![[252] [INTERVIEW] Real talk on babies and business w/ Ashley Cooley from Birth Baby Sleep Artwork](https://www.buzzsprout.com/rails/active_storage/representations/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBCT3F0b0FnPSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--0d1d4f124667fa19d2b968da946043493d291e33/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdDVG9MWm05eWJXRjBPZ2hxY0djNkUzSmxjMmw2WlY5MGIxOW1hV3hzV3docEFsZ0NhUUpZQW5zR09nbGpjbTl3T2d0alpXNTBjbVU2Q25OaGRtVnlld1k2REhGMVlXeHBkSGxwUVRvUVkyOXNiM1Z5YzNCaFkyVkpJZ2x6Y21kaUJqb0dSVlE9IiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJ2YXJpYXRpb24ifX0=--1924d851274c06c8fa0acdfeffb43489fc4a7fcc/cover%20art%20podcast.jpg)
Self(ish) Confidence
What if your confidence didn’t depend on fitting into a box you never wanted to be in? Self(ish) Confidence is the podcast for women who are done trying to live by someone else’s timeline and ready to trust their own.
Your confidence is your superpower but it can be hard to show up as your authentic self. When you’re caught in the scroll of everyone’s highlight reel or walking into a room full of strangers, it can be hard to show up as the truest version of yourself. Comparison kicks in. Doubt creeps up. And suddenly, being your full, beautiful, authentic self feels... hard.
Self(ish) Confidence is your permission slip to stop performing and start showing up as YOU. It is about finding your confidence, shining your light and taking action toward your unconventional life.
This podcast is all about building real, unapologetic confidence (the kind that doesn’t need approval). Whether your life looks unconventional, unexpected, or totally different than what you thought it would.. you're in the right place!
Each week, your host Jess Clerke, Confidence Coach and creator of the Self(ish) Sisterhood, will walk with you through mindset shifts, personal stories, and confidence-boosting truths to help you break free from people-pleasing, trust your gut, and build a life you’re wildly obsessed with.
This isn’t just a podcast — it’s your reminder that you’re not too much, never behind, and more than worthy of the life you want.
Let’s build that belief together.
Self(ish) Confidence
[252] [INTERVIEW] Real talk on babies and business w/ Ashley Cooley from Birth Baby Sleep
What happens when passion meets opportunity in the realm of parenthood and entrepreneurship? Join me, Jess, in a heartwarming conversation with my friend and birth education expert, Ashley Cooley, as she narrates her inspiring journey from mental health professional to founder of Birth Baby Sleep. Her story began with a transformative maternity leave experience, leading to the creation of much-needed prenatal classes in Nova Scotia, Canada. Ashley's dedication to supporting parents highlights the incredible growth of her business over nine years, fueled by community demand and a meaningful collaboration with a like-minded public health nurse.
Ashley's genuine experiences inspire a focus on self-acceptance and the magic within each of us. This episode is both an invitation and a celebration—embrace your true self, find strength in shared stories, and join us in uplifting one another on this journey.
Connect with Ashley:
www.birthbabysleep.ca
IG: @birth_baby_sleep
Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!
Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com
If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence
Welcome to Selfish Confidence, a place where we can connect and be real about how hard it is to be your damn self. My name is Jess and my goal is to help you build confidence and belief in yourself to live any life path you want, even if it's unconventional. It's time to flip off societal pressures and connect with women who've also felt on the outside by their life choices. We're here to encourage you to grab the mic and speak your truth. I know it can be scary, but we're in this together. Let's get started.
Speaker 1:Hello, hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Selfish Confidence Podcast. It's Jess here, and today is a really exciting day because I have a very good friend of mine who is a returning guest. She has been here before on the podcast, but a long time ago, and now, with this journey that I'm on, I thought it'd be really cool to invite my very good friend, ashley Cooley, back to talk about her journey with business and motherhood and life and all of the things that she's doing and just get a little life update, but also like maybe just like help a mama out over here who's about to step into a season of becoming a mom and an entrepreneur at the same time. So welcome Ashley, how you doing, you know, actually I'm feeling pretty good today. Like this is we're recording this in the season of like time change week and, although normally we're quite tired, well, this is my last time change without a baby, so that's gonna be something.
