Meet OMC Collective Member, Kelsey Alford. Kelsey is a Holistic Sleep Consultant and Owner of Nested Sleep.
How long have you lived in the Seattle area? Where are you from/why did you move here? What do you do for a living? Have you always done this?
My name is Kelsey and I’m the owner of Nested Sleep. I moved to Seattle in 2018 from Northern Virginia when I was 7 months pregnant with my second child for an amazing opportunity for my husband’s job.
I am a pediatric nurse practitioner with my doctorate in nursing and prior to starting my business, I worked in the field of sleep medicine. After staying home with my two kids for about a year I was interested in going back to work but knew I wanted to merge my clinical expertise with my passion for family support. I started Nested Sleep in the summer of 2019 and love working 1:1 with families to provide sleep education and sleep support to babies and children 0-18 years.
What does living a fulfilled and happy life mean to you?
Finding a balance between my passions and motherhood/family life brings my heart joy. Some days it’s 80/20 other days it’s 50/50, but I continue to work to keep a balance.
Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you?
Lately, I have been doing morning or walking meditations through an app called the mindful mama’s app. In it, they end with this mantra, which I try to say to myself daily, “ May I live in deep gratitude for the blessing that is my life”.
Do you have a morning routine? What does it entail?
I get up at 5:30 am and get ready, meditate, have a warm cup of coffee, and then do some work before the kiddos get up. It took a pandemic for me to realize the importance of this morning routine, but since starting it I am a much happier person throughout the day because I had time just for myself.
What helps you feel calm & centered?
Meditating, exercising (yoga, pilates, and barre3), and connecting with friends and family.
What does success mean to you? How do you balance being an entrepreneur and a mom?
Success is meeting your goals. Goals don’t have to be grand, but it helps to set a bar for myself and my business. Like I said above, the balance isn’t always perfect, but it’s important to remember that we were never meant to parent alone. Asking for help both professionally and personally has really helped my business grow.
How has motherhood affected/changed/shaped your career path?
Motherhood has allowed me to think outside the box when it comes to a career. I never thought I would own my own business, but I’m loving that I can set aside hours to work and hours to be with my kids.
Did you have an ah-ha moment when you knew you were ready to become a mom? Did your spouse?
When I was “ready” to become a mom and when I became a mom were a few years apart, but I learned so much during that time of waiting. While it was hard while I was on the journey I can’t imagine anything different looking back. I feel incredibly blessed to be a mama to my two babies.
What did you think of motherhood before you became a mother?
I have some amazing mom role models in my life so I always have had a positive image of motherhood. I think most of the image has aligned well mentally, but I don’t think I understood how physically demanding motherhood would be on my body! Thankfully I have surrounded myself with amazing practitioners, chiropractors, and fitness coaches to guide me along on this path.
What core values do you want to teach your child?
Have kindness, empathy, be humble, and always have a sense of humor.
What are the unique differences about being a mom in Seattle?
I think compared to other areas I’ve lived, moms in Seattle are outside, a lot! Being a rainy area I didn’t expect that, but everyday rain or shine I’m out there (in some adorable hunter boots of course).
What are some of your favorite activities to do with your kids/family?
We live in Magnolia so we go to Discovery Park at least once a week. It’s amazing I can live this close to the city and be running through fields with my kids! It still takes my breath away every time.
What makes you most excited about being a part of Om Mama Co.?
I love the community we have! We all support each other, from the business side to the mama meetups. As I said earlier “we were never meant to parent alone” so having a network of other like-minded mamas to walk this walk with you is incredibly special.
Follow along with Kelsey on Instagram
