Meet Kelli Blinn | Doula & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelli Blinn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelli, how does your business help the community?
Without birthing individuals and the babies they bring into the world, communities as we know them wouldn’t exist! In my roles as a labor and postpartum doula, a childbirth educator, and an infant feeding specialist I have the unique opportunity to guide families through what is undoubtedly one of the most transformative experiences of their lives. Whether someone is preparing for their first baby or their fifth, reliable, unbiased support is key. There are countless unknowns in life and the months of pregnancy and immediate postpartum are no different. I bring a sense of confidence and calm to my clients during a time when little else feels quite right about their life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Since the age of 10, I’ve been pretty obsessed with all things related to pregnancy, babies, and the like! I didn’t go straight into this work but instead felt the pressure from society to “figure out what I wanted to do with my life” at far too young of an age. For some, choosing a career path at 18 or 22 years old makes perfect sense, but I wasn’t one of those people. I wish I would’ve followed my heart and pursued the dreams I had as a child earlier in life. Now, at the age of 41, I can confidently say that I’m doing what I was meant to do and I’m getting to do (more than) what I wanted to do when I was a little girl! I’ve been doing this work for nearly 8 years with a title and a paycheck attached to it, but like many doulas I know, many of the things I do now have always been a part of who I am. I want the world to know that when you set your mind to something, no matter how old or young you are, you really CAN do it. There will be highs and lows along the way, sure, but surrounding yourself with people who will help hold you up when you’re weak and cheer you on when you’re strong means SO much. When you work with Kelli Blinn LLC you’re getting the polished version of who I am as well as all of the dented, not-so-shiny parts of my past that have helped mold me into the person I am today. What you see is what you get and what you get is far from perfect and trust me, I’m more than enough for you on your journey of pregnancy, birth, and your baby’s first months.

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?
Excellent food and drinks are some of my favorite things to share with people. A visitor from out of town would for sure be taken to a place like Citizens Trust, Kitchen Social, or Asterisk for cocktails. For dinner, we’d visit one of my favorite Cameron Mitchell restaurants like The Guild House, The Pearl, or Hudson 29. And though I’m not a big dessert fan, many people I know are, so we’d check out a place like Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Fox in the Snow Cafe, or Bake Me Happy.

The Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus Zoo, and COSI all offer excellent experiences, depending on the interests of the visitors. My family and I often check out the vast selection of metro parks in the area and will take our kayaks out on the water for summertime floats. We love all of the free things to do like the various arts or food festivals that Columbus offers and checking out a live show – be it a Broadway-type show or a musical concert is one of my FAVORITE things to do. Columbus is a great city with a lot to offer and I really love to show off my city!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been supported by so many people that have led me to where I am today. My husband has believed in me at times when I didn’t believe in myself and he’s been a steady supporter throughout my professional journey. The support of our two children has meant so much to me in recent years as they’ve gotten a little older and have been able to truly grasp what it is that I do. I’m blessed with some fantastic friends who are the best cheerleaders and I’ve been mentored by some fabulous examples of leadership, poise, intelligence, compassion, and grit.

Website: www.kelliblinn.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doulakelliblinn/

Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/doulakelliblinn/

Image Credits
Megan Leigh Barnard