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174 | Trusting Our Power - Raquel & Chris Williams

The year 2020 will forever be etched in the minds of those who lived to tell the tale. Oh, the stories we will tell. The smoke and mirrors were dispersed and the United States revealed its true self. We bore witness to Riot, after Riot, after Riot. The revolution appeared to be televised after all. But deep in our communities the true revolution was brewing. Many Black women and birthing people continued to give birth despite the headlines, the statistics, and the odds stacked against them. But they didn’t just give birth; they gave birth how they wanted, where they wanted, and focused on what was most important to them.

The Williams chose to keep their pregnancy to themselves aside from their parents. Their birth plans were kept under wraps and allowed them to keep out the noise, opinions, and outside stressors. Chris and Raquel chose a homebirth with a midwife and a doula.

Holistic care equipped Raquel with education, mental fortitude, and an understanding of what childbirth could include. When she started to feel the small ripples of early labor she contacted her birth team which included her midwife, doula, and birth photographer. Chris was spending the day attending graduation ceremonies for his students. Raquel told Chris he was fine to go and she knew it would be fine. They had a late dinner but didn’t set up the birthing tub because it was too late in the day. The waves were not close enough for her to think that she was in active labor. She checked in with her midwife and she told her to use her discernment. Raquel took a Tylenol PM and they enjoyed a movie and facials until she fell asleep. Around four in the morning, Raquel stated that she had to poop. They went down together, Chris could see her from the door, and as Raquel made a maneuver he said, “I don’t think that’s poop.” Chris was scared that the baby had died, due to the shape and stillness of her head. Meanwhile, Raquel was in a calm, zen state as she assured Chris the baby was ok. They were able to Facetime their midwife to manage the delivery of the baby. Chris caught their baby with a nuchal cord and unwrapped it and placed the baby on Raquel’s chest. The midwife entered the house shortly after. Dani and the birth photographer joined them shortly afterward for postpartum support and photography.

Immediately postpartum, they walked back down the hall with their baby. The experience of having their team come to them and the care that was provided for them had them in awe. Raquel believes that everything we need to have children… we already have it. We’ve been having babies like this forever.

172 | Trusting Intuition, Rooted in Autonomy - Emoni Cobb

Home Birth, PostpartumLaurel GourrierJanuary 10, 2024ROOTT Doulas, Home Birth Family, Black Doulas, Postpartum Support, Postpartum DoulaComment

157 | A Redemptive Birth - Celia Bouza & Whitley Mingo

Celia Kelly Bouza and her husband, Terrell, welcomed two children in the last three years, while managing their busy careers at ESPN. Leading up to their son Axel’s pregnancy, they were met with a PCOS diagnosis for Celia and a miscarriage. The provider was supportive and helped them manage fertility support, and their journey was off to a great start.

However, upon arriving at the hospital, the nurses didn’t provide the support she had expected. There was a series of heart decelerations and position changes that led to an emergency surgical birth (belly birth) Things happened so quickly that the staff forgot to bring her husband along. He made it just in time as the surgery commenced.

After fertility challenges conceiving the first child, Celia and Terrell had no problems when they decided to expand their family again. Celia decided to hire a doula for additional support for her second pregnancy. She had experienced a dismissive provider about her extreme nausea early on, prompting her to change the medical team. Celia found her doula Whitley after a quick Instagram search. Whitley was forthcoming about her inexperience with VBAC as she met with Celia and offered her referrals to additional doulas. However, Celia felt they were the perfect fit due to her humility and their instant connection. This pregnancy through a few curve balls as they managed placenta previa, a slight increase in protein in the urine, and a couple of high blood pressure reads. The placenta previa would resolve itself but the other two issues led to an induction that triggered PTSD from her first birth experience.

Celia, Terrell, and Whitley arrived at the hospital for the induction. They were armed with deep knowledge of her medical records from Axel’s birth, empowered to make informed decisions, and a strong desire to have a redemptive birth.

