Hello!
Hi, and welcome to my blog!
My name is Kortney, and I am a childbirth educator! Before I became a childbirth educator I grew up in a very small desert town in the High-Desert area of Southern California. Growing up in a small town is like growing up in a bubble, everything is black and white. I guess being young is like that too. I went off to a four year university in the Bay Area of Northern California and that bubble burst to reveal a full spectrum array of technicolor. Determined not to go back to that small bubble, I graduated in 2010 and managed to find a job in Orange County when the job market was bleak. I have lived in various parts of Orange County ever since! I now am a mother of two, a wife, and a full time employee in Risk Management for higher education. I have a love for K-dramas and K-pop, house plants, all the DIY things, puzzles, knitting/crocheting, sometimes it feels like I have an interest in everything. My passion, is birth… That is what the remainder of this post will be about (promise).
Why am I telling you all of this?? Our life experiences give us a lens in which we view the world through. Meaning, not all of us are looking through the same lens. My goal is to always keep that in mind as I share more about myself, my experiences, and knowledge on birth and parenthood in general. So with all of that out of the way let’s get into the birthy stuff!
My passion for all things birth started in 2018 when I was pregnant with my firstborn. I was afraid of birth based on what I saw in the media and what I heard from those around me. My mom had un-medicated births with both my brother and me, which was unheard of. I would ask her, how did you do it?! To which she would reply, the part that is the most intense only lasts for a short while and I knew it was what was best for you… With her words in my head, when birth became a reality, I knew there was so much I didn’t know. What do you do when you need to learn something? Get an education. I found a local birth class.
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That birth class forced me to come to terms with my fears surrounding birth. It gave me the opportunity to UN-learn everything I thought I knew about birth and RE-learn what birth really is. It is a physiological function, like taking air into your lungs — but also deeply personal and spiritual. I was blown away by how much knowledge society lacks when it comes to viewing birth as a “whole-body” experience, and how many options there actually are. There is so much power we hold within ourselves that we are not even aware of.
With that knowledge, a new passion was born. To educate everyone and anyone who wants to learn about the wonder that is birth and be empowered to make the best decision for themselves and their babies. Luminary Birth was born…
Stick around while I share my birth stories for each of my babies, my hot takes on pregnancy/birth/parenthood, debunk misconceptions, and build your confidence in trusting your intuition! I’m sure I will also be sharing my crafts, and other random passions.
If you find yourself wanting to take a birth class, I have in person group and one on one classes in Irvine, CA. I also have a virtual course in the works for a release in February 2023!! Be sure to check me out on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more content!
