefits everyone. Research has consistently shown that doula support leads to fewer interventions in birth, better birth outcomes, and increased parental satisfaction with the birthing experience. This is particularly important when considering the healthcare needs of BIPOC and LGBTQIA folks, who comprise a majority of my clients. I have lived a life of enormous privilege not because of any extraordinary work or talent of my own, but because I was lucky enough to be born into this body, in this family, in this country, at this time. I believe the most important thing I can do with my time here is to pay this forward and serve other people who have not been given the head start that I have. Too many people in our country are ill served by the medical system, and it breaks my heart that many people approach labor and birth without knowing that they will be treated with respect, or even if they can trust their care providers to keep them safe. Seeing these inequities first hand, supporting folks through this journey and helping to make the process less scary and more joyful seems like a comparatively easy thing for me to do.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I went into parenthood PREPARED. I was a healthcare professional with years of experience observing and managing labor and birth, spent countless hours babysitting while I was growing up, was financially and emotionally ready to have a baby with a partner that I was crazy about. And yet, pregnancy and birth rocked me. I experienced several miscarriages, then suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum when a pregnancy finally stuck. I labored for 72 unmedicated hours to deliver my sweet, stubborn daughter. I was still reeling (emotionally AND physically) when it was time to take her home 2 days later. I didn’t recognize my healing body, struggled to get into a breast feeding rhythm, and felt so unlike myself. I needed help, and I didn’t know how to ask for it, or where to turn. With time, and with the support of an amazing set of friends and birth workers I discovered along the way, we figured one another out and began to thrive. My next 3 pregnancies and births were infinitely easier, as I could feel my community’s support around me at every turn. As I settled into my new identity as a parent, I knew I needed to do my best to encourage other new parents through this enormous transition. After the pandemic birth of my fourth baby, I made the decision to make a career pivot to focus on supporting families in childbirth and the early stages of parenthood. I trained as a doula and earned my credential as a Certified Lactation Consultant. In my role as a doula, I serve as a trusted source of support and comfort during labor and birth. I am excellent at interpreting medical lingo and cutting through the noise during stressful situations so that birthing people have the information and confidence they need to make the right decisions for their bodies and babies. As a Lactation Consultant, I meet with new parents in their homes or communities, listen to their struggles and triumphs, and help them to craft an infant feeding plan that best meets the unique needs of their families.

We’ve all heard the jokes and seen the memes about early parenthood–we know it’s nearly impossible, you’re always drinking from a firehose, and it often feels like the best you can do is to simply survive. I want better for my clients. I know that with the right knowledge and support, this transformational time can be a season during which your family not only survives, but actually thrives. I want every client to approach birth feeling ready to take on the world.

Starting my own business was not easy. It was scary leaving a steady, predictable job that I loved in a field that I had worked hard to break into. However, I knew that I was being called to give back to my clients in a different way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love having friends and their families visit Columbus and showing how much we have to offer for families!

Since we all know kids are up early, we’d grab early morning coffee and breakfast to go from one of any number of our family’s favorite breakfast spots–Kittie’s, Cherbourg Bakery, Fox in the Snow, Fox’s Bagels–hard to go wrong at any of the above! We’d take breakfast and the kids to the park to hang out. We love Jeffrey Park for its great playground, beautiful trails, and clean bathrooms. For lunch, we’d swing by East Market. Tasty food for everyone, and vintage arcade games upstairs for the kids! We’d spend the afternoon at any one of Columbus’s great metro parks, though Blendon Woods with it’s natural playground is a personal favorite. We’d wrap up the day with beers and food truck eats (and hopefully some live music or a great game on the big screen) at our favorite (and kid and dog friendly) brewery, Land Grant!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wonderful patients and clients! Each person and family that I have had the privilege of serving has had important lessons to teach me. I am grateful for their trust in me, their excellent questions that push me to learn more, and their willingness to share their lives and stories with me.

Website: https://www.thrive-doula-services.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thrivedoulacolumbus?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088946484929&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
Erica Sallie Photography