After a rocky start, Whitley helped create an environment to help Celia relax and rest. That space of peace would be interrupted as her dilation and progress didn't match her expectations as the induction went on. The spiral started, and Celia’s mood shifted; her doula helped her recenter and reclaim her power in that moment of deep discouragement. They made some decisions about pausing the Pitocin and starting an epidural. The epidural placement did not go as expected. The anesthesiologist denied her reality when she told him it wasn’t working. She effectively banned him from her care team. The epidural was fixed, and she started to feel relief. Celia got her redemption by way of VBAC; despite the baby having a “true knot” and meconium present in the amniotic fluid, there were no complications. Celia was also able to find a space in healing about the loss of her mother in the same hospital she had just given birth in. A true story of redemption that has allowed her to feel a sense of wholeness.

Cesarean Birth, Hospital Birth, Postpartum, VBACLaurel GourrierNovember 17, 2022Surgical Birth, VBAC, PCOS, Nuchal Cord, True Knot, Black Doulas, Black OBGYNComment

140 | Reclamation - Jennifer Walton

“It’s not the baby. It’s you.” These are the words that Jennifer Walton would hear from her medical provider as he determined with a quick cervical check that she would need to deliver her baby via surgical birth. In fact, he later told her that she would never be able to deliver vaginally because a baby couldn’t fit through her pelvis. Jennifer didn’t want a c-section and made that clear to her provider. But the cascade of interventions and the lack of informed consent would send them into a spiral that left little room to catch up mentally to what was about to happen to Jennifer physically. There had been no complications or concerns, but a lull in labor would drastically alter Jennifer and her husband, Sean’s plans. Their first baby would be born healthy and strong, but the surgical birth trauma would linger into their postpartum world.

The Walton’s welcomed their second pregnancy with a young toddler to care for. Jennifer was determined that this birth would be different. The first pregnancy had been easy, and they had the rug pulled from under them in the twilight hours of labor. Jennifer was different; she had been fire tested and was prepared to put in the work to change the narrative that had been created about her body. The weight of her previous provider’s words was pressed into her psyche. She knew that she wanted a VBAC and stacked the deck to support her goal. Jennifer selected a new OB/GYN; she was a Black woman and made her feel supported and heard. Her friend introduced her to the term doula, and where she could find one, She connected with her perinatal support doula, Jessica Roach, at Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT). ROOTT is a collective of concerned Black families, community members, advocates & interdisciplinary professionals dedicated to decreasing Black maternal & infant mortality in Ohio. The heart of their work is the commitment and rigorous training of their perinatal support doulas. Jessica educated her about her rights as a patient, guided her family through a healthy pregnancy, and helped strengthen their resolve for Jennifer to deliver their baby vaginally.

The fear of a uterine rupture would still linger in her mind, but with the support of her birth team, she moved forward with planning her VBAC. Jennifer recalled Jessica’s words in the midst of laboring at home, “Stop fighting your body and let this thing happen.” She did stop fighting her body. She let go of the defeating messages from her first pregnancy, surrendered to the process, and found her voice and strength. She gave birth to another healthy and strong daughter, accomplishing her VBAC.

135 | The Impact of Village: Rebirth of the Mother - Dr. Vernette Kountz

With many stories to share, Dr. Vernette reflected with us on her most recent birth, her seven-month-old son Hudson. Understanding her birth experience with him began way before now. At sixteen, she got pregnant; however, her family was adamant that the choice to be made was termination. This decision would include a deep grieving process but set the stage for the subsequent important choices in her life. When she got pregnant again at 20, her mindset was clear; she was keeping this baby, the beginning process of finding her voice, especially in her womb.

