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115 | Intuitive Solitude - Lauren Collins

Dr. Lauren Collins, a chiropractor, and birthworker tapped into the wisdom and experiences of the families she's supported over the years and empowered her during her homebirth. A birth that was peaceful, intense, and also faster than expected.

The day her labor started, she started to busy herself but again felt led to rest. She eventually became restless and began to move through her contractions. Lauren's doula and husband helped her with position changes and comfort measures. She utilized her home to her advantage to maintain a relaxed state of mind. Allowing is a state of mind that releases our minds from overworking so the body can work during labor according to its design. Her son would come much faster than expected for a first-time birthing parent. The birth team was not there yet as she was "pushy." Realizing her midwife would not make it in time to catch, Lauren tapped into her connection with her son. She said, "Ok, we just have to figure this out now." Her doula Facetimed the midwife to provide virtual support as Lauren successfully delivered her son into her arms in the shower. Lauren credits her preparation with her birthing team and some of the books she read during pregnancy for how she managed her labor despite not marking the typical milestones that she has seen in labors. Allowing space for solitude was vital in keeping her labor moving forward organically.

The difficulty in healing was more challenging for Lauren than the birth itself, partly due to her expectations. Learning to rely on other people as she healed proved to be an important opportunity to learn to give herself permission to seek support. Birth teams are critical to the success and overall positive experience of labor. Access to out-of-hospital birth has some obstacles, but whatever is in your power to control, build your team to meet those needs.

114 | The Birth of Ingrid & Isabel - Ingrid Carney

Within her pregnancy, Ingrid Carney would lean into a flexible and go with the flow mindset. As she came closer to the birth of her daughter, she felt like things would be textbook. So at eight and a half months, when she found out her daughter was breech, it wasn't something she felt prepared to handle. She gathered the information from the doctors and decided to move forward with trying to flip her daughter. Soon after the procedure, her water broke, and she would navigate three days of labor before her daughter was born. On the third day, reaching a point of feeling like she was tapped out, Ingrid and her husband decided to move forward with a surgical birth.

During the early parts of her postpartum, she had an extensive support system, but she found that she and her support system focused a lot on her daughter and not much on Ingrid's healing. At some point finding herself in what she described as a "fog" - but now knowing she was dealing with postpartum depression. Navigating it on her own with her husband, she slowly found her rhythm, and tides would change drastically after joining a mom's group. This group provided her community with others who were also working through their parenthood journey at the same time.

Joining this group would also be the beginning for Ingrid & Isabel. In a conversation in her mom's group, there was a discussion around products they all were using and whether or not they worked. Ingrid shared that she had created something - the Bellaband®. Seeing it and how it worked, the group encouraged her to move forward and make more. Taking advantage of nap time, Ingrid would use that time to explore fabrics and designs and, in November 2003, would have her first sale. The Bellaband® would become a product that brought her family together and has grown into a national company offering a full range of maternity essentials.

113 | Embracing Change - Charlotte Shook

By 40 weeks gestation, Charlotte had not started labor, and her provider was supportive in honoring waiting for any interventions until 41 weeks and not beyond 42 weeks. She found herself feeling anxious about the possibility of induction and the cascade of interventions. Fortunately, Charlotte’s body had spontaneously started labor, and her doula and doctor helped comfort her and ease her into the labor. Charlotte knew her membranes had ruptured but did not believe she was experiencing surges (contractions). She went to see her doctor after having ruptured membranes for 24 hours at her doctor’s request. Surprisingly, there was no physical evidence of progress in the labor, and the cascade of interventions began - cervical ripening, Pitocin, two epidurals, all over three days. Finally, her body relaxed and began to respond to the interventions. She called in her doula as they had managed virtual support due to Covid protocols at the hospital. After an hour of pushing, Charlotte was able to grab her baby and pull him out as he peacefully entered the world.