Speaker 1:But also it yeah Right, but I'm just like I don't know. There's something, maybe it's the third trimester energy or something, but something feels better right now, so I'm going to take it. Yeah, the good days, we take the good days. We sleep on the hard days. You know we sleep on the hard days, you know. Yeah, can you tell us a bit about you, ash, and what got you on this journey of supporting parents through sleep, consulting and feeding and birth classes and all the things that you do to help people like me on this journey?
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks. So it feels it has been a long journey because it's been nine years, like this month basically, since I started doing different things to create what is birth, baby sleep now, I guess. So I come from a background in health promotion which is really about prevention and health, wellness and kind of work in a lot of different areas, lot of different areas. I've always been someone who likes to I'm not going to say teach, but I like to share what I know. And when I'm going through something or I'm learning about something and I do a deep dive into the things and I'm like, oh my God, people need to know this, I really like to share that with whoever. You know I can. I'm not like just anyone down the street, but if it comes up, you know, hey, hey, you know I can. I'm not like just anyone down the street, but if it comes up, you know.
Speaker 1:Hey, hey, you over there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I learned something today, come over here.
Speaker 2:No, I, just I. That's just always been kind of part of me, I guess. So, with all that to be said, I was working in a mental health nonprofit organization for a little while, started having kids. So my husband and I started having our family and it really came from one just a knowing that I wasn't loving my job and I wasn't loving what I'm doing day to day, even though it's important work and stuff. It just didn't feel like it was aligned with what I wanted to do and I struggled for a long time figuring out what that was and what it was going to be. So, part one being that, part two being that our province here where we live in Nova Scotia, um, announced that they were going to stop offering free group prenatal classes to the community while I was very pregnant with my second child. So I remember, I remember where I was, I remember the car I was driving, I remember thinking, oh my gosh, this is ridiculous. I wish I could do something about this, but I'm like eight months pregnant with my second child, so I can't do that. So I'm trying to make a very long story a little bit shorter.
Speaker 2:That summer that I was on maternity leave with my second child. I, because of networking and I was always networking on mat leaves, thinking like, ok, I'm going to find the thing that I am supposed to do. And so, through someone who knew someone who knew someone, I met a public health nurse who had been teaching prenatal classes with public health, was still a public health nurse at the time, but was also trying to start a business to get these classes going again. And she, you know, while there may it feels like there could have been a conflict of interest there, she made sure that there wasn't and it was all good. She made sure that there wasn't and it was all good. So she, we met over coffee and she said, you know, I just, we basically both felt the exact same way at the exact same time and we finally got to meet and we're like, okay, well, you want to do this, I'm willing to help.
Speaker 2:I don't think this is going to replace my job. That I'm looking to replace sometime, because it's someone starting a business and who knows right, but it sounds really interesting. I'm looking to replace sometime because it's someone starting a business and who knows right, but it sounds really interesting, I'm on board, I'll try to help. So nine years ago we started teaching prenatal classes together and it's been going since.
Speaker 2:A few changes in terms of us working together over time and bringing on some other trainings and things like that came soon after that. But she and I worked together for a number of years providing these classes because, I mean and the fact that we keep getting like it keeps growing there's such a word of mouth and people want to be in classes in person, they don't want to be Googling things. The fact that it was taken away in the first place is such a shame, but I feel very fortunate to. It feels like it fell into my lap, but at the same time I in some way, shape or form, was working really hard to get there and then just start building the business from there.
Speaker 1:It's so funny that that's where we see it too. Like it's like, oh I, it just fell into my lap or it just happened Right. But like, yeah, obviously I see you. You put in the work all the time. And even just the other day, when I was at my OB appointment, I had mentioned like, oh well, I'm taking, you know, the birthing class with my friend Ashley, with birth, baby sleep. She knew who you were Like. She was like, oh, that's such a great class, Like that's so awesome, Ashley's wonderful. And it was just like one of those moments of like I don't know fully, even recognizing all of the effort and all of the energy that you've put into this journey for yourself, but also for all of us who have no idea what's going on, aka me and my husband, who just like have no idea what's going on, Like it's just so beautiful to see. And for this to be like nine years, I'm like dang, like that's a long time.
Speaker 2:Like, that is energy and commitment.
