Andi Thomas
Newborn Care & Sleep 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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.