We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sydney White. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Sydney , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
As a mom of two young children and a business owner, every day is a little different. Each day usually begins with a run before my kids are awake. As a lifelong runner, running has always been my favorite way to center my mind. I’m currently pregnant with our third baby who is due in the spring, and every day that I get to continue to run is a win. On the day that I see clients, it’s the usual morning rush to get our two preschoolers, who are 4 and almost 3 years old, ready to go. I make sure to get everything together for a morning of seeing clients or meeting with local providers to take advantage of the time that my kids are in preschool. During my drives to home visits, I change gears from being “mom” to thinking ahead about the home visit I have ahead of me so that I can be present and attentive, so each client receives my best. Once I wrap up home visits for the morning, I pick up my preschoolers, and hear about their morning playing with friends. While my kids have quiet rest time, I spend quality time charting each visit, following up with clients, and doing any administrative work that needs to be done. Once my kids are awake, we usually head back outside and play until dinner time. I work hard to be fully present with whoever is in front of me, whether it is my children, another provider I’m meeting with, or a new mom who I’m seeing for a home visit. Every day, I am so grateful to be doing two jobs that I love – being a mom to my two (almost three!) children, and working as a lactation consultant supporting new moms and their babies.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Sydney White, and I’m a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and mom to two (almost three!) children who are 4 and under. My career began as a Registered Nurse, beginning in a highly-specialized neurosurgery/ENT acute care setting, and transitioning into Mother/Baby which is where I fell in love with supporting new families. Most of the questions new moms and families had were about how to feed their babies. While there, I got to work alongside amazing IBCLCs who took every opportunity to teach me about how to better support our patients. My interest in lactation was sparked while working in Mother/Baby, but it wasn’t until the birth of my first child that I experienced firsthand the impact that a lactation consultant can have on your experience as a new mom. After my second child was born, I pivoted from working bedside as an RN to founding Cradle & Latch, LLC and working as a private practice IBCLC.
The mission of Cradle & Latch is for every mother and family to feel equipped with knowledge and confidence to make informed and supported feeding decisions for their baby. As a mom of two young children myself, I intimately understand the need for continual support and encouragement, appreciating the uniqueness of each breastfeeding journey. My personal and professional experiences drive my commitment to make a positive impact on the lives of the families I serve. My experience as a Registered Nurse informs how I see my role as an IBCLC as part of a broader collaborative team. I work hard at developing relationships with local providers of other specialties so that my clients receive the holistic coordinated care they deserve. Additionally, I’ve recently contracted with several insurance providers to provide more accessible lactation care. I’m excited for this new chapter at Cradle & Latch!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I would have generally characterized myself as more of a “follower” than a “leader.” I found myself placed in leadership roles despite my belief; often placed as a group leader in class, chosen for a leadership conference in middle school, and later the captain of our cross country team and track team in high school. I assumed there was someone better or more equipped that “should” be in these leadership roles.
During my first nursing job, I struggled with the confidence to speak up and say something was wrong, especially if someone was more senior or experienced than me. Still, becoming a mother, and now owning my own business has helped me to become more confident in what I have to offer. I know there is always room for improvement, but I have come to realize that my unique approach, background, and skill set is very valuable. I can trust my experience and instincts, and do not have to feel inferior to those I admire.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Once I set my mind to something, there is no way that I will not accomplish it. However, when I was in nursing school, I began to really doubt that I was made to be a nurse. In our BSN program at the University of Virginia, the first three semesters are all coursework with no clinical placements. It is not until the fourth semester that you get to work with real people in hospital and clinic settings. As someone who has to work very hard and study arduously in order to do well on exams, I was having a hard time leaning on my coursework grades to tell me how well I was doing. Specifically, in my third semester, during the pathophysiology course, I was struggling badly. So much so, that my professor started talking about what it would look like if I had to re-take that semester of pathophysiology, which would mean an additional year of nursing school. To say I was stressed would be putting it lightly. Since all my feedback about what kind of nurse I would be so far was reliant upon exam grades, I was beginning to question if I was actually meant to be a nurse. Thankfully, with great effort and a thoughtful tutor, I passed that semester of pathophysiology, and the next semester, entered my first clinical rotation. I began working with neurology patients, which would incidentally be a similar population that I would work with later, in my first job as an RN. Thankfully that semester, my clinical instructor gave me incredibly positive feedback on my clinical skills and bedside manner, which I took as an extreme compliment since she was a straight-shooter from New Jersey. I finally began to believe that I was made to be a nurse, and I would be a great one after completion of nursing school. I’m grateful for my clinical instructor who helped me see that who I would be as a nurse was so much more than what exam grades reflected. And I have to say – for my second semester of the pathophysiology course, I passed with an A- 😉
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you’re familiar with the Ennegram, I am a type 6, which is also called the Loyalist. Loyalty to the people I love is most important to me, starting with my relationship with God, then my husband and children, my family, and my friends. I want to bend over backwards to make sure the people I love know how much I care for them.
Aside from my personal relationships, I deeply care about my work with the mothers and families that I get to work with. I seek to go above and beyond in how I support them. That is evident in how I continue to perfect my skills, educate myself, and seek to build connections with other professionals. In my personal and professional life, I care deeply about doing something 110%, doing it well, and giving my best every time.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Ha, I love this question! I did tap dance when I was younger, so I can really visualize it! I would say I’m definitely in my tap dancing era – I am passionate about what I do as an IBCLC, and consider it an honor to sit beside new mothers and their babies to support them. I feel like I’ve found what I was made to do as an IBCLC, and the fact that I can still be a full time and present mom for my own children at the same time is such a gift. There are many days where it is not easy balancing being a full time mom and business owner, but to know that I get the privilege to do two jobs that I’m passionate about simultaneously makes me want to put those tap dancing shoes on!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cradleandlatch.com
- Instagram: @cradleandlatch
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-white-bsn-rn-ibclc-3b9a15170
- Facebook: @cradleandlatch
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cradleandlatch
Image Credits
CAPTIS Visuals
