MOTHERHOOD IN FOCUS: Rachel Nicks On Choosing Joy & Supporting Black Mothers

This week, I'm hosting six conversations as part of a special series on motherhood here on Hurdle. Although I'm not a mom just yet, my talks with Hurdlers over the years have taught me so much about this life chapter. I've learned that motherhood itself is both beautiful and challenging, exhausting and rewarding. Whether or not children are in the cards for you, it's safe to say that we've all been dramatically impacted by a mother — whether it be our own or another — in our lives. So, leading up to Mother's Day, I'm chatting with six extraordinary women. Some moms. Some not. But, each has a story to tell, forever shaped by the women that came before them.

Today I’m chatting with Rachel Nicks, Founder of Birth Queen, Lululemon ambassador, founding MIRROR trainer, actress, doula, and lactation consultant (plus, mother of two!). A lot of takeaways with Rachel, my biggest are that joy is so so important, and we have the conscious choice to choose it each and every day. For Rachel, choosing joy empowers her to be a better mother and be more present with her boys. It also empowers her to show up at home and at work. Rachel also discusses the struggles that she faces as a Black mother, sharing some alarming statistics that encouraged her to become a doula and lactation consultant as well as founder of Birth Queen, which aims to educate, support, and empower Black women and parents, enriching the Black birth experience and saving lives.