Meet Ife Adebowale | Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, Student Midwife, Childbirth Educator, Doula Trainer Instructor, Spiritual Healer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ife Adebowale and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ife, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
When I started my business 5 years ago, I had the mindset that I am going to help as many people that come seeking my assistance and for 4 years, I did just this, I aided so many individuals for free, half off, pay what you can. Finally, it hit me! No more FREEBIES. The most important lesson that I’ve learned is that if people do not want to pay the cost for your goods and/or services, it is not necessarily that you are too high, it is that they are not your customer. People pay for what they want and the cost of your services shouldn’t be negotiable. This is a business, not a hobby. Don’t allow your customers to set your prices, you set them and if they do not want to pay your goods or services cost, politely thank them for their time and continue your day to day.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Cherishing Life Beginnings Doula and Childbirth Services, LLC was established out of the necessity of: 1. Needing Black Doulas available in Columbus, GA and surrounding areas
2. The need of having support for homebirths
3. Providing jobs and entrepreneurial training for those interested in aiding with building the village again

Cherishing Life Beginnings Doula and Birth Educational Services, LLC was conceived in 2015. I had been teaching birth education and attending a birth here and there but wasn’t really serious about it because I was deep into the matrix, corporate life, climbing up the ladder. CLB was birth from the womb in 2018 when I lost my 12.5 years corporate job. Distort and broken, angry because my loyalty was pissed on, I decided that I wasn’t going back but I had 4 mouths to feed, what the hell was I thinking and going to do. One day I was releasing and writing and I heard the ancestors say, “you have been released, now fulfil your assignment and purpose”. It was at this very moment, I knew what I had to do. I planned, afraid to do it alone, I planned the business with others, it flipped. Disappointed, I was ready to go back to the plantation. Fortunate for me, my anger had burned and like the Phoenix, I was ready to raise from the ashes, stronger, and more powerful than ever. I finally rose up, stepped out on faith, alone, as I didn’t have much to lose at this point, I felt I had lose EVERYTHING when I loss my job. Little did I know, it was the end for a new beginning.

After experiencing 2 out of 3 traumatic hospital births, I vowed to myself if I became withchild again, I would do it differently, I would do it MY WAY! Well, I became withchild with my 4th daughter in 2015 and took matters into my own hands. I studied EVERYTHING I could about childbirth, homebirths, water births, complications, etc. The ancestors moved within me and I was summoned to become a Doula. Fast forward, I had the most beautiful homebirth unassisted and birth with NO FEAR. I wanted to show and teach women how to do the same. I set out to educate and empower women on the ability to birth naturally in the comfort of their home, take their birth rights back and make informed decisions based on evidence based information, but more importantly, to tell their birth story when, where, and how they want too!

The care and compassion I provide to my Mother Earth, the support and love I give them, as well as the incredible services of pampering, providing knowledge, and just being her Umi (village mother) makes me stand outside my competition. I strive to provide the BEST care possible to my Mother Earths.

I am most excited about the future of Cherishing Life Beginnings Doula and Childbirth Services, LLC and now CLB Doula Academy, Inc. We now have 4 Certified Doulas that work under the brand, I have (still molding and creating) created a mentorship program for student doulas, we are about to launch a teen program (late 2022) aiding teen mothers that become pregnant, and training teens 16+ interested in creating their own business and on a career path to become a nurse, we are piloting a male training program, a nonprofit scholarship program, and so much more

I am here in this position of leadership today because of the support of individuals that know and understand that we much reach back (Sankofa) and listen to the spirit within that is guiding our intuition to strive and be better as a culture first and as human beings second. It has been a long road and currently, there is NOT a lot of support although the field is growing. The government controls our healthcare and tell us how and when to give birth. Due to the culture not understanding the dynamics that took our rights (Sheppard Towners Act) and control away from Mother Earth, the Village, and the Spiritual Healers (Granny Midwives) and handed it to the medical complex, we don’t see the importance of opening our eyes, unlearning, and relearning OURStory, the importance of understanding childbirth, types and ways to birth, importance of a doula, why paying for your own healthcare gives you your rights back, etc.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to KEEP GOING! Never give up. Rome wasn’t built in a day so don’t expect your business to be either. In larger cities, I could be making a lot of money but this isn’t about money to me, this is about teaching a woman how to care for herself and bringing forth life the way she wants and passing this knowledge to the next woman. Keeping the traditions ALIVE is important to me and I know as long I continue to walk my path the ancestors cleared for me, the wealth will come. Also, stay focused and give time to your business DAILY.

I want the world to the know that it is black women, Doulas, Midwives, Spiritual Healers, Herbalist, and Tribal Villages out here readily available and armed to fight against the malpractice, racism, and mortality that we face in the hospital complex. We DO NOT have to continue to become statistics. Now, more than ever, it is time for us to become as self-sustainable as possible as there will come a time when we want have readily access to hospital or their healthcare. Now is the time to take matters into your own hands. Support your black doulas, midwives, Spiritual Healers, Herbalist, and Tribal Villages. We TRULY do it for the culture.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It not much to do in Columbus but downtown Columbus is a nice place to start. The Riverwalk is a peaceful, serene location to walk, meditate, Water Rafting, Ziplining, etc. They have some great eateries such as the Cannon BrewPub, that craft their own beers. The Hookah Lounge is a nice atmosphere to hang with friends, drink, and be marry. Looking for some good soul food, Ed’s Southern Kitchen is bomb. Looking for Jamaican, Mercy’s is your spot.

If you are into military life, we have the Infantry Museum and Fort Benning.

The best place to hangout in Columbus, GA to catch a vibe is Kulture Kinnect 360. This is a black owned metaphysical shop. There is literally a LivingRoom when’re you can go, watch TV, read, or have a snack with friends.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would shout-out my tribal village around. My fiancé, Ryza Alkebulan, as he always is encouraging, showing, and teaching me me to be a more better, efficient, human-being. My sister Ngozi, or Umi, she always got my back, a shoulder, and my children bonus mom. When I need, she is ALWAYS there anytime, anyplace. My sister Electra Davis, owner of Mysteek Naturals; I was a stranger to her but she believed in me, my craft, and my vision, and actually invested in my business so I could further my studies. She has even taken the time to give me a little mentorship on business when she can. My amazing parents who keep me grounded. Last, but definitely the most important, the Most High Creator, the Universe, and my Ancestors. We give thanks in all things good and bad.

Website: www.cherishinglifebeginnings.com

Instagram: @cherishinglifebeginnings

Twitter: @DoulaIfe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoulaIfe

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCFxt0ddthw2WT0zrTqeMkgg