Why Am I On Substack?
Answering All Your Top of Mind Questions. Who Am I? What Is Healing Childbirth? And How Will It Empower Women With Their Health And Improve The Birth Journey?
Welcome to Healing Childbirth!
I am so thrilled for this new beginning! This is post one, so it’s the best place to start for an overview. I will answer all your big questions here and along the journey I will go into more detail and answer more nuanced questions.
This is page one.
A clean slate.
A new beginning.
From this bold step, I am sure that things will transform quickly.
But first for perspective, let’s go back. Here’s a brief recap of the last five years writing my book.
Five years ago, I met with a dear friend in New York City at a cafe known for tea and cupcakes. We sipped tea and caught up on our lives. I was so excited to learn about her pregnancy. She shared candidly about how smooth her health was but mentioned a bump with firing her OB/GYN and moving to a midwifery practice months before her birth. This led me down a rabbit hole of curiosity. Quickly, I realized that not many women had shared the behind-the-scenes journey of motherhood with me. I didn’t know what midwifery was or that these unpleasant experiences with doctors - where women didn’t feel seen or heard - were common. I felt that I had missed an important rite of passage - I believed that this information should have been passed down to me and other women to prepare us all to become mothers one day.
My enthusiasm led me to research the childbirth process - and I researched voraciously. From there, I decided to write my first book! I was so excited. My background in helping women holistically fueled me to go deeper still - to interview women around the world to hear their whole journeys from conception through postpartum. Then, my passion grew again to welcome childbirth experts to learn from their perspectives.
Very quickly, I had over 75 interviews and it was clear that all of this could not be contained in one book; it was three books. I knew this was a mainstream topic that would benefit women internationally, so I set out to pursue traditional publishing. I took a course on how to become a bestseller. I worked with a consultant to improve my query letter, overview, marketing plan, and sample chapters. I submitted to agents but after months didn’t hear a response. Then, I asked a book coach to look over my book proposal. She gave notes and I edited and edited it for years. Again, I immersed myself in research and writing and continued expert interviews; but this time, I went deeper into how to sign with a literary agent and publish a book traditionally.
This process was taking longer than I expected. I thought it would take a couple of years max. But I will say that my book is richer because I followed the rhythm of this book and didn’t rush it. It has developed into a beautiful three-book series. More diverse and clearer than I ever imagined.
After I received notes from one book coach, I worked with another one-on-one to meticulously go over my proposal and writing. An editor helped me to polish my sample chapters. I applied and won a pitch contest with a literary agent which granted me a one-on-one call with her. In the meeting, she told me that I needed to grow my platform and become an authority in my field. Her words fueled me. She said, “Your book isn’t niche; it’s needed.” She agreed that it had a place in mainstream traditional publishing. Women needed assistance with their health.
I just had to build my platform and produce more engagement.
She even said once I had done that, I could pitch to her, and she would consider my book project.
I was so close!
I tried hard to build my platform on social media. I am on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest. I even did a lot of media. But even though, I gave it my all, it didn’t work.
Years ago, I created a blog, Mums The Word, but after a few months moms started fighting with each other. I was surprised because these were people who I knew. I had seen this happen before on Facebook and Instagram. I saw how divided women were on this topic. I knew it needed healing.
This topic needed a healer’s perspective. I never planned to write a book on childbirth and yet, it seem fated. The book needed to be written by a healer who didn’t have a personal bias - I actually knew very little about childbirth, pregnancy or postpartum before I started researching. I was a thorough researcher (with an insatiable curiosity) and most importantly, I was a creative, vivid storyteller. I saw quickly how stories connected women more than facts and figures. I knew that this topic was important and that I needed to be the one to tell it. I had to get the stories, insights, and evidence-based information out to a wider audience to help women around the world. But I had experienced so many obstacles!
And then, the answer came to me!
Last year, Elizabeth Gilbert, my muse, created a Substack called Letters From Love. I joined and I loved it. It was a newsletter filled with so much love and sweetness and it encouraged us to be gentle with ourselves. Elizabeth said herself that she believed that Substack was the friendliest corner of the internet. This was a refreshing stance from someone whom I admired. A couple of months ago, I met Anna Codrea-Rado on Zoom as part of London Writers Salon Office Hours and she recommended Substack to replace our newsletters. Both Elizabeth and Anna had over 15,000 subscribers and I was hearing the echo of encouragement to join Substack. Once I heard this confirmation, I decided this journey had taken long enough and I said yes to learning this new platform. I am devoted to building my platform and getting published traditionally. So even though you may have seen me on another platform, this is my new home. I am dedicated to being intimate about my findings from writing my book and also about my personal journey writing and pursuing traditional publishing.