Postpartum sleep deprivation marked the experience once they went home. Charlotte made sure to step out for fresh air for walks with her husband. Family and friends were supportive by preparing and paying for meals and some limited in-person support. After a 12-week family leave, her husband returned to work, and things shifted for Charlotte and her son. He started having latch issues and losing weight. They tried a chiropractor, allergen tests (for dairy), and two lactation consultants. The second lactation consultant could meet “in person” and was the most helpful in addressing the issues.

Charlotte encourages birth preparation, and despite the shifts in her labor plans, she still used many techniques to center herself. She learned about all of the possibilities beforehand and offered herself grace to mourn the loss of the experience that she wanted.

112 | Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project (DSMAP) - Shared by Bianca Pryor

Bianca Pryor felt led to start sharing her personal birth experience and how it interweaves with the birth story and untimely passing of her best friend, Dr. Shalon Irving. They discovered they were expecting around the same time and committed to "doing pregnancy" together. It was an exciting time in their lives after they both had experienced sibling losses. They were able to see and feel the positive energy around them. Bianca reflected on the newness of how much information we now have about the experiences of Black women in birthing spaces. Today, it has been reported so much more, but they were not prepared for what lay ahead for them.

Dr. Shalon would give birth via scheduled surgical birth to Soleil in January 2017 with no complications during the delivery. The best friends bonded in the newness of motherhood and leaned into each other for support. Three weeks postpartum for Dr. Shalon, they texted briefly while Bianca was still in the NICU. Later that day, she received another text stating that her friend was in the hospital because she had stopped breathing. Dr. Shalon had shared that her legs were still swollen, and she had low energy. She had also been receiving wound care at home as she was having challenges with her incision healing properly. She was a fierce advocate for her health but was pushed off by her medical providers. Dr. Shalon Irving passed away shortly after - her friends and family vigilant on her behalf.

The Believe Her App and Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Plan are projects birthed by Bianca and Dr. Shalon's mother, Wanda Irving, as a form of activism and memorializes Dr. Shalon's life and her legacy. Believe Her is an anonymous, maternal, peer-to-peer app created to fight extraordinarily high black maternal mortality rates and save lives. Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project works to remove barriers, biases, and disparate practices that impede access to equitable, quality care for Black women and women of color. Their work is based on the life philosophy of Dr. Shalon:

"I see inequity wherever it exists. I am not afraid to call it by name and work hard to eliminate it. I vow to create a better earth."

111 | Redefining and Reconciling with Motherhood - Amber Thornton

At 39 weeks, around 9 pm, after watching a show with her husband, Dr. Amber Thorton got up and immediately felt her waters rupture. Her husband began organizing and preparing their things to allow birth to flow. During that time, she noticed that her contractions were intense and very consistent. Arriving at the hospital with her doula and husband for support, Dr. Amber was surprised to find that she was already 6cm. Settling in, she continued to move through labor and her birth plan. Labor continued to progress, but after 2 hours of pushing and her daughter not descending, Dr. Amber, with the support of her birth team, decided to move forward with a surgical birth.

The beginnings of postpartum would require an extended hospital stay as Dr. Amber did develop postpartum preeclampsia, a diagnosis she was encouraged to explore after a recommendation from her virtual community. It would also yield the transition of healing from her surgical birth, supporting her toddler and newborn, and reconciliation with herself around her birth. The transparency of "not liking having” a second surgical birth and “working through the what if's". Through those feelings, acknowledging that they are valid and not the sole determinant of her motherhood.

110 | The Sacred Bodies - Katya Suh

Katya Suh and her husband, Ndamunkong Suh felt uneasy in the early weeks of her pregnancy as she had early spotting that would significantly reduce physical activity. This proved challenging for Katya, a former collegiate basketball player, as she was accustomed to living an active lifestyle. The spotting was anxiety-producing, and she grew concerned about her ability to carry her pregnancy to term, especially since they were expecting twins. Katya described her prenatal care as excellent as she felt respected and heard during her prenatal visits. The spotting eventually subsided, but she needed to continue maintaining low physical activity. She felt fully supported by her husband during the whole pregnancy but especially in the first trimester. He assured her that "they" were good no matter what the outcome was. Katya viewed the third trimester as "crazy" as her husband and his team won the Super Bowl, moved into their new home, and began to prepare that space for the babies.