Dr. Vernette had always known she had a calling to surrogacy, even before the birth of her first son - because she had "took life from her womb," she "wanted to give life." Working with a surrogacy agency, she was clear about the parameters of her surrogacy journey; staying clear about them allowed her to build an authentic relationship with the fathers of the twins. Upon meeting each other, they all immediately aligned, and in building a relationship that felt true for the three of them, she is still involved in the girl's life, with periodic calls and check-ins. Most notably, her surrogacy journey was the turning point for her about being intentional in setting intentions for the journey of carrying and birthing life. So in September 2020, when she became pregnant with her son Hudson she had a solid template to work from in building her birth team and navigating her pregnancy and birth.

Her birth team included her doula, birth photographer, three black midwives, and a friend serving as a maternal figure (filling the space of her mother and godmother who had passed). She shared the sentiment with all of them that she needed "to be mothered" for this journey. Throughout the birth, they did this, a moment that she recalls vividly is laboring in the birth pool, and whenever she reached out for support or comfort, there was always someone there. That support gave her the freedom to listen to her body - laboring on the toilet, utilizing movement, and when she felt the need to push, doing it without hesitation. Following the guidance of her midwife, she took a deep breath and pushed Hudson out. The final push to a birthing journey free of limitations!

132 | Trusting the Surrender ~ Aureyl Pitts-Thomas

Having had a chemical pregnancy before, Aureyl held onto a lot of fear about her health and its correlation to how this pregnancy would continue. Not feeling supported by her care provider, she reached out to two of her dear friends who also happened to be doulas at the time with the local doula organization Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT). This additional layer of support gave her the tools to switch to a new care provider that was perfect for her family. Her doula also guided her in managing her hyperemesis gravidarum diagnosis. In a conversation with her doula, she realized that she had to address the fear she had about her body. Her doula explained that she couldn't "operate in both." She had to be either affirming that she was truly capable or sit alongside the fear. Aureyl realized she had to do the work and shared from then that her pregnancy and birth would have a theme of continued surrender - surrendering to her body, words, and thoughts about what her experience should be.

On Sept. 13th, 2020, around midnight, Aureyl went to the bathroom and noticed some fluid with a pink tinge. Having done in-depth prep with her doula about what to expect when labor began, Aureyl was pretty confident her waters had broken. She informed her doula, her family, and care provider and went back to bed to try and rest. The following day with the support of her doula, they tried to help labor progress with movement, continued to monitor the amount of fluid she was losing (as she had a small leak), along with her temperature and baby's heartbeat. After 24 hours of this routine, they decided to head to the hospital. The hospital birth team informed Aureyl she would need to get a cervical check to confirm that her waters had broken and how her body was progressing. This check was extremely painful for her, and after hearing that she was only 1cm dilated, she expressed feeling a sense of deep discouragement, and the tinges of distrust of her body began rising again. Discussing options with her birth team, she decided to rest, and as she continued to move through her birth, the trust of surrendering she had put in her pregnancy would still ring true.

Aureyl had to ask herself to surrender to the shifts of her birth; this included the support of Pitocin to help her progress. The guidance from her doctor in getting an epidural to ease her distress with cervical checks and the later part of her labor was supportive. And ultimately, meeting her baby on Sept. 15th through a surgical birth was what was aligned for them. Reflecting on her experience, Aureyl indicates that she could be at peace with each of those decisions as they were all made on her terms. And she looks back on her experience in awe of how beautiful it was for her.

127 | Friendship to Family - Giánni & Ron

Giánni and Ron expanded their family in 2019 and 2020, welcoming two beautiful daughters to fortify their new marriage. They were already parents building their blended family, but these pregnancies connected all of the dots and allowed them both to journey through the highs and lows of creating a new life together. They were both interested in having mature and intentional pregnancy experiences.

The first pregnancy was without complications, and Giánni was able to have the labor and delivery she had hoped for. Upon learning she was pregnant again shortly after her birth, Giánni and Ron paused and carefully considered if and how they would move forward with this pregnancy. She had made plans for her life's next steps and knew that committing to bring forth another life could prompt her to delay some of her dreams. They chose to maintain the pregnancy as their family members had recently endured the loss of an infant due to stillbirth. They felt called and chosen to accept this gift.

