Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Prentice. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Laura, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I had been attending births as a doula for a few years when I got the opportunity to work at a birth center in the Rio Grande Valley. I taught childbirth education, wrote grants, and attended births. Simultaneously, I was learning about autonomous, woman-centered birth outside the medical system, also known as freebirth. I got really excited about the number of women giving birth on their own terms and in the safety and comfort of their own homes. While teaching childbirth education at the birth center, I realized that there was a huge chasm between where most women are in terms of connection to their intuition and where they need to be in order to trust themselves enough to give birth in power. I desperately wanted to help bridge that gap. It was around that time that I learned about Fertility Awareness, the practice of observing a woman’s fertile signs to know whether she is in her fertile window or not. This information can then be used for contraception, achieving pregnancy, or gauging hormone health. I had been loosely charting my own menstrual cycle for a few years but once I learned more about the specifics of Fertility Awareness, I realized that it was the (or at least one) key to deep bodily connection. In that moment I knew I wanted to share this information with as many women as possible. Shortly thereafter, I stopped attending births and got trained as a Fertility Awareness Educator. I shifted my focus and now teach Fertility Awareness for contraception, helping women achieve pregnancy, and overall hormonal health. While I loved being in the world of birth, teaching Fertility Awareness really makes me come alive! I’m so passionate about helping all women connect to the wisdom of their bodies, whether they choose to get pregnant and give birth or not.

Laura, 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 a cycle educator. I teach Fertility Awareness to women and body literacy to girls.

Fertility Awareness is an amazing way for women to connect deeply to their bodies by knowing where they are in their menstrual cycles and whether they are fertile or not. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not possible for women to get pregnant just any old day of the month. Many women who come to me have tried other options for contraception (the pill, the copper or hormonal IUD, etc.) and are unhappy with the short and long-term side effects, some of which include mood disorders, heavy menstrual bleeding, acne, diabetes, cancer, blood clots, stroke, and osteoporosis. These women are done with pharmaceutical birth control but don’t know where to turn. Fertility Awareness offers a completely drug-free way to prevent (or achieve!) pregnancy by simply observing a few body signs.

I work with women, both online and in-person, to help them feel totally confident in using the Fertility Awareness Method for contraception. Many women also use their Fertility Awareness chart as a means of gauging their hormonal health. They may notice that something is going on and bring their chart with them to see a provider, which allows them to catch any issues much earlier than they otherwise might. I have personally used Fertility Awareness as a way to gauge my own thyroid levels and hormonal health. It’s been an amazing and freeing tool to have in my back pocket and to share with others. I have many clients who have gotten off of the hormonal birth control pill or removed their IUDs and been able to successfully transition to using Fertility Awareness as their primary form of contraception. To me, not having to rely on the medical system for preventing pregnancy is an important part of body autonomy, and I’m very proud to support women in stepping into that power and self-responsibility.

In addition to my work with women, I also lead girls’ circles and classes on the menstrual cycle and the transition from girlhood to womanhood. The girls learn the basics of Fertility Awareness and gain a deep understanding of the magic of their bodies. I’m SO passionate about sharing this information with young girls and teens. The root of so many health and social issues women face down the road could be avoided by developing a deeper understanding of and respect for their bodies as girls. To facilitate this, I lead a mother-daughter menstrual cycle class for 9-12 year olds and a teen series for older girls. Though these classes are aimed at different age groups, the goal is the same: to help girls develop a reverence for their bodies and have a space to ask questions without shame. I am also starting an ongoing girls’ circle every month (starting in July 2022) as a space for girls to learn how to support each other and share what’s going on in their lives. While the classes are more instructional, the circles are more for checking in and support.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

When I first started in the field of women’s health and reproductive health education, I was a bit unfocused, trying to be everything to everyone. Over the past few years I have learned the importance of two things: having a clear focus and being able to articulate that focus well to my clients.

I didn’t not realize how much there was to learn about marketing, but developing greater marketing skills and brand awareness have helped me in my work immensely. And truly, it all comes back to having a clear focus and conveying what I’m doing to my ideal clients. Knowing what I am doing, who I am serving, and why has led to greater confidence and clarity of purpose. I am not here to serve everyone, but rather to help those who can really benefit from my work and knowledge. That has been really freeing.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I recently noticed a hesitation to posting on social media outlets for my business. I had lost my drive and could not come up with any creative things to say. I had taken social media marketing classes and felt burdened by the pressure of posting, rather than excited about sharing what I had to say. I decided to take a social media break during the winter months and reassess what I wanted my online (and in-person) work to look like. As soon as I made that choice I received more client bookings and got new ideas for the direction I wanted my business to take in the coming months and years. The social media break ended up being longer than I anticipated but highly beneficial in the long term. I made the choice to prioritize in-person group classes in my community rather than online ones, and developed a more concrete marketing and financial plan.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beldamwomancare.com
• Instagram: @beldamwomancare
• Facebook: facebook.com/beldamwomancare