Speaker 2:Well, I, when I left my job and I started doing this full time, um, I've never looked back and I still like this is it, and it doesn't feel like work, like it really is like that thing that I'm just so passionate about, because I have personal experience. I have three kids. Um, I went through the process. I'm not all things to all people, like you can't be but I really try to focus on, um, not trying to to sell a particular like you know, you guys shouldn't have epidurals, or I'm not. Or saying things like you know, trying to make the expecting parents like learn how to be a good patient when you're in the hospital having your baby, like no, I want you to know what's going on, how you yourself and your maybe your partner support people can help you through it, what are some of the processes or procedures that may occur and what questions can you ask and how. That you should feel seen and heard and you're so it's. It's really more I like. I love that I get to not only take something that's just so important.
Speaker 2:Education around this to prevent things from happening is really what it comes down to. For me. It's like all about mental health, to be honest, but just to set people up for success and knowing that there's I mean, I can only imagine what's going through your mind, jess, in terms of thinking about when the baby's here and what's to come and all that stuff. It can be so overwhelming and there is so much information out there. So I really try to like narrow it down, simplify, being like, oh, there's all this noise, but here's what's important and here are all the places and people where you can get resources to connect with to deal with any potential issues that might come up. Anyway, I'm rambling.
Speaker 1:No, I love that.
Speaker 2:It comes from a place of, like I, there was a lack of services, a strong lack of services, yes, during COVID, but even when I started having kids almost 12 years ago, Instagram wasn't what it was, and I know that seems silly, but, like I think the problem right now is that there is so much we are inundated with information and opinions and I was in a lack of and just scrambling, trying to find it. So I find that my job now is to kind of marry what everyone is seeing and hearing about out there and knowing that the reasons why is because every baby is different, every person is different, every family is different, so we want to have a lot of different things to do, every family's different, so we want to have a lot of different things to do. But helping people to figure out, like, really what's going to work best for you in your circumstances and yeah, yeah, I think what's the greatest thing too about that?
Speaker 1:it's like I think, even comparing it to what I do when it comes to confidence, it's like you're helping women and parents I should say, not even just women, just parents in general have more confidence on this journey through education, and I think if we can learn more things about you know whatever it is that lights them up, and doing it from someone who it lights them up, I think, makes a big difference too. But, like you're right, there's so much out there I have to put my blinders on. Like there's a reason I signed up for your class, ashley. It's like I trust you, I know you, I love you and I want it to be as simple as possible. Like I don't want to have like 18,000 opinions. I'm not the person who's going to the birth room with like a 50 page binder birth plan.
Speaker 1:Like that's just not me but, I, want to be informed and I think that that's really helpful in what you do and to do it in like one session in person where we can meet other people who are going through at the same time, but also just like one session, not like every week we meet. For this time and this time like it's just too much, right. So I love how you lay it out and how you've been helping people just really step into this new season and, yeah, again like wild to think how long you've been doing it, but like you have a really strong foundation and people here in Halifax know who you are. Like whenever I bring up your name, they know who you are, which I think is a really special thing too, because you're doing really great work and you do it really well. So I think that's cool.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you. Thank you, Of course.
Speaker 1:Of course, let me toot your horn up all the time. Of course, of course, let me toot your horn up all the time.
Speaker 2:I love hearing that and it really sounds stupid. It doesn't come from an egotistical place at all. It's really because I know I have information that can relieve people and I know I have that kind of support that can help someone. So I just want to help as many people as I can. So I just want to help as many people as I can. It's so the more people hear about it and the more I love it when doctors I know some, definitely lots of them do refer to my classes and I just appreciate that so much because they're trusting me with their patient and to give them some really helpful knowledge. Anyway, it's yeah, like you, Jess, we just like to pass it on, and when you got the goods you can't just keep it inside. It's about sharing.
Speaker 1:Sharing is caring. That's why I'm over here and I'm like okay, like I wonder what Ashley's human design is. I'm going to look it up as soon as we get this call. Unless you know, do you know?
Speaker 2:Do we look it up before? I don't, but you asked me this quite a bit, so it sounds important. It sounds really important.
