Having self-compassion is the first step and paramount to helping others and ourselves. Admitting that we are human, allowing ourselves to fail and then stand up again only adds to our pursuit as parents…
An initially challenging motherhood experience shaped who I am, not only as a medical provider, but also as an educational entrepreneur who created Nested. Having struggled as a young new mom with financial constraints also served as a catalyst to ensure that Nested would be a philanthropic company, with an emphasis on giving back both locally and abroad; and, by instilling a Nested financial hardship policy that allows for complimentary classes for those that cannot pay. Having self-compassion is the first step and paramount to helping others and ourselves. Admitting that we are human, allowing ourselves to fail and then stand up again only adds to our pursuit as parents…
When I had my children more than 10 years ago, breastfeeding was challenging. I found myself frustrated and doubting motherhood since nursing my child seemed like the first test and a ‘natural’ bridge to parenthood. Our health insurance plan did not cover lactation classes or consultants. I was a young mom with no paid maternity leave and I felt that seeking help was not a financial cost our family could afford. I did not go to a certified lactation consultant until I was at a complete loss for how to feed my daughter, who had stopped nursing completely and then began to reject bottles. My lactation consultant gave me an invaluable gift: to learn to have self-compassion. She told me that breastfeeding is hard, and that I was such a good mom for handling my daughter’s jaundice. I wept while holding my baby, someone I had just met, yet loved so deeply and now consumed my every thought.
As I started to accept how difficult the situation was, and, I allowed this true kindness (that I would have offered to a friend) into my heart. Learning the gift of self-compassion allowed me to relax, be more “in the moment” and recognize feeding patterns and small facial gestures that would lead us to a newborn reflux diagnosis and getting the proper treatment and support. Thankfully, with the identification of the problem and working with the certified lactation consultant I was able to provide breast milk to my daughter for 6 months.
This personal experience more than 10 years ago, along with my medical training and working in medical practices for more than 15 years, all played a role in why I created Nested. It is also why Nested is so very pleased to partner with the Greater Washington Breastfeeding Center, which allows for clients to seek a plethora of classes to meet their family’s needs. As a physician’s assistant in practice at Reiter Hill Johnson and Nevin (RHJN), I am fortunate to work with Katie Blancette, a Nurse Practitioner who is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Katie has a wealth of knowledge that combines her role as an educator, mother and provider to support moms in their breastfeeding goals.
Nidhi Reva | Founder & Managing Director and Instructor
Nidhi Reva’s passion for working with underserved populations inspired Nested’s mission of empowerment through education. Nested LLC’s mission is to empower women and their families, both locally and abroad, by providing them with childbirth and newborn care education as well as invaluable medical and public health resources.