At 38 weeks, Katya consented to a scheduled induction. She was able to have both her husband and her mother present for the births, despite having been unsure if her mom would be allowed to attend due to the hospital's restrictions during the pandemic. Labor was intense, and she chose an epidural for additional comfort. Part of their birth plan was for Ndamunkong to stay with the babies if there were any issues. The first baby, Kingston, was healthy, and there were no complications for him. However, their second baby, Khari, had fluid in his lungs and needed additional medical support with a CPAP. Katya's husband went with Khari to be present during his treatment. After her deliveries, Katya experienced a postpartum hemorrhage - which resulted in her needing to receive two blood transfusions, and she has had a healthy recovery.

Katya has intentionally expressed her needs and emotions with her family and friends as she is still in the fourth trimester. She has learned to lean in for support and credits her village for how they are managing newborn twins — embracing her evolution in becoming a mother, both mentally and physically.

109 | The Heart Work of Birth - Adriana Lozada

Adriana graciously shared the home birth story as she welcomed her daughter for the first time. Adriana did not venture into birth work until after she gave birth herself. She started self-educating as she prepared for pregnancy, and books were her primary source of knowledge. She found that as she and her husband were living on a sailboat, they would need to make changes to create stability due to challenging weather conditions of sailing. Adriana knew that she had book knowledge but had no deep-rooted village and lacked “heart knowledge.” Adriana and her husband hired a midwife to support their planned homebirth but still regret not having invited more people to support them through labor and postpartum.

Labor started at 41 weeks as Adriana and her daughter held their own “secret” that would be the beginning of her birth. She managed to labor at home all day long as her family supported her. Upon arrival at the hospital, Adriana discovered that she was not as far progressed as she thought. Adriana tried various labor positions until she landed on a stool, which allowed her body to do the work. Pushing for 2 hours left her exhausted, and she found herself birthing with her brain and not her body. Her baby girl was born as she yelled her out and garnered her anger to propel her body to complete the task.

We found ourselves sitting at the feet of a veteran birth worker who has managed to pave a way for women and birthing people to honor the space of their becoming. Adriana now powerfully describes birth as not an emergency but an emergence. Her podcast, Birthful, seeks to inform your intuition through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

108 | Pressing Through With Love - Cristina Hernandez & Sy Bernabei

Cristina Hernandez and her partner Sy Bernabei shared how they navigated their journey through assisted reproductive technology (ART), planned for homebirth, and ended at the hospital with a belly birth. Their story delved deeply into the world of fertility support and the mental and physical highs and lows that can affect both partners. Cristina bravely walked us through her each step with Sy by her side. The process of becoming pregnant grew in intensity, and they experienced loss of an embryo - not to mention the loss of Sy’s brother during the pregnancy. Nevertheless, they sought solace and stepped away from their daily lives to regroup and carry on their pregnancy. Cristina cautiously carried the twins until birth.

Cristina attended a prenatal appointment at 35 weeks and was informed that her blood pressure was high and one of the babies was breech presenting. She returned at 37 weeks for a stress test and again had high blood pressure; in addition, there was protein in her urine sample. They immediately began to plan for a scheduled belly birth to mitigate additional health issues for Cristina and the babies. The twins were full-term, and Cristina’s body had started to show early signs of labor. But through all of their planning, this was not a scenario that they had considered. Nevertheless, they brought home their healthy children, both a boy and a girl.

Bringing home their babies came with additional challenges. Cristina still had to heal from the blood pressure complications and a surgical birth with twins. However, Postpartum was a timeframe that helped their family develop a deeper bond and evolved their communication styles. Cristina has channeled her energy to become a birth worker now. She has utilized her experience to support other families through childbirth and especially those having belly births.