Speaker 1:It's important because I'm the same way as you. It's like when I learn something, especially something that's impactful to me, I want to pass it along too, like even if it's like a really cool meditation. We all feel that way. If we have a pair of jeans we love, like we're going to want to pass that information along to whoever is looking for a good pair of jeans. Right, and it might work for them and it might not, but like we love it, so let's share it. So I'm the same way as you when it comes to that aspect of like teaching people whatever it is that you feel like is going to make a difference for yourself and for them.
Speaker 1:So one of the beliefs that I've been carrying and I've talked about this a bit on my podcast and especially through the season of just navigating, figuring out if we wanted to do this or not was that I couldn't have both and I couldn't do both well, and for me, the both is business and family, and for someone else listening to this, it could be two other, separate things. But I never really believed that we could have it all and having examples like you in this world who are doing both so well and who have you know strong, you know strong family and a strong business. It helped me to see that there was possibility for both. But sometimes we can't always see well, if Ashley's doing it, I can do it. Sometimes I'm like, oh no, ashley can do it because she's awesome and she's a good mom. I can't do this because you know X, y and Z. I don't really know how to do this Right.
Speaker 1:So can you tell me a bit about your life having a business and I know it's happened differently for you than it is for me. I had the business first and now we're doing baby and you're the opposite. But like, how has it helped you to become a better mom? Having a business? How has it helped you to be you know, a strong, you know entrepreneurial woman in this space and to get that recognition that you need when it comes to having both a business and babies and I know your babies are older now too, but like still having two, like having both examples, how has it been for you on this journey?
Speaker 2:Um, it's. I mean, in a nutshell, I'll say it's been great because the balance is a strong word. I'm going to come back to that. I one of the things that I love about being an entrepreneur and somebody that works for myself and can sort of make my own schedule. I am always here to bring my kids to school and pick them up from school. I sometimes often will work evenings and weekend time, so it's nice to get that sort of extra time with them, so just kind of being around them more, being at home, like that's been such a positive experience.
Speaker 2:I also find that it's challenging to work from home when, monday to Friday, it's really more of a 24, seven Monday through Sunday scenario. Um, I'm always kind of being cautious and, like you said, because my kids are getting older, that I don't want them to see me on my phone all the time, but I work on my phone a lot, um, and coming and going like doing a bit of work, but then having to do home stuff and back and forth can be challenging too. But those challenges you can work on, like when you had said, you said something to the effect of you know, I have a business, I have a family and I do it well, and I kind of raised my eyebrows because I don't feel like it always goes. Well, you, 100 can have both like, there is no question on that. And maybe it's three or four things I don't know what we're talking about with other people but you can have it. But you need to know that you're not going to do both well 100 all the time.
Speaker 2:Like I go through seasons of seasons, maybe it's just week. I go through a week of like being really proud that I made some healthy meals and my kids ate well and there was less fighting at the dinner table because of what I made, or so I feel like I'm winning there. But because of all the time I needed to put into those meals, maybe something else got put off it. So it man, I don't know. I feel like I'm going down a negative road for you, jess, but I don't have the baby.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're out. Yeah, just back it up.
Speaker 2:No, no, no. But I I'll say that I can't imagine I say this regularly I can't imagine having, like working in the job that I was working with, say back when, and having a family, like for those that don't work at home and don't have the mostly the flexibility that entrepreneurs may. I see it like. It's the clients that I work with. They're coming home at by 5 pm after getting the kids at daycare and they got a rush to do dinner and sometimes they got to get to bed early or they have activities. So things get busy.
Speaker 2:But every time you go through like well, the first time you have a baby in that first year, when you decide to get working again and starting to juggle that anytime there's a transition to get working again and starting to juggle that Anytime there's a transition, it's a transition. It's something new again that we have to go through and learn about and find our footing and then keep going. So having kids has really just put on blast that there are a lot of transition times and so we're all just learning as we go. So that's why I love the community piece about what's in Halifax now and what's really coming about. It's like there's drop-ins, there's parent and baby classes. There's all these places where we can connect with other people and maybe learn about what they're doing, but also commiserate when things are a little a little a little hectic, because they can be and it happens.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's been like the cool thing too with like watching you but also watching people on this journey. Like I've had some friends who their babies are coming up on like one year and they've been doing business in life with a baby in this first year and they've said, like it can be really crazy and difficult, especially this first year, because we watch a lot of other parents who get for me right, I don't get maternity leave essentially. So we watch a lot of other parents get their full year of maternity leave but then they go back to work and that transition can be really hard. So you get kind of that afterwards where things might be a little easier. That first year is going to be hard because you're trying to juggle both, but, like afterwards, it can be a really really special experience to be there for your kids.
