My journey into breastfeeding support began long before I ever imagined creating Nurtured by Ruby.

 

I started my career in healthcare as a Sterile Processing Technician, where I spent several years preparing instruments and equipment for the operating room. From there, I became an Endoscopy Technician, working in both a hospital setting and within the California prison system.

 

My healthcare career gave me the opportunity to care for people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.  

 

Those experiences taught me something I would carry with me throughout my career: Behind every procedure is a person who deserves to feel cared for, respected, and heard.

 

Then, my life changed.

 

I moved from California to Oklahoma three years ago, and I knew I wanted something different something more intimate, more hands-on, and something that felt deeply fulfilling.

 

That’s when I found WIC and breastfeeding support.

 

I began working as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, and I absolutely fell in love with the work.

 

For the first time, I found a role where I could bring together my healthcare experience and something that comes naturally to me: connecting with women and empowering them.

 

I love being a woman who supports women.

 

I believe in girl power, lifting each other up, and creating spaces where women feel safe enough to ask questions, share their concerns, and be themselves without judgment.

 

I’m also a mom.

 

I’m a single mother raising my two children, who are now 10 and 11 years old. I was able to breastfeed both of my children, and that experience shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand at the time.

 

The relationship I have with my children today is incredibly close, and I believe the breastfeeding relationship we shared was one of the many experiences that helped establish that connection.

 

But my own experience also taught me something important:

 

Every mother’s breastfeeding journey is different.

 

There is no single perfect path and no one-size-fits-all version of motherhood.

 

What matters is that mothers have access to accurate information, compassionate support, and the freedom to make informed decisions about their own journeys.

 

That belief has continued to shape my professional journey. Over the past two years, I have dedicated myself to furthering my education and preparing to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). I recently completed the examination  and am currently awaiting my results.

 

For me, continuing my education isn’t simply about adding another credential. It is about becoming the most knowledgeable and well-prepared support person I can be for the mothers and families I serve.

 

The part of this work that fills my cup the most is helping mothers feel seen and heard.

 

Because sometimes a mother doesn’t need someone to tell her what to do.

 

Sometimes she needs someone to sit beside her, listen to her, answer her questions, provide evidence-informed information without judgment, and remind her that she is capable.

 

My work has changed me, too. Helping women in my community has been deeply fulfilling and has helped me grow personally in ways I never expected.

 

I love Oklahoma, and I’m here to stay. ❤️

 

And I created Nurtured by Ruby as an extension of what I love most about this work: supporting, educating, and empowering women.

 

My hope is that when you come here, you feel like you’ve found a safe place to learn.

 

A place where your questions are welcome.

 

A place where you are heard.

 

A place where you are supported.

 

Because your breastfeeding journey belongs to you.

 

And I’m honored to be part of it.

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-Ruby Ochoa