Laurel GourrierJune 16, 2021Comment

107 | A Second Chance - Rana Campbell

When Rana found out she was pregnant with her son, there was a sense of apprehension and excitement. After her miscarriage in 2016 and navigating her feelings of loss, she had been scared to try again. Yet even with that, she knew she wanted a birth team she could trust and feel safe with, allowing this pregnancy to be filled with joy.

With labor beginning at 40 weeks and two days, Rana worked through the early stages in the company of her community. She would struggle with her anxiety of if she was making progress. Her midwife encouraged her to reach out to her doula to help keep her mind at ease and provide support. After a day or and a half of on and off labor, they decided to head into the hospital.

Her birth plans would shift a bit as she would need to support her labor with Pitocin, but Rana expressed that even in the most intense parts, she knew she would need to succumb to the experience. Hitting transition - she felt uplifted by the ancestors and focused on bringing her son earthside. As she began pushing, Rana was exhausted but even more determined, and after 20 minutes of pushing, her son was born. As he was placed on her chest, she felt happy and an immense amount of pride in herself.

Hospital Birth, COVID-19Laurel GourrierJune 10, 2021Comment

106 | A Peaceful Surprise - Shay & Joshua

An unexpectedly easy pregnancy led Shay and Joshua through a journey of exploration and intention setting that would create a backdrop for a pregnancy and birthing experience that would be become a love letter for their daughter.

Shay and Joshua chose to announce their pregnancy to a few select people. They managed to keep their happy secret despite Shay's work on social media that often finds her sharing much of her personal life. Their journey to parenthood was marked by detailed preparations that included observing other families, nutrition planning, hiring a doula and midwife, and taking deep dives into researching what felt right for them.

Their family learned that all of the best intentions could not stop a global pandemic from shifting aspects of their birth plan, like having a doula present in the hospital. But they were already determined to focus on the "controllables," as Shay coined it. They managed to labor at the hospital but shifted to surgical birth. Since giving birth, Shay has become more aware of her own needs and openly communicates with Joshua. She has been able to lean into his care and ask for it when needed. Communication has been the key to managing their new parenthood journey.

COVID-19, Cesarean Birth, Hospital BirthLaurel GourrierMay 31, 2021Black Maternal Health, Surgical Birth, COVID-19Comment

105 | Finding Balance - Hiwote Bekele

May is Maternal Mental Health Month. When we finished recording Hiwote's story and sitting in processing with her, we knew her story aligned with the awareness this month brings forth. Hiwote's story carries the heavy parts that we often hear of - the weight of being a Black birthing person, navigating a medical system that isn't designed to support us. There is birth trauma in this story.

Sharing on BSiC was the first time Hiwote would be reflecting on her experience aloud. Her story highlights the disparities of the Black and Immigrant community - how our experiences are not monolithic but often intertwined. The lack of research for treating mental health within the immigrant community. And how impactful our cultural practices and traditions can be to our healing and mental health.

Birth is sacred, and our birth stories live with us forever embedded in our very being. In finding the BSiC space, Hiwote was ready to release this part of her journey. What she received at the end of sharing was the beginning of healing—being able to start a new as she and her husband expand their family once again.

104 | Choosing Joy - Dadriaunna Hayes

Dae joined us to share her beautifully intertwined birth stories of loss and joy reclaimed. She experienced the unexpected loss of her first child during the early part of her third trimester. She began a healing journey that included therapy, where she started journaling. The process proved therapeutic and taught her how to make space for herself and rebuild her trust in God.

Dae worked through the waves of grief and discovered she was pregnant again; this time, it was during a pandemic. She gathered her team, created an active morning routine, and simply chose to enjoy the pregnancy. They planned for a birth at home and put in the work to make it happen by hiring a midwife and doula. After managing through over 20 hours of labor, they decided to transition to the hospital. She continued to labor without progressing and found herself at peace at how birth would unfold and welcomed her son via surgical birth.