Speaker 1:And as much as this belief has always been like I can't have it all, I can't do it all, I think there was also that piece of belief.
Speaker 1:Well, I can do it because I have this flexibility or because I have this business, or because I have, you know, a community around me already.
Speaker 1:Like there seems to be that piece too, it's like both it being the thing that I was like I could never do this and also like the reason I could do it, which has just been like really like crazy in your head to think about this stuff, um, but it's just been like, yeah, an interesting perspective to try to figure out, and I have had a lot of people reach out to that are like you know, I'm excited to see how you navigate this journey, because maybe I want kids too, or maybe I don't want kids and I'm going to see you do it and I know I'm not going to want it Um, and so it's just whatever, whatever it is the person listening to this right now, whether you want to be a parent or not, or you are a parent or not Um, I know this can be a really transitional time for you to figure out that confidence in your choices, and, yeah, it can be wild.
Speaker 1:So what's the biggest lesson through this journey of entrepreneurship and motherhood for you that you would want to share with the people listening?
Speaker 2:Well, and actually I just wanted to go back to your point for a second, because I've been in both scenarios. I had maternity leaves from a quote unquote proper job, whatever you know Monday to Friday job and and did the daycare transitions and went through that a couple of times. And then, with our third child, I was in business and I wasn't working there anymore and so it was a very different mat leave, which is wasn't really a mat leave. But you know, I think the difference between you and I in that scenario is having my third child. I was like I had more confidence in what I was going to be able to do with her and how I could envision that, and I luckily, in the job that I have, I actually took her to work. She came to prenatal class and people got to see a live baby doing real things, so it was kind of cool.
Speaker 2:But when it's your first baby there's so everything's the first time, everything's an unknown and it takes time to grow that confidence.
Speaker 2:So what I'm excited about for you, jess, is we know you have confidence in so many, every asset facet of your life maybe not so much in the pregnancy and baby world yet, but we're all going to get to see you go through that and you are a sharer, so you are going to be able to bring so much of that the good, the bad, the exciting, the ugly.
Speaker 2:You know the poopy diapers and all the things, but that's what I'm excited to get from you, because I do work with lots of families who struggle with their confidence in pregnancy, having kids, even if it's just from a whole lack of sleep, and now we don't know what to do with this child in their sleep, or we're struggling with feeding them, and do I even know what I'm doing? Like the amount of times we question ourselves as parents is humongous. So I feel like you're going to come at this with such a beautiful lens of like okay, now I understand where parents have been, what have been going through, and like, yeah, this is another journey of finding yourself. Um, but you're not starting from scratch. Anyway, just a little praise for you, my girl, because you've got a lot that you're going to be able to share through this too thank you, my friend.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it does feel like a different lens that I am seeing it than like maybe a typical person, but then I don't necessarily know if that's the right way or the wrong way, and we talked about this recently on on your podcast too. I don't know if I'm doing it the right way, but we're gonna do it my way and and obviously Glenn's too, my husband so you can have some say in this too but, there's pieces like it's like we're gonna do it our way and I'm trying to keep the blinders up because it's so hard, um, but yeah, it's an interesting, an interesting uh season.
Speaker 1:So what's the biggest lesson, tell us, actually, biggest lesson of the process of entrepreneurship and motherhood? I know big question, right, biggest lesson Lesson.
Speaker 2:Something that I'm still working on, because it's hard to do, is finding that balance. Like for me, I love my work so much and there is a lot to do and a lot that I want to do that I find I can take any free time I like my air quotes on podcasts, but any free time you might get when baby is here or when you have kids, I almost immediately if I can go to do work. And so for me the biggest learning has been that like I can't put myself, my own priorities, my own mental health, on the back burner, because work is busy and having kids is busy and having a partner is busy and having a house is busy. So I think, whether it's in business or having babies or doing both, it's the balance really comes from taking care of yourself first. When you're first starting and having kids, the sleep kind of takes a hit, the way you take care of yourself or your partner. If you're doing any of that right away, you might not be, and that's okay.
