Team Member Spotlight! Meet Jenna Forester IBCLC

Jenna has been with Doulas of Capitol Hill since 2017 serving families in Northern Virginia and DC with warmth, expertise, and compassion.

1. When did you find your Passion, or when did it find you?I started off my career as a Labor and Delivery Nurse 10 years ago.  I’ve always loved Women’s Health and after my first experience in a delivery room as a nursing student, I knew it’s what I wanted to do!  I worked Labor and Delivery for several years, during which time I had my first child. During this time, I saw how hard breastfeeding could be! I was really lucky to have a great friend who was a great support for me and I realized we needed more people like that!  During the next few years, while working at an OB/Gyn office, I obtained my IBCLC. Since then, I’ve been working helping breastfeeding families meet their breastfeeding goals! I truly love my work!

2. If a kid walked up to you asking for your advice and you only had a few minutes to give ‘em your best tip, what would it be? Don’t sweat the little stuff!

3. What makes you proud of yourself?My ability to continue learning and help families!

4. What do you love about your life?I love my family and my job! My children, Isabelle and Caroline, bring me unsurmountable joy (and sometimes frustration!), and I feel very fortunate to be their Mom.

5. What did you want to be when you grew up?When I was younger, I wanted to be a nurse, then went to college to become a veterinarian, eventually changing gears and getting my Bachelor’s in Nursing.

6. What are your top three values?Respect, Authenticity, Compassion

7. Tell me about your favorite book or movie.I just finished listening to Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming” and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!  It was inspirational hearing about her background growing up, and her family values and how she became to be who she is today.  It’s very inspiring to hear how someone with a background not terribly different from many people, went on to do such amazing and incredible things.

8. How do you like to be told you’re doing a good job?My biggest compliment is when a family tells me I helped them reach a breastfeeding goal.  These can look different for everyone, but breastfeeding was an experience I truly enjoyed with both of my children, so to help other women meet their own goals is why I do what I do!

9. If you had any superpower, what would it be?To make laundry do itself, including folding and putting away – haha

10. How would you describe your style?I try to meet families where they are in both their breastfeeding journey and their short and long term goals.  Breastfeeding goals look different for everyone, so I pride myself on coming up with an individualized plan for each family.   I recently completed a Master Class training on Oral Habilitation and learned so many new things and new ways to help families.  It was so exciting to be able to now have even more tools and strategies to use during consults!

11. Describe yourself in 5 words Easy going, happy, friendly, passionate

Jenna and her family are life-long Hokie’s!