Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Hutter
Hi Charlotte , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My business partner Kate and I met in 8th grade and have been best friends ever since, she’s always been the yin to my yang! We pursued nursing school together and found ourselves in a variety of roles since 2006. I still remember attending our first birth side by side in clinicals, looking over at each other with eyes filled with tears and wonder, it was prophetic! Ultimately she found her niche in Hospice and still works there today. I compartmentalized by working in settings I was not passionate about but still continued to support women through pregnancy and birth as a hobby. The pandemic really changed healthcare for me when so many connection points were lost in protocols. I left my job in 2022 and decided to pursue labor & delivery positions but ultimately settled on birth work outside of the system. After a handful of negative hospital experiences I felt more convicted than ever to bridge the gap between doulas and nurses. Around this time Kate also noticed gaps in healthcare and limitations in supporting the dying. Sacred Support was born soon after!
In 2023 we pursued training through Birth With Spirit in Kettering and in doing so we found a robust network of like-minded women supporting others in various life stages. Individually, we have strengthened our offerings in our specialties through Perinatal and Infant Loss Hospice support for Kate and Lactation Counseling for myself. Together we deeply respect the sanctity of life transitions and prioritize support for each other first and foremost, so we can hold space for each of our families while ensuring the best support for our clients.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We are more casual in our business approach and have always found clients organically but felt the pressure to do all the professional things once we started Sacred Support. Quickly we fell into a whole new world of creating a website, contracts, invoices, taxes, networking, insurance, blogs, social media etc. Without any prior business experience we were overwhelmed and drained for a season but knew if we wanted to expand our support this needed to happen. Luckily we sourced help from friends and family for many of these endeavors but still rely on word of mouth. We find it difficult to conceptualize all that we offer, let alone put it down on paper. We struggle in social settings explaining the importance of birth and death and how they intersect. Most people are comfortable talking about birth but nothing kills the vibe more than bringing up death in public-we are trying to normalize that where we can! Neither points of life are scheduled so there’s a natural toll that takes on our families. The complexities of infant loss is bittersweet but it’s ultimately an honor and privilege to be present in that space.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Birth Planning & Labor Prep
Labor Support
Evidence Based Education
Encouragement & Advocacy
Postpartum Care
Baby Feeding Basics
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Healthcare Advocacy
Advanced Care Planning
Legacy Work
End Of Life Planning
Bereavement Support
Bedside Vigil Support
-We wholeheartedly honor those birthing and dying, we revere their journeys as sacred and seek to customize our support, meeting our clients and their families right where they’re at. We are comfortable working within the system or outside of it and are confident that the choice belongs to the client alone. Our desire is to fill any gaps in care or understanding and come alongside them from a holistic perspective. Because both experiences utilize not only body, but mind and soul too, we rely fully on our faith in God to help us navigate.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
For the most up to date birth resources we follow Evidence Based Birth (podcast), Spinning Babies (website), Body Ready Method (instagram) and Bundle Birth Nurses (IG and podcast). Barbara Karnes of bkbooks.com has wonderful educational materials for both families and professionals regarding loss. Kelly Gerkin wrote Sufficient Grace about grief after the loss of a child.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sacredsupport.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoursacredsupport/?igsh=MTN5ZnBwdWs1N2J5cw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Sacred-Support/61553590774095/?mibextid=LQQJ4d&rdid=ZZBMercfa8ud1Gff&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F96AF7RFL49eBdGct%2F%3Fmibextid%3DLQQJ4d
