Newbornable
Andi Thomas, Newborn Care Specialist
754-888-BABY (2229)
Me and my firstborn child at two weeks old - circa 1984
About
I'm a parent, grandparent, and women's health advocate.
I was a Medical Assistant / X-ray Tech in my 20's and 30's, then founded and ran a successful health-advocacy nonprofit organization for almost twenty years.
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Now retired from the nonprofit sector, I'm pursuing my lifelong dream of working with new mothers and caring for their newborns.
It all started because...
I wanted to have my baby at a birthing center and exclusively breastfeed.
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Although my 'wants' aren't so shocking today, these choices were non-mainstream in the mid-1980's.
Like most young pregnant women, I looked to my mother for support. I envisioned learning about motherhood from stories and tales filled with her magical wisdom and womanly knowledge. (Remember, this was before the Internet!) That didn't happen.
​Even though my mother was coming from a loving place, her birth and newborn care experiences were from the 1950's — a completely different era. As progressive as she was, my mom believed that a midwife-assisted birth was a huge mistake especially when I could have a DOCTOR instead. And breastfeeding? What would people think?​ My confidence waivered and I was full of doubts.
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​Late in my pregnancy my older brother (of all people) mailed me a book called "Spiritual Midwifery". It was written by a midwife practicing at a commune in the mountains of Tennessee; a community vastly different from my suburban upbringing in Hollywood, Florida. ​The book was filled with powerful testimonies of women who claimed agency over their birthing and newborn care choices. These stories restored my perspective and confidence. I followed through with my choices and in doing so learned a valuable lesson: I was completely capable of advocating for myself!
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But ​I never forgot the fear and anxiety I felt and and how transformative it was when someone showed up with the information and support I needed.
That kindness was the beginning of my mission to pay-it-forward for other people on the path to becoming new parents. ​When I retired from nonprofit work a few years ago I knew it was time to make my mission of working with new families a reality. Even though it took decades to reach this part of my journey I'm glad that I waited.
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Today, I walk this path with a lot more wisdom and experience in caregiving and health advocacy. ​​To me — being a Newborn Care Specialist feels like coming full circle.