Meet Jennie Kishbaugh | RN BSN CBC LCCE

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

Hi Jennie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
To be honest, it started as a hobby! At the time I was working with a local hospital as a prenatal educator and breastfeeding counselor, but a lot had changed with the way we were able to connect with our students due to new guidelines after Covid-19. I was missing connection with new moms after another shutdown in 2021, and wanted to find a way to serve them. So I opened an instagram page to meet them where we all were- at home on our phones!

From there it has grown over the last two and half years, from a hobby I did for fun now to my own LLC! I have worked with hundreds of moms over the years and knew that something needed to change in the way moms prepare for postpartum. I knew if I could reach more moms while they are still pregnant and help them better understand the changes to come with the postpartum period, I could help them have a better experience and not feel so alone.

My most recent project is a text message based breastfeeding course called “Hello Breastfeeding.” This is not your typical online breastfeeding course- the video lessons are texted right to your phone each day! The majority of lessons are just 5 minutes or less and by the end of the 23 day period, you will have all the foundational knowledge you need for your breastfeeding experience. I am passionate about providing innovative resources for new moms, and this is just the beginning!

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?
Hello Jennie June LLC is here to change the way moms prepare for postpartum. I’m on a mission to help moms have a better understanding of postpartum before they even get there. We spend so much time preparing moms for how to prepare for baby, but not enough time preparing them for the changes they themselves will experience! The more we talk about the hardships of postpartum, the more moms realize they aren’t alone in it all. This past year I launched a podcast “Hello Fourth Trimester” all about bringing to light the norms of postpartum. Moms often are only exposed to the perfectly curated newborn sessions or the tragic headlines of postpartum depression overcoming a mom. There isn’t enough conversation around everything in between those two extremes. The podcast interviews moms to share their own postpartum story so we can begin to normalize what postpartum often looks like for moms.

My business grew out of my own struggles in postpartum. Doesn’t our pain often lead to our purpose? I had postpartum anxiety and OCD with my first daughter, then experienced postpartum depression after my second daughter. I didn’t know what “normal” was, and I didn’t know that what I was experiencing was common. I was the first of my friends and family to have a baby, so really felt like I was figuring it out on my own.

Before I ventured out into my own business, I got experience working with moms through our local hospital system. I worked in a postpartum unit as a registered nurse, taught childbirth and breastfeeding classes to expectant couples, and co-faciliated the breastfeeding support group. I also taught perinatal yoga classes for a season. All these experiences I had were stepping stones to where I am now, owning my own business. The biggest challenge I have faced is just learning how to do this- I do not have an entrepreneurial background! But I see every challenge as an opportunity for growth. You get to choose the mindset you face challenges with. Inevitably the challenges will come, so you might as well learn how to approach them with a positive one!

I think my biggest lesson I have learned along the way is that we each have our own path, and comparison will not help you get anywhere faster. Accept that each step of your journey is necessary to get you to where you need to go, whether that is a positive or negative experience. It’s all helping you grow.

What I most want people to know is that you aren’t alone in the struggles you face. I want postpartum moms who are in a hard season to know it does get easier.. and you may just find that the hard you are facing now is growing you into just the woman you were created to be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh that is fun to think about! Well we would have to start out our day at 317 in Hudsonville with an Acai bowl and favorite coffee drink. From there we would drive out to Saugatuck Dunes State Park to hike out to Lake Michigan. By the time we were done hiking, we would need to eat lunch and what better option than Cosmic Fries and cheese dip at HopCat in Holland! After lunch we would have time to browse the adorable shops in downtown Holland. After Holland we would drive to downtown Grand Rapids and stroll through Downtown Market. After that, we’d walk to Luna for margaritas and their chip flight with guacamole, queso, and salsa. Then we’d finish the night at San Chez for tapas! Oh wait- dessert! It sounds like my day revolves around food, so we can’t miss dessert. Walk to Kilwin’s for their Salted Caramel ice cream in a waffle cone. Then go back home to sleep and repeat the next day. Best day ever!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
What a great question! Because although I am currently a one-[wo]man band at Hello Jennie June LLC, I certainly didn’t get here on my own. Of course my husband and family deserve a shoutout, but since you mentioned book, I would love to share a title that helped me a lot in this process! “Make It Happen: Surrender your Fear. Take the Leap. Live on Purpose” by Lara Casey is actually what helped me form my initial thoughts around these dreams I have for my business. I first read it back in 2018 after coming out of a season of postpartum depression, and actually just reread it as I launched my breastfeeding course. Lara Casey is encouraging and relatable, sharing her honest journey through the ups and downs of living out the dreams you have for your life. Highly recommend!

Website: hellojenniejune.com

Instagram: instagram.com/hellojenniejune