Giánni's second pregnancy occurred as the pandemic was shifting the daily lives of everyone. It brought health challenges that would make the pregnancy hard on her physically and mentally - including not knowing if Ron would be present for the birth. He had fallen ill around the same time as her induction and was admitted to the same hospital. She had the support of her ROOTT doula but was thankful that Ron would be discharged, joining her for the birth of their child within a couple of hours of her delivery. She would continue to have to monitor her health to stabilize her blood pressure with the support of the doctor and doula as they continued postpartum care.

Vulnerability was and has been the key to working as a team and building a solid foundation for their family. Ron articulated the need for fathers to have spaces to come without pretense or thought about who they are, their occupations, or social status. He also acknowledged the need for partners to create space for their wives to have time for themselves to recharge and work on their dreams. Giánni and Ron were able to come to each other with their needs by defaulting to the friendship they had before marriage. Giánni exclusively breastfed, and she found herself often feeling "touched out." Ron stepped in to help with researching and supporting Giánni until she was able to build herself up as well. Balancing four children proved to be challenging as they all needed something different from their parents. Breakdowns come, and they have kept up their communication and are persevering.

124 | Embracing Motherhood - Derikka Vaughans

Starting her first day of nursing school, Derikka Vaughans was surprised to find out that she had also started her journey through motherhood. She would take medical leave from school during her first trimester as navigating being sick and family stress would leave her a bit overwhelmed. Derikka expresses that, in full transparency, "I didn't get a chance to fully embrace pregnancy in the first trimester." and that with limited resources for women of color in her community, "I didn't really know what to expect from the experience." The most prep she had done was planning her baby shower.

So when Derikka started having mild contractions, she just attributed them to having gas. Her mom suggested to her that they could be contractions, and they should begin timing then. Throughout her labor, Derikka had to make shifts to her birth plan but reflected that an integral part of her story was when she was trying to decide about pain management. She had hoped to have an unmedicated birth, and it would be her dad who would allow her to find her voice and do what felt best for her at the moment. Speaking with him over the phone, Derikka explains that he spoke life into her, affirming her and her decisions. For her, she feels that if she had had more support like her dad's on her birth team, many things would have gone differently and that it wasn't until after the birth of her son that she felt educated about birth. She is now using her experience and knowledge to support other families in her community of Montgomery, Alabama, as a birth and postpartum doula.

Hospital Birth, PostpartumLaurel GourrierSeptember 16, 2021Birth Preparation, Doula of Color, Black Families Matter, Black DoulasComment

117 | Staying Present - Annette Perel

Before the pregnancy of her son, Annette Perel had been a doula for about four years. Considering her experience from supporting other families, she was set on the plans for her birth and what she needed to do to prepare. Key aspects of that preparation included hiring a doula and midwife for her home birth, learning to become assertive in her communication to advocate for herself, and soaking in the joy of her pregnancy.

Not able to turn her doula hat off, Annette was sure that her son would be coming past his estimated due date. Thanksgiving evening, she was surprised as she began noticing some early signs of labor but pushed them off as she could move through contractions with ease. That night she was even able to sleep through them. Over the next two days, she would fall into a rhythm of working through manageable contractions throughout the day that would subside in the evening and morning. Annette and her son's father took that time to complete the last preparation before his arrival.

Moving into day three, labor would begin to shift and become more intense, Annette needing to lean into the support of her son's father and doula. Staying present in her birth was very important for her - an anchor that allowed her to connect with her baby and body, serving as a technique for managing labor and allowing her to trust herself. This would be vital as Annette delivered her baby into her own hands with the support of her doula and midwife, who was providing guidance via phone (as she was still making her way to Annette). A moment she describes as feeling "guided, protected, safe and exactly how that labor was supposed to happen."