Speaker 2:Like cause you got a brand new job, you're figuring out being a parent taking care of a little human, out being a parent taking care of a little human, and so I think, just knowing that your baby's going to go through phases, your business goes through phases, you're going to go through phases and, like someone like myself, I, before all of this I'm very I mean, I would say I'm a type A in terms of I like to be organized, I make my lists, I do my things, but having a baby really makes you like and a business makes you like wow. I got to be flexible, I got to kind of roll with the punches here a little bit, but it's a constant learning as you go. So, in terms to really answer your question, I think you just still it comes down to you. You got to take care of yourself whenever you can find those opportunities and know that if that stops and things start getting overwhelmed, it's a sense to bring it back to yourself no-transcript.
Speaker 1:Let's add in you know, my body being milked, like. Let's add in all of these things, right, and the list already feels so full. And, as women, we often feel like we drop the ball on so many things. And I feel even really emotional as I think about this, because it's like even the woman listening to this who isn't deciding to have kids, like you feel like your list is full. Yeah, you're dropping the ball on something, right? You're disappointing someone and the last thing I want to do is to disappoint my community, to disappoint my clients, but also the last thing I want to do is to disappoint this like fresh, new human right, this fresh baby who is also so important. So, yeah, it's navigating, taking care of yourself, and also that like heavy load that we put on our shoulders of being perfect in so many ways, right.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's it, but you said it there like that and I totally get that feeling of, oh, if I, you know, I need to take care of myself, but then I'm letting somebody down. I had a scenario come up just just. I probably had many scenarios because this happens over, you know, being in business, but I think it was actually I think it was just last year. I have been honest on my podcast and my channels that I have anxiety and I've been going, you know, with medication and stuff like that and I had. I had some struggles with it towards the end of last year or beginning of this year and there was one day I got up and that day I was supposed to do one of our drop in groups that I love, that we did weekly. It was like a parent and baby drop in and I was really excited about it, as I always was, because it was. It is Well. We have it on pause right now, but it's totally one of my favorite things because that's where I get to see everybody and their babies and we can all connect and hang out.
Speaker 2:And I it was killing me, but I knew that I couldn't go that day because I was not well and I'm trying to like no, no, I'll just shake it off, like I got to go to this, I don't want to disappoint anyone, like they could have been waiting all week to go Like the things that you can make up in your mind about what people might be going through and like, no, no, I want to help, I want to be there, but I finally I did make the decision that, no, I can't and I think it's better that I stay at home. I needed some well-meaning, loving people to remind me of that and say, like it's all right for you to take a break and do something for yourself. And, because of the nature of my business and where I communicate with people, I posted that on Instagram just to say that, hey guys, I'm not able to do our chats today and I'm really sorry, and I actually opened up a little bit about why Not, that I felt like I owed anyone an explanation, but I just again, I feel like these are the things that, hey, I go through it, I'm cool to talk about it and if that helps somebody, then fine. And I was really taken aback by the messages and kind comments of like that's really hard to talk about or that's really hard to go through, or I've been there too, or I've been struggling as well, or no?
Speaker 2:No, take time for yourself, like you got to stay. Well, that's what you would tell anybody. So you might feel like you're putting people down and you know what. Maybe sometimes you do when you have to, but anybody who's anybody, is going to understand, especially other parents. We get it and that's why again, why I love the business that I'm in. You know, I have a call with somebody and she's like oh my gosh, you might hear my baby in the background. If they start crying, I have to go get them. I'm like, by all means, like if anybody is going to be comfortable with that, it's me. Just tell me if you need me to call back at another time. So, yeah, anyway, just that little tidbit. You get a lot of support coming back to you because they then realize, oh, this is actually good for everybody if I take care of myself, because then I can keep doing the things 100%.
Speaker 1:And I remember when you posted about that and I watched your stories and I could think only from like, what a great example this is for someone and for a parent or someone who's struggling. And they're like, oh, but Ashley does it all. Right, like I can look at you and see you as a mom and as a business owner and be like, well, ashley's doing it, why can't I, like I suck so bad. Right, that's what we internalize. But seeing you come out and to share your truth and to share what you're going through and to know how hard that is, um, and it's really vulnerable to do, is really helpful for the rest of the world to see that, like you don't have it all together and none of us do, definitely not.
