In the Space Between Science and Soul: Why I Do This Work
My Journey
When I began my journey as a labour and delivery nurse, I didn’t just witness birth—I started asking deeper questions.
Why do some labours unfold with ease, while others struggle?
Why do so many women find breastfeeding difficult, when it’s something our bodies are built to do?
Why do we talk about prenatal care—but rarely about the state of a woman’s body before she ever conceives?
Over the years, I began to notice a pattern:
A woman’s hormonal health, nutrient stores, emotional state, physical state and stress load before pregnancy set the stage for everything that comes after.
“I didn’t just witness birth and loss in my patients — I carried them in my own story”
I had my first two children in my early twenties. Back then, I didn’t know what I didn’t know The births were fast and uncomplicated. No epidurals. No complications. But I also didn’t fully understand how my body worked. I didn’t realize how vital recovery was, or how postpartum experiences could ripple into future pregnancies—or even into menopause. I thought it was just luck.
Fourteen years later, at 36, I became pregnant again
This time, I entered with eyes wide open—and I also carried a new label: advanced maternal age, as defined by clinical obstetric guidelines
People warned me:
“You’re older now”
“This one will be harder”
“You’re high-risk"
But I felt stronger than ever—physically, mentally, emotionally. I had spent years learning how to support the female body. I was no longer walking blindly into motherhood—I was walking with intention.
The story continues…
And then, at 37, I became pregnant again. This time, the journey ended in a late miscarriage at 15 weeks.
No warning signs.
No clear explanation.
Just silence where there should have been a heartbeat.
That baby is still mine. I am a mother of six, but only five of my children are here with me today. One lives in my heart. Always.
“That loss changed me. I didn’t try to push through. I slowed down. I looked inward”
That loss changed me. I didn’t try to push through. I slowed down. I looked inward. I focused on nourishing my body, restoring what had been depleted, tending to my hormones, my nutrients and honoring the grief that doesn’t always have a voice.
That experience reshaped how I prepare for pregnancy—and how I care for the women I work with.
Why I share my story
Because informed care isn’t only about lab results. It’s about trust, compassion, and knowing your practitioner truly understands the journey.
In time, I conceived again.
Twice.
I went on to carry and birth two more beautiful babies
And at 40, I gave birth to my sixth child.
That pregnancy was healing—not because it was perfect, but because I entered it in alignment.
With my body. With my story. With my purpose.
Through it all, my roots were shaping me in ways I could not yet name. As a Mexican-Chinese woman, I was raised at the intersection of two rich traditions of healing— Asian medicine with its fragrant teas, nourishing broths, and daily rituals, and Mexican medicine with its earthy herbs, comforting soups, and sacred postpartum practices
“How you care for yourself now will shape how you age later”
Even though each tradition carried its own remedies and rituals, one truth was always the same: the postpartum window is a sacred invitation to heal. A time to rest. A time to replenish. A time to honor the body that has given so much.
"Pregnancy Wellness is built on the foundation of Preconception Health"
The Heart Behind My Practice
This truth lives in me still, and it flows into the way I care for every woman I walk alongside today
Throughout it all, my “Ma”—was my anchor and my first teacher in women’s wisdom
She passed down more than love
She gave me language for a kind of care I didn’t yet understand as medicine
She used to say, “Asi como te cuidas ahora, será como envejecerás después.” “ How you care for yourself now will shape how you age later”
At the time, I thought it was just a traditional saying passed down through generations. Now I see it for what it really was: Generational wisdom. Preventive medicine. A legacy of care.
Her words continue to guide me—not just as a mother, but as a practitioner.
Her teachings formed a loop of wisdom that now flows through me, and into every woman I support.
This is why I do this work.
Because fertility is not a diagnosis—it’s a reflection.
Because hormones are not just lab numbers—they’re messengers.
Because postpartum is not an afterthought—it’s the foundation for everything that comes next.
If any part of this story speaks to something inside you—if you feel like you’ve been navigating this alone, or like something has been missing—then I want you to know: you’re not broken. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
I invite you into this journey with me—one that honours where you’ve been, and helps you create what comes next.
Let’s walk this path together.
If you feel ready to take the next step, I welcome you to explore the Fertility & Pregnancy Wellness Program at Bello Wellness.
Let’s walk this path together