Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Avni
Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2020, I, like many others discovered the TikTok App. I was scrolling and seeing many medical professionals sharing about their job, their roles and loved seeing all the trends! I quickly realized I’m barely seeing any Ultrasound Techs sharing anything about our role in the medical field, or any content about how to become one! I felt like I wanted to share our world too, share more about women’s health, share the process of having an ultrasound, as many of my patients come to their appointments with anxiety because they don’t know what to expect. I also knew many pregnant women don’t get many ultrasounds or can bring their partners to their ultrasounds due to Covid, so I shared many pregnancy related videos, ultrasound videos of fetus growth, I incorporated a lot of humor into the subject but also educated on the way. I also wanted non medical professional to see what we really do as well, as many think we just take pictures of babies all day, which really isn’t the case, we have to have a great set of skills and we have such an important roll in the diagnosis process, trying to figure out the cause of the problem via Ultrasound. As an OBGYN Sonographer, but also as a mom who had 3 pregnancies myself, I also wanted to create relatable content to things us women go through before, during and after pregnancy. And also share the not so happy moments we unfortunately see, like pregnancy loss. After a few months of sharing my content, I started growing a big following on TikTok and realized not everyone is solely on TikTok, so I decided to share them across Instagram and YouTube too. On IG, I started sharing more about my life as a whole, ultrasound content but also content outside of my work life. I share the work and marriage + family life balance, the importance of taking time for myself too, time with my husband and our extended family and friends (we love to party!). I always say, you don’t have to be just one thing. I just enjoy sharing all of it, what I do for work, what I enjoy doing on my free time, where I go with my family, products I use and love and this entire thing truly changed our lives in every aspect and I’m so grateful for it all! I love this awesome space I have with such a large positive community of Sonographers, future Sonographers, medical professionals in general, parents, women who are in their reproductive years; before, during and after pregnancy and just people who enjoy learning more or here for laughs!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
it wasn’t a smooth ride at first, but it got easier with time! When I first started, it was so difficult to keep up with content creation, and also finding time to engage with comments like “I want to answer everyone- they took the time to comment”! 😭 I wanted to look at creation as more than just a hobby but yet have fun doing it, so I had to find the balance, and you realize what you’re passionate about most with time, so it becomes so easy to come up with content when it’s your passion. But with all that, my number one struggle was dealing with negative comments and trying to understand why people are like this? Lol At times it made me feel like this isn’t healthy for me, I can’t say I was depressed about it, but it def affected me. and then I saw a video about how the only opinion that should ever matter, is the one you have of yourself… and man that changed me in seconds. There were times I doubted myself, wondering if I was qualified to share my experiences. Balancing social media with work, family, and personal life was also tough, but I have a lot of support, I have an amazing husband who’s been my number 1 fan even on the days where it looked like I’m working so hard for a “hobby”, he made sure I did what I love. I also have an amazing management team, Logan and Lilly, having a manager gave me so much more time for my family, and less stress when it comes to dealing with brands, I love and appreciate them so much!
So yes, it is a rollercoaster, but what kept me going was the positive impact I saw on my community. When people reached out, sharing how my content helped them, it made all the struggles worth it.
It’s been a journey, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve learned so much, and still learning, and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities and this amazing community we have!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an OB/GYN Sonographer/ Ultrasound Tech, specializing in women’s health and prenatal care. On social media, I share my knowledge, my school journey, my experience and medical/ pregnancy humor. I’m passionate about making women’s health info accessible and supporting women through pregnancy and beyond. I don’t know what sets me apart, not sure I can answer that myself lol, but what I can say is that my goals have always been to be able to share my professional experience, but lead with my personal experience when I create, as my “first time mom” experience happened before I became a Sonographer, I also once didn’t know what anything meant or knew what to expect during the exam, or from a pregnancy! so I try to lead with that thought and creation, even the way I word things, sometimes not so medical, but it helps our patients understand terms better.
I’m proud of the fact that I am able to inspire people to become Sonographers, I love getting the messages and emails about them getting accepted to programs and starting, I’m proud that I’m able to help people who are interested in ultrasound for many reasons- whether it’s because they want to become a Sonographer or just anyone who’s interested in learning more about the exam they have coming up, or just want to laugh about a relatable experience, while leaving a huge safe space for women who have had trauma and these tests could be very triggering to them 🙁
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
N/a
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieavni/profilecard/?igsh=MTVic3Fnb21oaG1iYQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/eE1J9agk62z1ZPu8/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@natalieavni?si=uD5KVyfcRHqNocIS
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@natalieavni?_t=8qibxBCbKgs&_r=1
Image Credits
N/A