Speaker 2:Anytime people, anytime people have said that to me. I, you know I don't mean to make it a joke but I say I don't have it Like, I don't have it put together. I'm medicated, Like there are things holding me together, but even then, even then it's always working on like what are the things that can make me feel my best? So I can not just get through the day but like actually do the things, like be there for my kids, do part of the business. Some days are going to be business days. I'm going to feel really awesome that way, and other days are going to feel really awesome as a parent. Sometimes you get them on the same day and and that's a sweet- ass day, but it's so.
Speaker 2:it's not so much. I feel like towards the beginning of this maybe you can delete I feel like I was like really going towards the negativity or the practical stuff, but really it's. It's nice when it can kind of blend together and you know what else is cool. Just thought of when your kids grow up and they see you working hard and they see what you're doing and they actually help you. Like one of my kids is a really great artist and I get her to do stuff for me for like handouts and such, because I can't do it and I need some money to do it. So and they're often saying like, oh, I can't wait, I want to help you do blah, blah, blah. Or they're interested when I'm creating something or content. So it's kind of cool that they get to see what I do and how I work with people and I think they think it's cool, at least so far. So that's always something to look forward to we take it as a win.
Speaker 1:Now, take it as a win. Yeah, yeah, I love that. And you're like I think we need both, because I can be such like a glitter, like put my glitter goggles on and I'm like everything's gonna be great. I thought pregnancy was gonna be like the not the easiest thing in the world, but like, also like I just thought it would just be like butterflies and rainbows, because all you see on the internet is these cute bumps and I was like, look at me in my cute outfit and I was like this looks great.
Speaker 1:They don't always show you the barfing piece um and the pain and the getting out to pee all night long or the belts that they're wearing to keep their hips and like. I just got one of those.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, I needed one too. It so crazy. So, like you don't always see that aspect.
Speaker 1:So I think having someone like you who's a real example and showing all sides is really helpful, and can you tell everyone who's listening where they can find you on the internet so that they can get this real perspective of business and parenthood and love, and also where your podcast is and what your podcast is about, because I think it'll help a lot of people listening to who need a community like you to support them through this journey, to just know that they're not alone and that all these weird things that we're feeling are mostly normal, like today when I Googled are leg cramps normal in pregnancy?
Speaker 1:And they're like, yeah, girl, you gonna have some Charlie horses and I'm just like normal in pregnancy and they're like yeah girl, you gonna have some charlie horses, and I'm just like, okay, okay, cool, oh god, oh god, love it.
Speaker 2:Google, google's fun sometimes. Um, thank you, jess. So, um, I'm yes, I'm on the internet. Um, you can find our website is birthbabysleepca. Um, we have a podcast called bringing up baby. Um, have another one too. That's just got started. That's a little more like of the. That's actually where we talk about the mom things and stuff like that. So mom chats unfiltered is another new podcast that I have with lindsey davidson.
Speaker 2:Um, but the bringing a baby podcast that was my COVID baby. I call it because I just felt horrible. I was like, how do we reach the people that are now stuck in their homes and don't have that support, so in providing, like, classes and information? So I'm like, how can I do this all the time, because I want to get this information out to as many people as possible. So we have the Bringing Up Baby podcast. So that's a lot that's more educational, resourceful, so, whether it's interviews with other people and experts that do cool things that might be able to help somebody who's bringing up a baby to a lot of sleep content, because as a sleep consultant, I know that that's what a lot of parents are looking for. So it's yeah, it's a little bit of everything, but it's more of that educational resource kind of stuff, and we're on Instagram at birthbabysleep.
Speaker 1:Amazing. I love it. Thank you so much, ashley, for being here and for sharing your truth and just being real with us because, honestly, we need it. We need more real sides of both all aspects of life business, babies going to the bathroom, whatever it is. We're going to be real about it, so glad that you're here to chat with us today, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Sure thanks, Jess Thanks so much.
Speaker 1:What's up, sis? I am so glad we could hang out today. If you love this episode, send it to a friend or share it on your social media and tag me so I can personally thank you for helping me sprinkle some confidence in the world. And don't forget you are magic. Let's show the world your shine.