Home Birth, PostpartumLaurel GourrierAugust 3, 2021Black Doulas, Doula Support, Home Birth Family, Village Support, Trust BirthComment

103 | Extending Grace - Ashly White

Ashly was 18 years old when she was pregnant and birthed her first child. Reflecting, she expresses that she didn't know much, either about the preparation or what her experience could be like. Ashly and her partner flowed through, just trying to figure it all out. Her birth would include many shifts, and one that she felt lost in was bringing her baby earthside with a surgical birth.

When she began expanding her family again, she knew she wanted and deserved a different story. The moment she and her husband found out they were expecting, she began building her birth team - this included a doula from a local organization ROOTT and a black OB. The three of them worked together and filled in the gaps for each other when one couldn't hold a particular space for her. The support from her birth team surrounded her in not only care but also her whole family, allowing them to support Ashly in having the VBACs she had envisioned.

Throughout her journey, Ashly had to learn to extend grace to herself. In the moments that seemed out of her control, but especially in the moments that made her feel whole, and in each new stage of postpartum, she knows that has to be at the core - working on who she is outside of her kids, sharing " If I'm not whole, then what I'm giving them isn't the best of me." This being the part of her journey requiring the most grace.

Hospital Birth, VBAC, PostpartumLaurel GourrierMay 13, 2021VBAC, ROOTT Doulas, Black OBGYN, Black Families Matter, Black DoulasComment

86 | Leaning Inward - Destiny Benson

When Destiny found out she was pregnant with her second son, she expressed initially being in a place of denial. While she had always wanted a second child, feelings of hesitation began to arise as the age gap between her first and second was more extensive than she wanted and there was also being nervous about how she would be as a mother of two. But, being able to lean into her ROOTT doulas and husband allowed her to ensure that even within the doubt, she was taking care of herself and understood that she had within herself everything she needed for this birth and transition.

At 37 weeks, due to pre-eclampsia symptoms, she needed to be induced. Destiny would need to tap into that part of herself. After some time to re-center and regroup from this unexpected turn, Destiny knew moving through the induction, she wanted to take her time, introducing medical interventions very slowly and always starting at the lowest dosage available. Doing this gave her the space to work through challenging and tiring labor. To make the call to get an epidural because she knew she needed to allow both the mental and physical parts of herself to relax. And when it was time to push, she knew, and delivered her baby in a position that felt most comfortable for her, caught him and her hands were the first to lay him on her chest.

Hospital BirthLaurel GourrierJanuary 14, 2021Preeclampsia, Black Families Matter, Black Doulas, InductionComment

85 |There is Always Room for Healing - Anese Barnett

When Anese and her husband found out they were pregnant, it was not only a surprise but extremely exciting. They were caught off guard when at ten weeks, her pregnancy would shift into high risk as she was diagnosed with a short cervix, making her susceptible to preterm labor. At 20 weeks, her doctor indicated they would need to make some serious changes to help maintain the chances of that occurring. These changes included strict bed rest and a treatment plan for a cerclage (cervical stitch) placed.

Anese would be met with the unexpected again, at 31 weeks when her water broke, resulting in a 2-week hospital stay, and at 33 weeks going into spontaneous labor. While labor wasn't long, pushing her son earthside did take an extended amount of time, and after 2 hours and birth vacuum assistance, she and her husband got to meet their 3lb baby boy. When reflecting on her experience, Anese shared that she was thankful to have had a birth team that gave her the space to try. Many plans for her birth had changed; she hadn't thought about that impact until she was in the moment having it all unfold. But her birth team made sure she was informed, and all options were considered.

This type of support would continue as her family adjusted to life in the NICU. After five weeks, they were able to bring their son home. And as they celebrate year two of his life, healing continues and is just beginning for some family members. The layers of healing have allowed Anese to create support systems for other mothers with her similar experience. It has created a deeper bond for her husband and son and created space for her father to share his experience. Lastly, it sheds light on just how impactful full family-centered and focused care can be.

