After I’ve edited a gallery, I ask myself what topic I want to discuss when I post the images. With CeCe, I knew right away I wanted to know more about her model of pediatric care so I could share with other parents. Dr CeCe Brooks is a board-certified nurse practitioner who specializes in functional medicine and, in particular, pediatrics. When I sat with her to interview her, what we didn’t expect is that we would come up with a great in-home option for local parents.
About home birth:
What made you choose to give birth at home?
“Previously, I had a c-section and then an induced VBAC. This time around, I really wanted to have a water birth. However, I wouldn’t be allowed to labor in water at the hospital due to a prior c-section. That fact quickly turned me to home birth. I didn’t want the hospital to dictate how I could labor or how I could give birth. I wanted the freedom to allow my body to move however it needed to best serve myself and my baby”.
How did you prepare for a home birth?
“The medical system has forced women to believe we need intervention, that we need to be saved. And although sometimes it is needed, it’s not always necessary. We are literally designed to give birth. I’m at my best when I adapt to situations in the moment, so I honestly didn’t do much to prepare. I didn’t do all the Hypnobirthing classes or guides or apps. I didn’t want to get caught up in hoping things go a certain way. I wanted to go in to it with zero expectations. I set up my safe space at home exactly how I wanted it, but outside of that rather than overly prepare and put pressure on myself, I left it up to God. I knew I just needed to trust in Him and He would guide me through it.”
Tell me about your home birth.
“It was life changing! To keep it 100% real, I’ve never felt such intense pain in my life & towards the end, I wanted to give up. I labored for 23 hours. Physically, emotionally, & mentally I was exhausted and depleted. I was done. Just when I thought the pain couldn’t get more intense, it did. 𝐁𝐔𝐓. I went into this birth with zero expectations of how I 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 it should go. Zero expectations of my thoughts, my feelings, or even my body. Just the open mindedness & freedom to adapt to each moment.“
“I had the most amazing team around me (@midwifetracy @delandrathemidwife & @maegan_hall_photography 🥰). Especially my husband. This man stayed by my side for all 23 hours. Holding me, supporting me, encouraging me, praying with me, letting me squeeze the shit out of his arms for hours… literally just being 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 what I needed him to be in each and every moment.”
“I promise I couldn’t have done it without him. The pain that came along with the birth is now a distant memory.”
“What remains is this insanely spiritual & empowering journey that brought me closer to God, to my husband, and to my daughter. What remains is this unbreakable confidence in myself and my body. And for that, I am so damn proud of myself.”
Every person gets to a point where they dig deep within themselves and find their strength.
“There was a point when I felt done. I was depleted. My body and my brain wanted to quit. My hubby was my rock. I leaned into him hard”
I love to ask parents, “What phrase got you through?”
“I’m here now and I just need to do it. Tomorrow this will be over with. Keep going.”
About being a functional medicine nurse practitioner:
How would you describe your job?
“I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and I hold my doctorate in nursing practice (hence the dope “Dr.” title). My job is to dig to find the root cause of a problem, rather than simply masking the problem with a band-aid. And in doing so, I work to combine conventional medicine and mother nature. Basically, I cherry pick from the good parts of all types of medicine and combine them into unique, holistic treatment plans for my patients (homeopathy, natural remedies, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and prescription medications). It’s all about knowing how to bring the pieces together in order to benefit the patient.“
Can you give me an example?
On the adult or pediatric functional medicine side of things, a lot of my patients suffer from chronic, unexplained illnesses. Rather than solely treating the symptoms, I want to find out what’s causing the symptoms and treat that. For example, I have a ton of patients who suffer from chronic fatigue, memory loss, brain fog, joint pain, nerve pain, etc. They’ve been diagnosed with Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome… you name it. But I want to know WHY. WHY is the immune system overreacting? What is it trying to protect you from? Underlying issues such as Lyme Disease, bartonella, mold exposure, heavy metal toxicity, and so many others can contribute to these symptoms. I want to find solutions, not give a temporary fix.“
“On the well child side of things, this can be as simple as a kiddo being constipated. I want to know WHY he or she is constipated. Rather than simply giving Miralax, I’m going to treat the reason behind the constipation. It’s about optimizing your child, and prevent illness, rather than mask symptoms.”