Dae has adopted a belief of motherhood as a joyous experience. She has developed a community online that has centered the scripture referencing beauty for ashes. She is now holding space for women who have experienced some form of loss and want to exchange that grief for a new experience of joy and beauty.

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

102 | Affirming Black Motherhood - Shanicia Boswell

Shanicia Boswell, a self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur, reflected on the birth of her daughter. She recalls feeling like getting pregnant at 22 was like getting pregnant in high school. Her friends were busy continuing their education and traveling. She remembered not feeling accepted or treated well due to being young, Black, and unmarried. She knew that she wanted an unmedicated water birth and discovered that her hospital did not offer that opportunity. Shanicia boldly changed providers at 28 weeks gestation to match her personal birth preferences. When labor ensued, Shanicia found herself in awe of the birthing process and the wonder of her own body. She safely rode the wave, and her labor produced a beautiful baby girl without complications. As postpartum began, Shanicia’s mother stepped in to provide in-home support and helped with the transition. She experienced the “baby blues” as her body and mind had to reconnect and take on a new life.

Shanicia has channeled her pregnancy and parenting experiences from the lens of a Black woman into a career. Her latest project is a pregnancy book, Oh Sis, You’re Pregnant: The Ultimate Guide to Black Pregnancy and Motherhood, that flows through all of the ways we can prepare our minds and bodies for childbirth and the forever postpartum period. There are African birth traditions, detailed health concerns that tend to affect Black bodies more frequently, space for Black women to see themselves, and there is joy - a joy that fits the occasion of the blessing of a new life.

101 | Wolomi - Layo George

Layo's childhood planted the seed for Wolomi. Growing up in Nigeria and DC, the joy of community support during one's expansion of family was a part of her everyday life, as her mother supported friends and family as a midwife. Taking the lessons of these experiences with her into her career as a nurse in America, a reality set in that what she had seen with reproductive care was not the standard everywhere.

And as she navigated her pregnancy, she knew that she didn't want to allow pregnancy and birth to happen to her - or enable the healthcare system to do whatever they wanted. As she had seen growing up, she needed to be the center of her experience, supported by those who could uplift her in that positioning. That return to the beginning would also birth Wolomi. The goal and mission of Wolomi is to provide resources and guidance that support black birthing people to own their perinatal journey, alongside others that look like them, and share in their experience.

100 |Prepare and Let Go - Leslie Lissant & Caryn Fields

Leslie had started preparing for parenthood by learning as much as she could and discovered many pathways for birth, parenting, and creating a home environment that would be different from her own life experience. She had learned about homebirth in college and kept the knowledge in her mind until she and her husband, Carvens, were expecting their own child. They hired Caryn as additional support but found that she would be there for unexpected aspects of pregnancy. She found herself vulnerable and needing reassurance as she managed pregnancy during a pandemic and racial unrest in our country.

Leslie sought grounding and joy through the uncertainties of the environment. When her labor ensued, she committed to her affirmations, breathing, and leaning into her support. Learning to surrender to that space and moment allowed her to power through. And birth her baby into her arms. Leslie refers to her birth experience as a “posture of gratitude.”

Home Birth, COVID-19Laurel GourrierApril 29, 2021Home Birth Family, Midwifery Care, Doula of Color, Postpartum Planning, COVID-19Comment

99 | Birthing Their Light - Tauri & Sarah Hayter

In expanding their family, Tauri and Sarah found that Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) was the route that felt best. And after finding out they were pregnant, being the planner she is - Tauri began preparing for their birth vision.

They wouldn't have even known they needed to prepare for dealing with pregnancy and birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the 20 week scan, Tauri and Sarah would soon find they would be experiencing their pregnancy amongst just the two of them. Coming to the end of her pregnancy, Tauri was trying all the techniques to get labor started. After a night of nothing happening with castor oil, Tauri found herself a bit restless. Feeling a shift, she went to the bathroom and experienced a movie-style breaking of her waters. She shared the news with Sarah and went back to sleep.

