We recently connected with Sabrina Trueblood and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sabrina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

Corporate America doesn’t truly support working mothers. They take away roles from pregnant mothers, place limits to their rising star, and punish them for prioritizing family. When I was pregnant with my son working at a big consulting firm, I was assigned to a new project when I was 8 months pregnant. The project knew I was pregnant but I guess seeing me in person rubbed them the wrong way. I was assigned on a Friday morning and completed my first day. The following Monday, I showed up to work and as I sat to check my email, I read an email I wasn’t expecting. Somehow this project, that had been looking for a resource for months, suddenly filled the role internally. The role that I just accepted the previous business day. I guess hearing about the resource being pregnant is very different from seeing the baby. What was even worse? The project manager I met that Friday on my first day, was a woman. That lack of support continues after pregnancy and when the baby is born. You normally do not receive the support needed for a breastfeeding parent, which normally leads to the parent allowing their personal parental goals to go to the bin. It is unfortunate that the organizations that people dedicate their life’s work to, normally put them in a situation where they have to choose work over family.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a problem solving, process creating, tech loving lactation professional. I am a Certified Lactation Counselor and Lactation Program Manager who came into this love filled venture through personal experience. When I had my son, I didn’t have the support I needed. I was so nervous and scared because breastfeeding was completely new for me. I had never seen anyone breastfeed in my family or in person. Luckily, my husband’s family normalized breastfeeding and they were a great support system. I found an online Facebook group about breastfeeding and that community was such an amazing resource! There were so many knowledgeable and evidence based lactation professionals in there. They inspired me. With all the learning I was doing, I was passing on that information to my circle of friends and extended community. I decided to equip myself with verified sources and decided to become a CLC – Certified Lactation Counselor. I needed that certification to become more empowered with my decisions and to fight against anyone who tried to deter me. I love being able to be that source of evidence based knowledge to mothers seeking info during such a vulnerable time of parenthood. I decided to build my company The Aladun Tree. Aladun in the Yoruba language meaning sweet nourishment. I chose Yoruba to honor my West African ancestral roots.

At The Aladun Tree, we are dedicated to elevating the lactation intelligence of both individuals and organizations, fostering a world where unwavering support for lactating parents is intentionally woven into every step of their journey, from inception to completion. As a Certified Lactation Counselor, I’m dedicated to comprehensive education and tailoring a personalized plan to your specific needs and goals. As your company’s Lactation Program Manager, I bring over 12 years of program management experience, complemented by my Lactation Counselor certification, and will spearhead the creation or enhancement of your company’s lactation programs to support resources today and in the future.

I am most proud of my fight to continue to curate my family’s path on the path less taken. I can be very comfortable in my carefully selected environment. Shaking things up and taking big risks is something I used to shy away from. Now, I take a risk everyday building a valuable company and purpose from scratch. That makes me feel very proud. When people think of The Aladun Tree, I want them to think of Support, Empowerment, and Education for moms. To possess the freedom to simultaneously be successful in their careers, parenting decisions and life choices; without having to sacrifice beyond recognition.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

A couple days after I gave birth, a family member was planting extreme seeds of doubt in me regarding my ability to breastfeed. They were telling me info to try to convince me that I was not going to be successful in breastfeeding and that I was starving my child. One time they pressured me to pump in front of them so I can prove that I indeed was making milk. During that pumping session that I begrudgingly did, I didn’t produce much milk. I was so overwhelmed and worried, that I took my son to the ER at less than a week old to ensure they weren’t being harmed. Thankfully at the hospital they reassured me that my son was perfectly fine and to take him home and get him out of that hospital. That incident almost broke my resolve to continue breastfeeding. However, I accepted the support my husband and his family were giving me. The support my friends were giving me. The support that other close family members were giving me. I used that support and my choice to educate myself and ending up nursing my son until after he turned 4 years old. It was the most beautiful journey and I am so happy my resilience led me down this path.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The longer I stayed in my corporate job as a IT Consulting Manager, the more I realized I was drowning while being taken advantage of. I became an involuntary firefighter. The great work I was doing was absolutely being recognized and I began to have the reputation of being a great fixer. I began to be placed on projects that were on fire so I can put the fire out. I was assigned to projects because they knew I would get these derailed projects back on track. These projects were over budget, under staffed, and delayed. Having to be put on the corporate front line with clients was exhausting. I was hoping those types of projects would be one offs, but it became a pattern. Even when I voiced my concern and overwhelm, I was still placed in the fire. During the Pandemic there were some newly instated company rules that were mandated that I disagreed with. I had to make the choice of doing what I felt was right for me as an individual vs caving into what this organization was directing me to do. If I did not comply, I would lose my job. I chose me. That choice led me to digging deep into The Aladun Tree and begin building a purposeful life that I wanted.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thealaduntree.com
• Instagram: thealaduntree
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thealaduntree
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-aladun-tree/

Image Credits
Danielle Flowers Photography