Why aren’t more practitioners taking your approach?
“This is a great question. In conventional schooling, we are trained and educated a certain way. We are taught to medicate a problem, not to dig. We are taught if someone has Hashimotos that’s causing hypothyroidism, prescribe Synthroid. Not, ‘okay, someone has antibodies attacking the thyroid. WHY? WHY is this autoimmune response occurring?’ I think it’s also a matter of insurance. Insurance companies have regulations and standards that conventional medical practices must follow that tend to limit the flexibility of the practitioner.”
Services:
What services do you provide at The Genesis Center?
“I do functional medicine appointments in-office, via telemedicine, and/or phone calls for in-state and out of state patients (both adults and children). These appointments tend to be patients who have been struggling chronically and have not been able to find answers anywhere – but can also be patients who are simply looking to remain healthy and take a preventative approach.”
“I also offer well child visits from newborn to 25 years of age. These patients must be in-office as I have to physically examine the child. I can do sports physicals, school forms, hearing screening, vision screening, and anything a traditional pediatrician can perform. If we run into more of an acute issue (ear infection, for example), I will always provide holistic options first before I turn to conventional medicine.”
Do you do home visits for newborns? I know a lot of parents who do not like having to put their baby in a car seat and who do not want to sit in a waiting room for a pediatrician visit.
“Yes! We offer newborn visits between days 3-5 of life. The appointment is paid to The Genesis Center and then I collect a concierge fee directly. Newborn home visits are limited to a 1.5 hours radius around Alpharetta/Cumming, GA. For the 2-week visit (IF needed) and the 1-month visit, I will come back out for those as well if the parents want. Otherwise, the patient is more than welcome to continue on with me at The Genesis Center or be seen by their preferred pediatrician. There are no contracts, no catches. I’m just here to help as needed. “
What are you checking for in the first few days of a baby’s life? What if you are booked?
“For newborns, I’m looking for any abnormalities as well as expected signs (things such as jaundice, neurocognitive function, reflexes, feeding, growth, development, fontanelles, etc). And although baby is very important, it is equally as important to take care of mom at this time. I like to make sure mom is set up for success in terms of healing and recovery. My functional medicine schedule books out pretty far, but I always make room in my schedule for newborns (home visits or office visits). We have my scheduled blocked in a way that always allows space for that 3-5 day visit.”
Do you accept all patients and their choices?
“I support medical freedom. I am here to empower parents to make the best informed, educated decision for their child (or an adult patient to make that decision for himself or herself). I will support that decision, whatever it may be, without judgment. I work for the patient, not the other way around, so I always want us to be able to talk openly about everything.”
What if a parent chooses to birth at home, unattended by any medical professionals? Some call this “free birth” or “unassisted birth.”
“I believe in medical freedom through and through. And at that point, it’s about the baby. How the baby is brought into the world or personal opinions of the provider should never impact the child. Our job, first and foremost, is to do no harm. Any pediatrician who refuses to see a child, is doing harm. So my goal at that point is a healthy baby and I will be there to make sure of it.”
Do you accept insurance?
“We do not take insurance, as insurance companies place certain mandates that medical practices must follow. And we do not follow those mandates. So although it is cash pay, we will provide you with a superbill of our fees that has all CPT and ICD-10 Codes listed that you may use to file for possible reimbursement with your insurance company.”
How does someone book you?
“Please call our new patient coordinator, Amy, at 678-947-4454, line 1 or email newpatient@thegenesiscenter.com. If you are an expecting mama and are interested in services, please give her a call so we can get your potential due date on the calendar. If you want to meet me beforehand, I’m happy to do a prenatal consultation either in person or on the phone! Also, stay connected and follow me over on IG and TikTok @TheDiscoveryDoc!”
Referrals:
FullScript: Shop my favorite vitamins, minerals, homeopathy, & more!