73 | Reclaiming Birth to Heal - Taylor Huntley

Community Herbalist and Doula Taylor Huntley shared her two birth experiences that inspired her work and mission. Her provider started discussing induction at 37 weeks, and Taylor found herself agreeing after some bullying. An ominous voicemail from her provider after the cancellation of her induction led Taylor to fire her provider at term. She found a midwife to continue her prenatal care and refer her to a hospital with on-call CNMs. The stars aligned as Taylor arrived at the hospital at 42 weeks and was able to have the preferred midwife catch her baby. Taylor was thankful that she hired a doula to support her pregnancy and labor as she continued to have push back about her birth plan from the nurses at the hospital.

Taylor gathered herself and all of her knowledge as she embarked on her second pregnancy. She knew what she wanted and how to get it. A Black midwife supported this pregnancy, and it was a planned homebirth. Taylor didn’t have the support from her parents regarding homebirth, but she pushed forward because it was her desire. Their concerns were based on their personal health experiences. She successfully labor at home and delivered in her home with her partner and birth team.

Taylor found healing in her homebirth experience after having challenges in her first pregnancy. Her voice was heard and honored. Taylor’s births have led her to serve in a space for Black women through birthwork.

Hospital Birth, Home BirthLaurel GourrierOctober 27, 2020Black Doulas, Village Support, Generational Healing, Black MotherhoodComment

72 | Collective Resolve - Erica Butler

Erica Butler, founder, and Sex Educator for Happ E. SexTalk, an education consulting company focused on challenging the media and cultural messages pertaining to female sexuality, body image, and sexual pleasure – specifically the historically negative and hypersexualized images of Black female sexuality. Erica shared her birth story with us, discussed her work and its importance in reproductive health and justice.

She opened up about both of her pregnancies. The first pregnancy was without complications and only mild nausea but eventually led to an emergency surgical birth. Her personal connection to a local doula organization, ROOTT, allowed her and her husband to envision birth with a new lens during her second pregnancy. Despite her best plans and she was met with placenta previa that would lead to a scheduled surgical birth. The delivery went well, but the postpartum experience was met with low blood sugar levels, lactation issues, medical provider issues, and anxiety. Erica and her husband, David, leaned into their own strength and village for support to help them.

63 | Conquering the Fear of Birth - Jessica Johnson

Jessica shared her empowering VBAC birth experience after having a surgical twin birth. She and her husband decided to enlist the support of a doula for the third pregnancy. They reached out to a local organization, ROOTT, to hire a Black Perinatal Support Doula - who would be knowledgeable about the unique needs of Black women and families in birthing spaces and help her navigate her desire to have a VBAC. Their doula helped them go back and better understand how things shifted and how they could make this birth different. She also supported her in understanding her nutritional needs better to reduce preterm birth, decrease the chances of hemorrhaging, and later naturally induce her labor once she was term.

The third delivery was different in that Jessica was informed of all of her options and could choose what felt right for her at the time. Her doula met her at home as her labor progressed and helped her with positional changes to help the baby come down. After laboring through her typical day as long as she could, she finally arrived at the hospital and was 7cm (active labor). The doctor arrived when her baby was crowning and requested that she turn around to deliver her baby. She refused and continued to push her baby out in an upright position on her bed; he adjusted to her desire. Jessica had accomplished her VBAC without an epidural with the support of her birth team! After all of her birthing experiences, Jessica deemed herself a "Birthing Expert," and we whole-heartedly agree.

55 | Vaginal Birth After Laparoscopic Myomectomy - Mabel Bashorun

July is Fibroid Awareness Month - studies show that Black women suffer from fibroids 2-3 times more than white women and tend to experience fibroids at a younger age and often more severely. With those numbers, Black women are also 2 to 3 times more likely to undergo surgery to manage their fibroids. With such a common occurrence, few women are open about their experience, know about treatment options, or what options they have after having a myomectomy.

