Source: Courtesy of Ode To Us Wellness
Are you uncertain about embracing motherhood? Ode to Us Wellness offers a distinct service to assist you in making this life-altering decision. This maternal health hub, founded by Brittany Dandy, utilizes a unique approach to guide women through a mental wellness journey, helping them decipher if motherhood is the right path for them.
Whether you’re considering motherhood or are already a mother, Ode to Us Wellness has you covered. Through its Maybe Motherhood membership program, the organization offers a range of support, including coaching, financial planning, and a vibrant, supportive community. For existing mothers, Ode to Us Wellness provides a wealth of resources, clothing, stylish maternity wear that makes breastfeeding accessible, and other tools and products to enhance one’s motherhood or motherless journey.
Source: Courtesy of Ode To Us Wellness
Source: Courtesy of Ode To Us Wellness
The Inception of Ode To Us Wellness
Ode to Us Wellness was birthed from Dandy’s quest to figure out her parenting path. The young professional had sworn off motherhood and was only focused on cultivating her marketing career until she took a deep dive into her “no kids” decision. “For years, I’d been on the fence about children. One day, I became curious about why I felt that way,” explained Dandy. “From there came a period of self-discovery where I worked with several experts, a therapist, financial planner, fitness coach, and career mentor to help me navigate all the areas that needed support or clarity. Working with them led me to learn so much about myself that I began to reconsider my ‘child-free by choice’ stance.”
During her self-exploration process, Dandy not only found that she wanted kids but also learned that her initial decision not to have them came from the strain of being a caretaker to her now-deceased parents. “I was able to unpack the grief of losing my parents and reevaluate what success meant to me,” she said.
After awakening her maternal urge (and later birthing two beautiful children), Dandy decided to bless other women with guidance on their motherhood journey. With so many women either having children without being adequately prepared, being pressured by society to have children, or opting out of motherhood without a clear sense of why, Maybe Motherhood just may be the guiding light women need.
Source: Courtesy of Ode To Us Wellness
HelloBeautiful caught up with Dandy (just in time for Mother’s Day) to discuss the inspiration behind Ode to Us Wellness and how the organization has impacted women. Jump in below to get the scoop.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity purposes.
HelloBeautiful: Why do you think Ode To Us is necessary?
Brittany Dandy: Women want and deserve holistic family planning. They deserve a space that considers all aspects of their life mentally and physically while fostering self-exploration with less judgment and more ease. We’re normalizing the curiosity and uncertainty that comes with this transition by filling the gap between womanhood and motherhood with expert-led education, compassion, clarity, and choice.
What are some things your organization is doing to help combat the Black maternal mortality rate?
I believe education and early and intentional intervention are key! We want to reach women as early as the consideration phase to begin to educate them on topics like fertility and reproductive health, birth and postpartum care so they can advocate for themselves and ask all the right questions to ensure they are seen and heard.
Give us an example of an instance when you helped a woman discover that she wanted children. How did you help her come to that conclusion?
I‘ve had one long-term who had some uncertainty around motherhood and is now a new mom. I don’t know if our chats were the thing that ultimately led her to a decision, but that’s okay because I’m not in it to convince women to do anything. Our only goal is to give women clarity around points of concern and provide actionable steps toward what they feel they want at the time.
I can say that I’ve now consulted her at each phase of her journey (consideration, birth prep, and postpartum), and she’s expressed how important that personal support has been. It’s been a joy to watch her move confidently in her choices.
Is there a time when you or your experts helped advise a woman not to have a child or to stick to her child-free decision?
No, that’s not something I’d ever say or advise on. Women who enter the Maybe Motherhood program would first meet with our perinatal therapist, who would have them explore their current relationship with the idea of motherhood. From there, they chat with mindset coaches, career coaches and other experts to complete a series of exercises and gain clarity around a decision. We support whatever decision they land on and can help them navigate a way forward.
For someone who can’t afford to become a member of Maybe Motherhood but still seeks guidance on whether or not they should take that journey, what do you recommend they do?
We’re creating resources that will be accessible at various price points, some free to the public. We also plan to have a database of experts and professionals who they can reach out to for individual needs.
What’s some of the work you’re most proud of that Ode To Us has accomplished?
I’m most proud of our unique product development and positioning. We’ve offered women a new way to think about motherhood, inspired them to become curious about themselves, and created practical solutions. From holistic family planning to 4th-trimester resort wear for new moms, we’ve built and are still creating products and services that cater to women’s minds, bodies, and souls. This makes me proud!
Click here for more information on Ode To Us Wellness.
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