Through this newsletter, I will bare it all: my research and passion for the pregnancy/childbirth journey, preconception health, and holistic health and wellness, my artistry as a writer, and the behind-the-scenes dance of writing a book, pursuing traditional publishing, and being an entrepreneur. I hope my intimate stories, humor, videos, podcasts, and articles, will help you to heal how you envision and experience birth.
To be clear, in this Substack you will learn:
the importance of preconception health and awareness to be healthier in pregnancy, labor and postpartum,
the importance of preconception health and awareness to have healthier kids,
the importance of preconception health and awareness for less birth complications,
about pregnancy, labor, and postpartum (to be informed about what happens and how to improve it),
how to be healthier and happier along the perinatal journey (including natural and holistic tips),
and the writing and publishing process (what’s included in writing and publishing a book besides writing a book and what you may notice from the outside - a rare behind-the-scenes look).
And because I love variety, there will be:
stories,
articles,
podcast episodes,
videos,
video interviews,
book recommendations,
evidence-based research,
and more.
If you wish to go even deeper, you can upgrade and become a paid subscriber so that you can comment and ask me your personal questions. By charging, I can ensure, a safe environment without spam or outside criticism, shaming or judgment. Plus, I have been helping women holistically for over twenty years so I am a wealth of information. But no pressure, to upgrade. Everyone can read these posts at no charge. If you decide to become a paid subscriber, it is $5/month or $50/year.
If you are new to my world, welcome!
I am a writer, healer, and a speaker. My name is Khristee Rich (spelled differently, but pronounced like Kristy). I have been a holistic healer for over 20 years. I empower women with their health and wellness and connect them to joy.
Like this newsletter, the book I am writing is also called Healing Childbirth. It is based on over a hundred interviews from mothers and childbirth experts around the world. Book one is about the importance of preconception health and awareness so that mothers are healthier in pregnancy, labor, and after birth and have healthier kids. So that is where this newsletter will begin - from my research and findings from book one and then organically I will start to share my insights from book two and three.
Healing Childbirth is an invitation for women to join in community and talk about the perinatal journey. I encourage those who are not mothers to join as the preconception time is the most important time to improve your health before becoming a mother. But all are welcome (mothers, mothers-to-be, partners, boyfriends spouses, doulas, anyone with an interest in this topic).
A big concept of my teaching is that it’s not enough time to start preparing for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum once you are pregnant. If you or your partner have pre-existing conditions, you need to start concentrating on your health earlier for better results. This includes physical and mental health. Poor health that was not treated prior to conception can create chronic conditions in pregnancy which left untreated can cause birth complications or possibly ill health postpartum or an unhealthy child. Plus, even if you are healthy, there is too much information to sort through in a few months and of course, you don’t know what is true or false. You don’t know what you don’t know to guide more research or to help you to ask questions, and before you know it, the time is up and the baby is here.
I will teach about holistic health and wellness, proactive and preventative health. This newsletter will help you to view not only your health holistically but also the whole pregnancy journey - preconception through after birth (which may be postpartum or after). You will learn that the healthier you and your partner are during preconception, the healthier you will be in pregnancy, labor, and after birth. And this could mean that you will prevent illnesses and have less complications at birth and a healthier baby. I hope this inspires you. Your health and your birth experiences are not based on genes, bad luck, or randomness. Instead they are based on your actions, behaviors, thoughts, and environment - most of which you have agency over. So rejoice! The power lies in you. Even if you had problems with fertility, ill health in pregnancy or postpartum, birth complications or a sick baby, you can change the outcome next time by being proactive.
By reading this newsletter, you will have time to process all the information that I have gathered (and not worry about all the extraneous information that I had to sort through and discard); you will be able to make informed decisions about your health and your birth preferences. And you will be a part of a supportive, loving community. You will feel healthier and empowered! And happier!
Important Note
Many people talk about empowerment these days. There are many empowerment coaches. But please remember, true empowerment does not come from fear. It does not come from others telling you what to do. True empowerment comes from the freedom to do what is best for you.
In order to empower you, I will give you enough information so that you can make informed decisions. And this is not only making decisions at birth, but before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after birth.
I hope you will subscribe and you will recommend this Substack to others who would be interested.
By subscribing, you will help me to inch closer to getting published. And for that, I am truly grateful! This book series was meant to be written but even more than that, it was destined to be read by people all around the world to improve maternal health and birth. May it be your rite of passage.
I am so happy to give you this preview before the book/s come out!
If you are a paid subscriber, I invite you to comment below and let me know why you joined, what you hope to learn, and post any questions you may have for me.
Thank you for joining me on this journey!