At 26 years old, Mabel found out that she had fibroids, which she would never have expected. Researching and working with her care provider, shebdecided the best option for her would be to get her fibroids removed through surgery. Knowing that she and her husband would want to expand their family, she decided to move forward with laparoscopic myomectomy. A minimally invasive procedure to remove fibroids, but also provides a better chance for having vaginal births.

Whether it be abdominal or laparoscopic, most myomectomy candidates are not offered a trial of labor. When she found out she was pregnant, Mabel was aware of the odds, but standing firm in her wants and needs, she went through a dozen no's before meeting a doctor who was willing to step out of his comfort zone and support her. This episode covers a myriad of topics; diastasis recti, pelvic floor health, fibroids, blood transfusions, hemorrhaging, drawing boundaries with family, but most importantly, advocating for ourselves as Mabel puts it "having the nerve" to stand up and demand what we want.

53 | Discovering the Power Within - Shannon Bennett & Sharea Jenkins

We know the statistics for black maternal and infant health. We understand the risks of bringing forth life within black bodies, and the narrative is heavy. As we strive for a change, it's also imperative to have balance, and joy is a part of the resistance. Shannon's experience is full of love, community care, and joy!

As birth workers, we were ecstatic that Shannon would be sharing her experience with her Doula Sharea. When prepping for her birth, Shannon listened to lots of birth stories. Prepping in this way showed her there were many ways birth could happen and the importance of laboring at home as long as possible. Even with a plan, there would be a point of necessary surrender and the value in doula support, specifically from a black doula. Having that be a theme of many of the stories, she listened to Shannon, sought out a black doula in her community, and found Sharea. Upon meeting Sharea it was an immediate connection, and she added her to her birth team on the spot. With the support of her birth team, her husband, her prep through research and curiosity, Shannon looks back at her birth and speaks without hesitation that it truly showed her, “there is nothing I can’t do!”

52 | Birthing Love - Coach Cass

Learning all they could to help plan for their child's birth was very important for Cass and her husband. Yet they felt that when their questions and concerns were brought to their care provider, they were either ignored or dismissed. Her provider's attitude toward her wanting to explore traditional birthing methods against the usual hospital protocols proved to be a deciding factor in the shift of her care. Making a tough decision, at 33 weeks, Cass and her husband transferred their care to a midwife. Their plan shifted to a birthing center that allowed her to create an environment and team that met the needs of her birth vision. Cass focused on how important it was to sit with her midwife, go through her transferred records, how much it meant to her to be heard, and have her time-honored. Join us and listen in for an empowering story of controlling what you can, educating yourself, and building your birth dream team.

51 | When Your Birth Doesn't Stick to the Plan - Cassandre Dunbar

While she knew she shouldn't make comparisons, around 37 weeks while pregnant with her second son, Cassandre began questioning what to expect. Around this time with her first, she was already showing signs for his arrival. An earlier incident in the pregnancy had caused some uneasiness, a feeling that didn't fade, and by 39 weeks at her regularly scheduled apt, she made sure to advocate strongly that every test be ran to ensure everything was ok. Results yielded that nothing directly was concerning, and showing no signs of being in labor Cassandre went home. Little did she know that in a couple of hours, they would be headed to the hospital via ambulance, and upon arrival birthing her son in one push - but there were some complications. He was not breathing, and due to not knowing how long he had been without oxygen and other symptoms, he was placed in a medically induced coma for three days to preserve brain function. It was a wild ride of anticipation of would this work, but he was able to recover and come home with his family. Cassandre describes their experience as a miracle. While the early journey of postpartum was an adjustment, it welded many lessons for their family, all rooted in leaning into their intuitions and the unexpected. Cassandre's wish is that all who listen to her story, don't see it as a scary experience but a source to remind you always to trust yourself.

Cassandre is also the creator and host of the podcast Be Well Sis, a podcast centered around wellness for black women. When speaking about wellness, black women tend to be erased from those conversations. Be Well, Sis, black women, their voices, and experiences are centered. To connect in community with Cassandre's head over to her website or follow her via social media (@bewellsis_podcast)

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