Life & Work with Jaynene Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaynene Smith.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Giving birth is a natural process; I’m passionate about supporting birthing persons with their childbirth options. I am a traveling doula… Sacral Pearls BirthWork is an extension of my experiences and commitment to consciously contribute to the achievement of positive outcomes for birthing persons, especially BIPOC and military-affiliated families. Birthing persons should receive evidence-based, non-judgmental support – their way.

I’m a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant who personally provided emotional support to at least three (3) of my soldiers during their labor and delivery experiences because they had no other family or support available at the installation where we were stationed. Certified as an Army Master Fitness Trainer; I designed and supervised special exercise sessions to ensure that women in my units safely recovered physically from childbirth as they gradually returned to regular physical training requirements.

In addition to serving in the community, I volunteered to assist military families and mentored mothers-to-be while serving overseas. As a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, I supervised operations at the Stork’s Nest sponsored by the March of Dimes and the Sorority during my tenure as Chapter President, serving civilian and military families in El Paso, TX and surrounding cities. My daughter, Asia C. Smith, affectionately refers to me as the ‘Mother of Pearl’.

Asia is the owner and CEO of Pearled Buddha, LLC, a holistic health and wellness company headquartered in Mesa, Arizona. Sacral Pearls BirthWork is an extension of our desire to provide holistic, respectful, and compassionate support to birthing persons, their babies, and partners. It was her birth that actually ignited my passion for maternal health advocacy and the importance of empowering birthing persons during their most vulnerable moments during labor and delivery.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve never forgotten my experience as a U.S. Army non-commissioned officer giving birth alone while my husband was still overseas. An off-duty nurse stayed with me and encouraged me during my difficult 36-hour labor.

The kindness and reassurance of the woman who stayed well past her shift to support me were calming; her guidance and confidence that I could indeed see the birthing process through were empowering. I think it was then, years ago, that I subconsciously knew I wanted to be that same anchor for others.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a BEST Certified birth doula, I assist birthing persons and their partners to have a positive and safe birth experience. Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a birthing person before, during, and shortly after childbirth to help clients achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. A doula is not a medical professional and does not provide treatment or perform medical exams. A doula’s role and agenda are tied exclusively to the birthing person’s agenda, and their responsibility is to the birthing person.

I began to learn about the doula profession on my own, began asking other doulas about their experiences, and decided to obtain formal certification training. One of the experienced BIPOC doulas I reached out to is now my mentor. I’m hooked! It’s so rewarding to earn a living from pursuing your passion and make a positive difference for birthing persons and their support partners during such a personal experience.

I’m most proud of my passion for volunteerism and how I’ve instilled the same passion in my children. I live by ‘I’ve learned how to give because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing.’ Born in Charleston, SC, and raised in Washington, DC, I’m a military ‘brat’ and joined the U.S. Army for opportunities to attend college, travel, and have a successful career. I am a cybersecurity professional and spent my military career serving in a myriad of assignments, in various locations, developing my technical knowledge, gaining lifelong friendships and mentors along the way.

It’s a family affair… My husband, Jesse J. Smith, also a U.S. Army retiree and educator, has been my biggest supporter and has always encouraged me to pursue my passion. My sons, David and Jesse II are both successful, health-conscious professionals. My daughter, owner, and CEO of Pearled Buddha, LLC, is also my teacher, incorporating holistic wellness practices such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork into my doula practice; she will join me as a doula in May 2022. Creating a legacy of service, commitment to wellness, and assisting others to achieve it with dignity and compassion is what I hope my clients remember about their experience with me during their respective birth experiences.

I have a B.S. in Information Management, an MBA, and a Masters in Education with a concentration in Curriculum Development. I’m a lifelong student and am focused on completing my Doctorate Degree with Grand Canyon University. I hope to contribute to the body of work on improving maternal outcomes for BIPOC birthing persons. I’ve incorporated my love for travel, passion for maternal health, holistic wellness, and the fulfillment of assisting others to achieve their goals into Sacral Pearls BirthWork.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I am a life-long learner. I’m continually learning about the disparities in health care for BIPOC and how systemic racism contributes to maternal mortality. With medical technological advances and state-of-the-art facilities, black women are still almost four (4) times more likely to die in pregnancy or birth. A sobering and sad statistic…

My doula mentor, Jazzmine Brooks, a full spectrum doula and owner of Jai Olive Wellness, and a member of the Iowa Black Doula Collective, represents, educates, and connects with birthing persons of color. I meet with her regularly to assist in honing my doula skills, incorporating best business practices, and growing my client base.

I continue to connect with other doulas from all walks of life via social media, various podcasts, and training workshops to share knowledge and integrate best practices to provide my clients and their partners with outstanding support. In addition to doula services, I’ll offer Childbirth Education Classes and Placenta Encapsulation services beginning in April 2022.

Sacral Pearls BirthWork is honored to do this sacred work by providing holistic evidence-based support and care to birthing persons, their babies, and support partners. Sacral Pearls BirthWork and Pearled Buddha, LLC work in tandem to lovingly balance and support the birthing person’s Mind, Body, and Soul before, during, and after birth.

Contact Info:

• Email: sacralpearls@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.pearledbuddha.com/new-page-1
• Instagram: @sacral_pearls_birthwork
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacralpearlsbirthwork