The Nest Chattanooga

05/04/2026

🏡COMMUNITY MEMBER MONDAY this week is Jenny Byrd with The Nest Chattanooga. A midwife serving the Southern Tennessee area. Whether you're exploring home birth or hospital birth, Jenny is an excellent resource! For the last three decades, her family has called the Chattanooga area home. Over the past 20 years, she and her husband have raised four children and created countless beautiful memories. They say it takes a village to raise children, and she has found that to be especially true in her work as a midwife. Serving families during such meaningful and life-changing moments is a true blessing, and she is incredibly thankful for the support of her family and community in pursuing her calling. When she is not baby-catching and supporting mothers, she can be found spending time with her family in the garden, experimenting in the kitchen, reading, or planning their next travel adventure.

3️⃣ Things she loves about our area...
1- the growing focus on local markets, makers, farms & small businesses
2- so many places, spaces & events to build your community
3- all of the scenic views on my way to & from births (collecting all the sunrises & sunsets!)

2️⃣ Random facts about Jenny...
1- I have a secret talent for finding 4 leaf clovers
2- I love storytelling of all types— through books, art, music, around the campfire, excited little people telling me about their rock collection & especially all the birth stories!

1️⃣ Piece of advice she’d give her younger self...
"Trust the process & trust your instincts; you don’t have to have everything figured out to be exactly where you are meant to be."

04/23/2026

The Nest Pregnancy & Postpartum Group is postponed to Thursday May 7 (6-8pm) so we can all celebrate Day of the Midwife with The Well Birth The Well Birth Services!

Check out the event & RSVP 💖

Join us as we celebrate the hands that hold, the hearts that serve, and the women who walk families through one of life’s most sacred moments. 🤍

The Well Birth Services is honored to host an International Day of the Midwife Celebration—and YOU are invited.

Whether you’re a midwife, a client, a friend, or family… this is a space to come together in gratitude, community, and joy. We want to celebrate you—the long nights, the unwavering presence, the deep, meaningful work that changes lives forever.

And because it falls on Cinco de Mayo… we’re doing it with a fiesta 💃🏽
✨ Fiesta foods
✨ Margaritas
✨ Music, laughter, and connection

📅 May 5th
📍 5631 Watkins Street, Ooltewah, TN 37363

Bring your people and a blanket or chair! Bring your stories. Come be celebrated.

Tag a midwife who has impacted your life or one you’d love to see there 👇🏽 Let’s fill this space with the women who make birth sacred.

CommunityCelebration

03/01/2026

I hear a very common misconception. Insulin DOES NOT bind to glucose directly.

Insulin binds to insulin receptors on cells. This triggers an expression of GLUTs (specifically GLUT4, but some studies show that insulin can increase GLUT1 as well, although it is not dependent on insulin)

When insulin binds to the receptor, it triggers autophosphorylation and the recruitment of IRS proteins. This activates P13K, which in turn activates Akt and other pathways.

In muscle and adipose tissues, specifically, Akt signalling and other pathways transport GLUT4 vesicles to the cell membrane. This enables a FASTER glucose uptake. Impaired Insulin binding to receptors, P13K/Akt pathways cause reduced GLUT4 production and slower glucose uptake. This is insulin resistance.

For whatever reason, insulin binding to the receptor is NOT triggering an increase in GLUT4.

While many other causes (such as inflammation, hyperglycemia, and lipotoxicity can trigger insulin resistance, micronutrient deficiencies can also interfere with insulin receptors, IRS phosphorylation, P12K/Akt activity or GLUT4 expression/translocation.

💥Magnesium is needed for insulin receptor signaling. Low magnesium = low signaling

💥Zinc acts as an insulin mimetic and increases Akt phosphorylation and GLUT4 translocation. It can prolong insulin's action, but it also works on its own to some degree.

💥Chromium increases insulin binding to insulin receptors, as well as insulin receptor numbers, and increases IRS phosphorylation.

Increasing intake of these nutrients is important for preconception preparation.