With so many supplements on the market, I get asked all the time for brands I trust & dosages I like. Which is why I decided to integrate FullScript into our website. FullScript is an online database that brings together tons of prescriber only supplement companies & allows you, the consumer, to purchase those supplements once an account is created under my brand.
Once you’ve logged on, click “Catalog” to search hundreds of supplements by brand or ingredient, or click “Protocols” to browse my favorite supplements for Allergy Relief, Cold & Flu, Ear Ache, General Immune Support, Gut Health, Sleep Support, as well as Prenatal & Postpartum Care.
Cure Hydration: Optimal hydration with clean ingredients!
As an ingredient and dosage junkie, finding a great flavored electrolyte mix has been tough. Because nothing was meeting my expectations. There was either too much sugar, taste was terrible, or dosages just weren’t worth the money. Until I came across Cure Hydration. Made with plant-based ingredients and 4x the electrolytes of leading sports drinks, Cure Hydration has NO added sugar, NO artificial sweeteners, NO sugar alcohols, & NO artificial colors or flavors.
CLICK HERE Code: DRBROOKS1 for 20% off first order or subscription
Renue by Science NAD Supplements:
NAD+ is a coenzyme that plays a critical role in promoting cellular health & metabolic function. Aging, inflammation, and oxidative stress all cause reductions in NAD+, which has been associated with lack of focus, memory loss, inattentiveness, brain fog, fatigue, lack of energy, & neurodegenerative diseases. Needless to say, adding it in to your daily regimen can provide a whole slew of benefits, including:
- Improved mental health performance.
- Increase energy levels.
- Enhanced anti-aging efforts.
- Improved short-term memory.
- Enhanced cognitive abilities.
EMF Harmony Protection Devices: Advanced EMF protection products for the whole family
We are all electromagnetic beings. And as electromagnetic beings, exposure to powerful and unnatural electromagnetic radiation can affect your physiological functioning, and therefore, your health. The unnatural nature of many electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) in modern society contrast with natural EMF’s found in nature, which are essential to many aspects of how your body functions. From disrupting your sleep cycle and your circadian rhythm to being described as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’ by The International Agency for Research on Cancer, EMF’s are no joke. And they are everywhere! Shop below to protect yourself and your family with researched backed products.
Richway Amethyst Biomat, Biobelt & Pillow:
As a functional medicine practitioner, I’m always looking for safe and effective ways to promote healing, well-being, and stress reduction. That’s why I love Richway Amethyst Biomats, Biobelts, and pillows. These far infrared heating pads utilize negative ions and amethyst to deliver heat more efficiently into the body. Not to mention, there’s EMF protection built in. With technology that was originally developed by NASA, these heating pads are powerful enough for our professional athletes’ healing and recovery while being safe enough for our kiddos to reduce cortisol, body pain, and overall stress.
CLICK HERE Coupon Code: thediscoverydoc
Drucker Labs: Comprehensive Liquid Multivitamins
With loads of multivitamins on the market, I’m extremely picky with what I recommend patients or give my family. Some ingredients of common multivitamins are known to cause hyperactivity in kids; liver, kidney, and thyroid dysfunction; increased incidence of seizures, dizziness, headaches, and allergies; & increased risk of certain cancers. I love Drucker Labs because these child and adult liquid multivitamins are made with pure ingredients and are filled with trace & macro minerals, prebiotics, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, essential fatty acids, bioflavonoids, and amino acids!
CLICK HERE
PAC# BRO9069 (for patients to enter)
Promotion Code: PERK1 to receive free shipping
Aricove Weighted Blankets: Eco-friendly, durable, and science backed weighted blankets for big dreamers.
As a practitioner, I often recommend weighted blankets to my patients. Especially kiddos (or adults) with sensory sensitivities, anxiety, restless leg syndrome, & panic disorders. The gentle weight helps to reduce tossing & turning while improving a little one’s sense of security – resulting in the best, deep sleep.
CLICK HERE Coupon Code (to get 20% off): DRCECEBROOKS
