41 | Inner Strength - Kayla Lucas

Kayla Lucas shared her experiences with both of her sons after she had un-planned inductions. While neither experience was what she expected, she describes them as helping her dig within herself to find a voice to advocate for herself, her strength and determination. Aspects she hopes to encourage others to use in their own birthing experiences.

Kayla described being diagnosed with hyperemesis, which made pregnancy physically challenging as she worked to stay healthy and maintain good nutrition. Hyperemesis is a severe type of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Rarely, morning sickness is so severe that it's classified as hyperemesis gravidarum. Symptoms include severe nausea and feeling faint or dizzy when standing. It can also cause persistent vomiting, which can lead to dehydration. This condition can require hospitalization and treatment with IV fluids and anti-nausea medications.

After going past her due date, Kayla was faced with learning that she would need to be induced due to her baby having heart decelerations during a prenatal exam. The induction was the catalyst to the cascade of interventions that would eventually lead to a surgical birth being introduced as an option. Kayla started to build her resolve to change the trajectory of her birth - reaching out to her support people and praying. She was able to avoid a surgical birth after giving herself time to progress. Kayla listened to her voice, which would guide her through her next pregnancy.

Armed with a new resolve and self-trust, Kayla set out to have the birth she wanted with her second son. She pushed back and questioned everything. However, her pregnancy journey led her to another induction. Her baby was diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR), a condition in which a baby does not grow to average weight during pregnancy. This time she was able to pause and prepare her mind, body, and family to start her labor.

Postpartum depression would mire her experience as a mother in the months after her birth. She sought support through therapy and was able to come out of it after becoming pregnant again. Kayla's grandmother helped her by acknowledging what her granddaughter was going through. She opened her home to her for respite during the day and watched her son during therapy sessions. Her family gave her time, space, and resources for a time to herself to help relieve anxiety. Kayla wants women to connect with themselves to build self-trust before pregnancy to help them be self-advocates in their care. Find your voice, speak up, and be heard.

Partnership:

NATAL | NATAL is a podcast docuseries about having a baby while Black in the US. We pass the mic to Black parents, to tell their stories of bringing new life into this world, in their own words. The docuseries also highlights the birthworkers, researchers, policymakers, and activists fighting daily for better care for Black birthing parents. Starting April 15, tune into NATAL wherever you get your podcasts! Visit www.natalstories.com for bonus content, our community blog, and resource hub. And be sure to follow @natalstories on Instagram and Twitter.