Paulson moved to Cincinnati while still a middle schooler and attended Cincinnati Christian School. Her parents, both from bigger cities, wanted to be closer to a larger metro area. But Paulson said it was hard for her to move.
“Cincinnati seemed like New York City to me,” Paulson said. “And I missed my friends.”
But Paulson eventually adjusted, graduating high school and returning to the place she considered home to attend Bowling Green University. She majored in English and creative writing and had developed a passion for poetry.
“Poetry is about seeing the things that are difficult to put into words,” Paulson said. “I was writing poems from a young age.”
Paulson graduated from college in 2000 and returned to Cincinnati, where she married and began teaching English at a local community college. As the years passed, Paulson, who had four children, decided to become a stay-at-home mom. But though she was fulfilled by her decision, she often wondered about having her own business, which would provide an income and flexibility.
“I knew I wanted a big family,” Paulson said. “I took a lot of classes and read up on childbirth to prepare for the birth of my children.”
After her first birth in a hospital ended with a C-section delivery of her daughter, Giovanna, Paulson knew she wanted to do something different with subsequent babies.
“My first birth wasn’t necessarily negative, but it was challenging having major abdominal surgery and then trying to recover and take care of a baby,” she said.
With her second pregnancy, Paulson hoped for a vaginal birth but was naturally concerned about how a hospital birth might proceed. She decided to look into hiring a doula.
“I didn’t know anything about doulas then,” Paulson said. “A friend recommended a doula to help me achieve my goals. I wasn’t prepared and didn’t know how to advocate for myself, so it was important that I find help.”
Paulson’s second birth experience was much more positive. She delivered a ten-pound baby boy, Quentin, unmedicated. After that, she felt like she could conquer the world. She decided never to give birth without a doula by her side.
Doulas are trained professionals who support mothers before and after their pregnancies and during delivery. They are not healthcare providers, but they do offer physical and emotional support.
“For my third birth, I learned HypnoBirthing,” Paulson said. “It’s a method that utilizes the mind/body connection and our own ability to calm and center ourselves.”
Paulson’s third birth experience was calmer and less painful as a result. She delivered 8-and-a-half-pound Isabella early and described it as “joyful, exciting, beautiful and peaceful.”
In 2006, Paulson became a certified doula herself, and three years later, she earned a license as a HypnoBirthing educator. In 2011, Paulson delivered her fourth child at home – her son Sebastian.
“Doulas are there for all the needed nonclinical support,” Paulson said. “We support the woman and her partner, so they don’t have to worry about the coaching process as much.”
During Paulson’s fourth pregnancy, her doula was there for her six months prior to the birth. She also had two midwives present at the birth to help with needed medical care.
In 2015, Paulson was divorced, effectively upending her life as a stay-at-home mom to four children, two of whom had medical needs.
“When my marriage ended, I found myself alone with four kids and immediately thought I couldn’t be a doula anymore,” Paulson said.
But she wasn’t ready to give up her passion to help other women completely. She teamed up with two other doulas and decided to take it one day at a time. She started taking on more clients and building relationships. She was paying her bills and started dating again. Then she experienced a tragedy in the form of a house fire, which forced the family into a hotel.
“When I look back at that time, I see an army of women, mostly doulas, who helped me get my kids to school whenever I needed them,” Paulson said. “I figured out that this was my job (as a doula) and it broke my heart to think about leaving it.”
Paulson met Scott Paulson, a Centerville-Washington Twp. trustee. When the couple married, they decided Paulson would make the move to Centerville with her four children.
“I was excited to move,” Paulson said. “We love it and our kids (including two stepchildren) love the schools and community.”
Paulson started her LLC – Nurture, almost 20 years ago. She opened a brick-and-mortar location in Cincinnati with her husband Scott last year.
“Nurture is a full circle of support,” Paulson said. “We offer many different natural birth options, and it’s been overwhelming to hear all the positive comments from families. They are why we do what we do.”
Visit Nurture online at welcometonurture.com.
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