Meet The Mom, Doula, And Newborn Care Specialist Behind Well Nested RI
All Photos Are By Breanna Marie Photography RI.
Baby obsessed, postpartum coach, mental health advocate, loving mama of three, wife, doula. Lover of fresh flowers, naps, deep conversation, hugs and coffee. Owner and Founder of Well Nested RI.
About Me:
My name is Jan. I am a Certified Perinatal Doula, Lactation Counselor and Newborn Care Specialist. I am basically the friend and caregiver you never knew you needed until you started a family. I specialize in all things postpartum and newborn care.
Favorite Rhode Island Restaurants:
My childhood was filled with great food, specifically my Grandma Anna’s homemade Italian cooking. Her eggplant Parm never disappoints. Not technically a restaurant but her kitchen is as close as it gets to one. Persimmon & Basta are two of my favorite date night spots. Union & Main has recently been added to the list with a delicious menu from brunch to dinner and tasty handcrafted cocktails.
Fav Rhody Spots:
In my opinion Point Judith Fisherman's Memorial is the best place to view the beach, sunsets, and lighthouse. My family and I always enjoy Point Judith, especially when we make a quick stop at Iggy’s on our way there.
The BIRTH of Well Nested:
My own postpartum experience and love for supporting new families (and snuggling newborn babies!) inspired me to create Well Nested RI, a postpartum business, resource, and community here in Rhode Island.
My experience as a first-time parent rocked me (in the best way possible) BUT left me questioning every move and decision I made: Am I feeding the baby enough? Is that amount of spit up normal? How do I increase my breastmilk supply? Why isn’t he latching? How long do the baby blues last? Will I EVER sleep again? I often felt alone in my thoughts with little confidence and had no circle of other moms to compare notes with. Leaving me no choice but to research and read every baby book Barnes & Noble sold. Over the next few years, I realized how common these questions and feelings were. I witnessed and experienced how little new moms were checked on after delivery. Many left to navigate their physical and mental recovery alone with no help or community to tell them everything is going to be okay.
It took me years to see the silver lining and realize that I did experience a birth in 2012. It unfortunately wasn’t the birth of my daughter that we hoped and prayed for but the birth of my purpose, strength, passion, and future business Well Nested RI.
In 2012, I suffered a second trimester miscarriage and surgical complications nearly took my life. Closely after I sought out professional help and began treating with a therapist. During one of our sessions, she asked me where I saw myself in the future and if I knew what a doula was. At that time, I was navigating my own recovery and unhappy with where I was with my current job. I researched and quickly fell in love with what seemed like a role that was destined for me from a young age. A few years went by and two miracle babies later, it was time to prioritize my personal goals. My first goal being to complete my postpartum doula certification. Quickly after completing my certification, I started working with families part-time while working two other demanding jobs in the medical field. I used my time throughout the pandemic to focus on building my business, expanding my education with new certifications, networking, creating, giving back to new families who were more isolated and experiencing stress like never before. Since then, Well Nested has gone from a dream to a full time 24/7 career. Being recognized and nominated Top 3 in the Providence Journal’s Reader’s Choice Awards in the Social Services category. With a lengthy waitlist and new parents reserving classes and services as early as 4 weeks pregnant.
“When I tell you I am along for the ride with each mama I am not kidding. I am contacted and welcomed in on the joyful pregnancy news early on. Sometimes before the first ultrasound or when family members haven’t been told yet. It’s wild, touching and such an honor to be invited in on this journey”.
How does Well Nested support new families:
I am a stable resource within the home through one of the biggest transitions in one’s life — the early days of parenthood. I am there every step of the way, from showing you how to use your car seat before baby arrives to being there the first day you return home from the hospital. I am typically with families for 4 to 5 evenings a week for the first six weeks after birth. During those six weeks I am nurturing your family’s transition with delicate postpartum support, overnight newborn care, and incorporating hands on newborn education to increase confidence. My overnight newborn care service has now blossomed into a six-week program that nurtures and educates parents on their postpartum recovery along with the growth and developmental milestones of their baby. The first few months following birth are a blur with so many decisions no parent should have to figure out on their own. For example, this program covers how to feed/burp/bath/change your baby, support your partner, establish mom’s breastmilk supply, monitor baby’s weight gain, choosing the right formula for your baby, pumping/storing, working as a team, perinatal mental health, newborn growth spurts, creating schedules, newborn developmental milestones, newborn sleep conditioning and safety — just to name a few!
Aside from the postpartum program, I offer lactation counseling, private in-home newborn education classes, new mom support groups (which are FABULOUS!) and recently started a perinatal mental health blog called MAMA;. It is a blog and platform that empowers women despite their past trauma or hardships to keep going with stories of birth trauma, miscarriage, infertility, and perinatal mental health challenges along with a list of local professional resources that have helped mama reclaim her life. It helps readers, especially that mom who is struggling at home to feel seen, heard, and hopeful for the future.
I will expand in the near future and am eager to provide more Rhode Island families with the postpartum experience they deserve. This community, work and blog is a true an extension of my heart and hope for better maternal health outcomes.
You can find more information at WellNestedRI.com.
Please follow WellNested_ri on Instagram for more up to date news and classes.