Nicolenes WHY: The baby whisperer. "Sometimes your purpose finds you before you recognise it."

"I never wanted to become a nurse."

It's not the answer you expect from someone who has spent years dedicating her life to caring for babies, supporting new parents, and educating families.

As Nicolene Stander reflects on her journey, she smiles.

"I wanted to study Physiotherapy ... or Psychology."

Life, however, had other plans.

Finances simply weren't available, and she needed a career that would allow her to work while she studied. Nursing offered exactly that. Netcare gave her the opportunity to earn while learning, and what initially felt like a practical decision would quietly become the foundation of her life's purpose.

Looking back today, Nicolene believes something bigger was at work.

"I didn't choose this path. This path chose me." Purpose rarely arrives with fanfare. Instead, it reveals itself through ordinary moments that only make sense in hindsight. Growing up in a boarding hostel meant responsibility came early. With a younger brother eight years her junior, Nicolene naturally stepped into a caregiving role long before she understood where those instincts would lead.

"I started looking after him from a very young age."

Perhaps that was where her fascination with babies first began.

School also left an unexpected imprint. Her Biology teacher ignited more than a love for science. She demonstrated excellence. A perfectionist in every sense, she inspired Nicolene to always strive for her very best. Years later, Nicolene still speaks of her with admiration.

While studying, she worked as a waitress to help pay her way through nursing school. It may have seemed unrelated at the time, but it taught her something invaluable: the art of noticing details.

That attention to detail would later become one of her greatest strengths.

When she entered paediatrics, she quickly realised that babies cannot tell you what's wrong.

"They have no voice."

Every tiny sign mattered. Every observation counted. Every detail could change an outcome. Her knowledge became their voice. Another influential figure entered her life during nursing school, a lecturer whose ability to communicate complex information left a lasting impression. "It wasn't just what she taught. It was how she taught." That lesson remains central to Nicolene's work today. She doesn't simply share information; she transforms information into understanding. Education isn't about overwhelming parents with facts. It's about giving them confidence.

The Moment Everything Changed

Although Nicolene knew from her very first day of nursing school that she was exactly where she was meant to be, another defining moment would shape the future of her career. After the birth of her own children while living in the United Kingdom, she experienced something South African mothers rarely have access to. Health visitors came to her home. They entered her space, answered her questions, supported her emotionally, and walked alongside her during those overwhelming first weeks of motherhood. She remembers thinking, "This is amazing." Support looked different when it happened in the safety of your own home. Returning to South Africa, she knew exactly what was missing. She wanted to bring that experience to South African families.

Then the world stopped. COVID-19 lockdown arrived. For many businesses it was devastating. For Nicolene, it became the unexpected catalyst that launched Nic's Baby Consultancy.

Starting a business wasn't easy. She had no consulting rooms. No blueprint. No business experience. What she did have was a community willing to believe in her. The people of Hermanus opened doors, shared spaces, created opportunities and encouraged her as she found her feet. Six years later, Nicolene has never forgotten those early acts of kindness. Today she intentionally pays that generosity forward, supporting other entrepreneurs and businesses just as others once supported her.

"Every opportunity became another stepping stone."

Ask Nicolene what success looks like, and her answer isn't measured in numbers. It's deeply personal. "If I can see that I've made a difference in just one mother's life, then I'm happy." That simple sentence captures the heart behind everything she does. Her passion isn't simply babies. It's education. Because, as she says." You don't know what you don't know." Preparing families before baby arrives changes everything.

Knowledge replaces fear.

Confidence replaces anxiety. And a supported mother creates a calmer home. "What every parent deserves," Nicolene says, "is a stress-free first year." Her philosophy is beautifully simple: "A relaxed mom equals a relaxed baby."

As our conversation draws to a close, one theme continues to surface.

Community.

It shaped her childhood.

It carried her business through its early years.

It continues to influence the way she serves families today.

Her dream reaches beyond newborn care.

She wants to help build stronger communities, one confident family at a time.

Because when parents feel supported, babies thrive.

Families flourish.

Communities become stronger.

Looking back over her journey, it's easy to see that every experience, every unexpected turn, every challenge, every mentor, every opportunity, was quietly preparing Nicolene for the work she was always meant to do.

She may never have planned to become a nurse.

But perhaps, as she says, some callings don't wait for us to choose them.

Sometimes...

they choose us first.