We were lucky to catch up with Kelli Blinn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kelli, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

My first experience supporting someone in labor wasn’t a job in any official sense—I had no credentials, formal title, training, or paycheck.

But in January 2008, I was invited into something far more meaningful. One of my closest friends welcomed me into her home for the birth of her third baby—her first planned home birth. She knew I’d long been fascinated by all things pregnancy and childbirth, and she generously offered me a front-row seat to something I’d only read about or imagined.

Neither of us could’ve predicted what that moment would spark. Watching a baby draw its first breath is something words can’t quite contain—it’s humbling, breathtaking, and endlessly profound. Seeing the shift in my friend—the way she moved through the rawness and intensity of labor into tenderness and awe once that baby was placed on her chest—left an imprint on me that I’ll carry forever.

I didn’t realize how much I needed to witness birth before experiencing it myself. I didn’t know how tranquil and instinctive labor could be when left to unfold in a familiar, undisturbed environment. That day painted a new picture of what birth could look like—soft, steady, supported, and deeply powerful.

To see one human deliver another into the world is never something I take lightly. It’s intimate, spiritual, wild, and tender all at once. I’ll always be grateful that my friend invited me to witness something so personal and profound—an unfiltered glimpse into the extraordinary.

Kelli, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Kelli—a Columbus-born doula, childbirth educator, and lifelong lover of meaningful conversation, good playlists, and sharing a good meal as a form of connecting with someone. I support growing families through one of life’s most vulnerable, powerful, and unforgettable transitions: giving birth.

I’ve been fascinated by pregnancy and childbirth since the age of 10, and after attending a friend’s home birth in 2008, something shifted in me. Watching her labor in her own space—with trust, autonomy, and calm—was the spark. From that day on, I knew I wanted to help more people experience birth that way: on their terms, with their preferences at the center.

Now, I offer full-spectrum labor support as a doula, and I teach a self-paced, online childbirth education course called Your Birth, Your Options: Make Informed Choices with Confidence. It’s designed for people who want more than the cookie-cutter hospital class. When people understand their choices, I believe they feel less fear and more clarity. That kind of clarity leads to better communication with providers, more satisfaction with the birth experience, and fewer regrets.

In addition to birth doula support, I offer private, in-person classes on childbirth education and newborn care. It’s a privilege to walk alongside families during such life-altering moments—welcoming a baby, stepping into parenthood, navigating the unknown. No two days look the same, and that’s part of what I love most. Every client brings their own story, energy, and questions to the table. It keeps the work dynamic, meaningful, and anything but routine.

The clients who find me are intelligent, curious, and slightly overwhelmed by the pressure to be “good patients.” They want to do birth differently but are unsure where to start. I help them cut through the noise, trust their gut, and show up to birth feeling grounded and fully in charge.

What sets me apart? I don’t sugarcoat things. I talk to my clients like I would a friend—honestly, respectfully, and with a dash of humor. I’ve been known to pack a mean hospital bag and throw a meaner postpartum meal train. But mostly, I show up with presence and heart. And I believe every single person deserves to feel seen, respected, and be in the driver’s seat during birth.

What am I most proud of? Helping people come out of birth feeling proud of themselves, no matter how their story unfolds. There’s nothing like watching someone cross that invisible threshold—one version of themselves giving way to another. It never gets old.

If you take away one thing from my work, I hope it’s this: You have options—more than you’ve been told. And you deserve to know them before the first contraction hits.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the version of birth I was taught growing up—the overly sanitized, medicalized, and often fear-based version that most of us were quietly fed through TV shows, health class, and well-meaning adults. The kind where your water breaks dramatically, you rush to the hospital, and a doctor tells you what to do every step of the way.

Over time—through study, mentorship, experience, and lots of listening—I’ve had to rewrite that narrative for myself. I’ve learned that birth doesn’t have to be chaotic or clinical. It can be intuitive. It can be slow. It can be messy and sacred and shockingly calm. I’ve taught myself to see birth as a physiological, whole-person event—not a medical one. That shift changed everything.

While I intentionally bring all that knowledge and perspective to the table, I have to remind myself that each client I support is stepping into their story for the first time. Even if I’ve answered the same question a hundred times, it’s brand new to them. Their fear is real. Their concerns deserve fresh ears. I have to meet them right where they are, not where I’ve been with someone else.

Every birth is a first for that baby, that parent, and that version of the story. I carry what I’ve learned forward—but I try really hard not to let it make me jaded or dismissive. That balance is a practice, and it keeps me honest. It keeps me present. And it’s what makes this work deeply human, every single time.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think it comes down to how I treat people. Birth is deeply personal, and I don’t take it lightly when someone invites me into that space. I listen closely. I give honest answers. I hold space without judgment. And I’m a steady presence—before, during, and after the birth. That kind of consistency builds trust, and people feel that.

Word-of-mouth has been huge for me. The families I support often go on to tell their friends, sisters, or co-workers about their experience, and those personal referrals mean so much. I share a lot of free, real-talk content on social media and my blog, and that transparency has helped me connect with folks who are craving a more informed, grounded, and supported approach to birth.

I also think I’ve built a solid reputation by staying true to who I am. I’m not here to impress anyone with fancy jargon or force one kind of birth experience on someone. I meet people where they are and help them find their way forward—with clarity, confidence, and a bit of humor when it’s needed most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kelliblinn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doulakelliblinn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doulakelliblinn
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-blinn/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@doulakelliblinn

Image Credits

All photos taken by the delightful and amazing Megan Leigh Barnard!
https://meganleighbarnard.com/