Into the next day, there wasn't much change, and after 12 hours, Tauri and Sarah headed to the hospital. With the support of Pitocin, contractions began coming intense and fast. Working through the night and into the early morning, Tauri started to feel a new intensity. When her midwife arrived, her body had already begun pushing, her baby already crowning. And following her lead, pushing when she felt ready, Sarah caught their baby, placing her on Tauri's chest with all her "cheesy vernix" goodness.

Hospital Birth, COVID-19Laurel GourrierApril 21, 2021Midwifery Care, IUI, COVID-19, LGBTQIA+Comment

98 | Shifting the Paradigm - Dr. Alicia Bonaparte

Dr. Alicia Bonaparte is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Pitzer College and trained as a medical sociologist specializing in reproductive health, health disparities, and female crime and deviance. Dr. Bonaparte is well known for her role as co-editor of Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy and Childbirth - a book that has ushered in a movement of Black Birth Workers across the diaspora. We had an opportunity to discuss Birthing Justice's origins and the far-reaching effects that have influenced policy, education, and birth narratives centering Black bodies.

In our conversation, we explore her work as a whole and ways in which history and community can serve as a powerful force in accessing our power to create change and birth liberation. We left feeling whole - it was full of lessons we will be taking into the continued celebration of Black Maternal Health Week 2021 and Black birth, Black life, and Black joy!

We share with you some of our favorite highlights;

There will be a second edition of Birthing Justice released in 2022!!!
"We cannot assume there is no historical precedent to the things we see today" examining our history allows us to "figure out necessary interventions to shift that paradigm so things can become better." ~ Dr. Alicia Bonaparte
The beauty of honoring our people (our community) when they are here with us earthside and giving them their flowers now. And not just in accolades and gratitude but showering them in their worth!
"Take really good care of yourself and focus on your joy and cultivating it." ~ Dr. Alicia Bonaparte

Community HighlightsLaurel GourrierApril 14, 2021BMHW21, Black Families Matter, Black Joy, Birthing Justice, History, StorytellingComment

BMHW21 - An Offering of Meditation

Kristen Hanna is a BSiC Storyteller that encourages mindful motherhood in her work and daily life. Kristen and her partner have started an apparel line, Be Free Apparel, as an opportunity to not only clothe the body but inspire and encourage others to break generational patterns and heal to live and love as freely as God intended. She has graciously gifted our listeners with an offering of meditation.

The intention of this meditation is for reframing and centering as you prepare for and navigate your birth. The hope that this pause allows you to tap within yourself. And the affirmations curated from snippets of BSiC community storyteller’s own experiences cover you in support. Pause. Tap in. Listen.

97 | Trusting the Power of Intuitive Listening - Jefri & Aigbokhai

For Jefri prepping for birth mentally, emotionally, and spiritually was of high importance. Tapping into her intuition and "reconciling her relationship with pain" based on conscious and unconscious thoughts around it. She wanted to be able to trust herself throughout her whole journey, an aspect of preparation that was key for Aigbokhai as well—finding a way to stay out of his own head so that he could be "in the moment, present and available" to support Jefri in whatever way she needed.

When labor began, Jefri felt as though it wasn't time. As things started picking up, she still disregarded the shift but followed her body's request for movement as she worked through contractions. After some time, she found herself returning to the toilet, her body signaling to her that their baby would be arriving soon.

With a sense of haste, she instructed Aigbokhai to call their midwife, and they both began hurriedly preparing for the baby to come. With their midwife still a bit of way from their home and things moving fast, they placed her and Jefri's mother on facetime. Both of them providing support and encouragement as the baby began crowning. And with another two contractions, their son was born into Jefri and Aigbokhai's hands.

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