Meet Kylee Beard | Birth, Bereavement, and Fertility Doula

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

Hi Kylee, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Honestly, starting my own business was never the plan. I just wanted to be able to doula my friends. I am a co-facilitator for a miscarriage support group and I chose to pursue birth doula training so that I could support these moms that were going on to have their rainbow babies after miscarriage. Pregnancy and birth after loss is unique, thus requiring unique support so I wanted to have a legitimate way to offer help to these mom-friends. I did the training, attended the births, and I fell in love with supporting in the delivery room as a doula. There was no turning back!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I love birth work, and I’m really proud of it, but what I’m most proud of is the work I’ve done with moms or couples on complicated journeys. As a bereavement and infertility doula, I work in a space that makes most people uncomfortable. I get it, pain and loss is hard, but I’m proud that I’ve managed to establish an understanding that I’m someone who is comfortable holding space for the hard stuff. If it were simple and easy, birth wouldn’t be such a sacred and special experience. I’m here for all of it, start to finish, the good, the bad, and the ugly – judgement free! Nothing sparks joy for me like getting to be in the room for the birth of a rainbow baby, which is a term we use for babies born to a family after loss.

My doula journey has certainly come with its challenges. The imposter syndrome is killer at times. There is a LOT that can happen with pregnancy and birth. There could be a million “what-ifs” and its especially complicated when there’s a history of loss and it seems the risks are high. I still sometimes fear not having enough knowledge or the right tools to support a mom the way she needs but along the way I’ve accepted the fact that I will never know all the things about every possible scenario. Over time, I learned to really lean into and listen to my intuition. Nine times out of ten, my intuition leads me to support a client exactly how they need it.

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’m a mom of three and I love to get out and enjoy our community with my kids. My best gal is a mom too and would say the same! First up, Dark Heart Coffee Bar in downtown Loveland. Dark Heart’s lattes have ruined me, in the best way. They set the bar way high when it comes to coffee, so I really don’t like going anywhere else these days! Then we’d head a few blocks over to the Loveland Public Library. Their children’s librarians are top notch and their storytime is the best around. These things become your priorities when you become a parent and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Next we’d grab some fresh tortillas at the taqueria next store and take them home for lunch. The afternoon calls for a ride at Twin Silo BMX. Our family loves going out there! This usually includes a walk over to the playground at Twin Silo park and down to splash in the creek. Finally, dinner at Taco Stop in south Fort Collins. So good! If dessert is in the cards, we are getting Cupcake Gypsies for sure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My launch into doula-hood can be credited to a domino effect of many amazing people in the NoCo birth community. First was my OB physician, Dr. Wolfe. I was about ready to throw in the towel on our very complicated fertility journey when Dr. Wolfe said, “I think you need a doula. I know someone. Can I have her call you?” Shoutout to all the docs advocating for mental health and alternative care!

After that meeting I received a call from Julianne Curtis, a local birth and bereavement doula. Over the course of a few years she supported our family through multiple losses, the births of our two youngest babies, and has mentored me into this profession. She pointed me to 3Hopeful Hearts, a Fort Collins non-profit that offers grief support. I joined the miscarriage support group that I would eventually go on to co-facilitate with Julianne.

To this day, the parents in the miscarriage support group mean the world to me. It is impossible to sit in the circle of this support group and not be moved by the staggering courage of these people. The loss community is battle-scarred and beautiful. This was the crew I knew I wanted to give back to. They truly were the catalyst to my doula pursuit.

Website: www.kyleethedoula.com

Instagram: @kyleethedoula

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kyleebeard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyleethedoula

Image Credits
Jessica Craig