Black Maternal Mental Health — View All

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."

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.

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.

96 | Surrendering to the Process - Chanel Hogue

When pregnant with her second child, the physical aspects of the journey were familiar. Still, Chanel knew to prepare herself for the unfamiliar fully, and she would need to educate herself and build a birth team that she could trust, which would fully support her in moving forward with a VBAC. And while moving through those parts, she would also find that her personal healing would be just as important, this pregnancy being a light for that and teaching her patience and the power of releasing control.

Since her son had arrived early, Chanel was convinced that she would have the same experience for this pregnancy. At 41 weeks and one day, Chanel was starting to feel challenged mentally, but contractions would start developing some consistency, and she took that time to rest and move throughout her day. Their doula supported them in the early shifts and then transitioning to the birth center as things intensified. The birth centered provided Chanel with a sense of peace. Feeling like the "center of attention," which made her "feel covered, and protected and safe." A pivotal moment she expresses during her birth was as she was shifting into transition, feeling fatigued she took to solitude in the shower. She was spending an intimate moment in prayer with God, asking and reflecting on strength to continue. The moment she recalls fully surrendering - her baby arriving soon after.

95 | Just the Two of Us - Jordan Duckens & Rufus Ferguson

For Jordan and Rufus, knew they wanted to spend the first year of their marriage focused on just the two of them. And by year two, they were ready to expand their family, but as time moved throughout that year and they were still not pregnant, they began getting a bit concerned that maybe something was wrong. After a visit with their doctor and receiving the news that nothing seemed to be wrong, Jordan made a call to her mother-in-law, who had had a similar experience. She was able to express her concerns and fears. Her mother-in-law holding space for her at that moment, reassuring her that she would get pregnant when it needed to happen, and the following month that assurance came to fruition.

Two days after her estimated due date, Jordan started feeling contractions and immediately about five minutes apart. Wanting to labor at home as long as possible, she found relief in the tub. And as things intensified, Rufus encouraged her that it may be time for them to head to the hospital. When she arrived, she found out that she was four centimeters dilated. Rufus and Jordan felt very supported in the hospital, and when labor slowed down at nine and a half centimeters, her birth team encouraged many positional changes to help her daughter make her way. And after 15 minutes of pushing, she arrived earthside, with Rufus catching the perfect photo and her extended family watching via Facetime.

Rufus expressed that one area he wasn't prepared for was the transition of postpartum, which was made more challenging with the restrictions of COVID. They couldn't fully tap into their community; being in sync with each other throughout it all continues to help them find and share in the joyful moments.

92 | Better Than I Planned - Ashley Shepard

Knowing her mother's birth stories - all of her children's birth from start to finish being 4 hours, Ashley envisioned she would have a similar experience. So when her water broke three days after her estimated due date, she arrived at the hospital ready for the journey to be swift. Settling into the hospital at 9 am, Ashley was 2cm dilated, and by the afternoon, was told had progressed to 8cm. To her surprise, once her doctor arrived and did a cervical exam, she expressed that Ashley was only 5cm. Ashley was, of course, disappointed but knew that she had to stay in a serene and positive mindset. As she labored through the day and progression remained in the same spot, Ashley, her husband, and birth team tried many options, finally deciding that her son's arrival would be a surgical birth.

Leaving the hospital and returning home was tough; Ashley was managing her physical healing from a surgery she hadn't expected, working through nursing challenges and also the mental toll of this new transition. Creating with food had always been an outlet for Ashley; during her pregnancy, she prepared ready-made meals for postpartum that would be easy for her and her husband to make—having food in this way assisted with her body recovery and recovery mentally. But even with that, Ashley felt like she wasn't allowing a release for her thoughts or feelings from having postpartum anxiety and baby blues. Not finding what she needed, she decided to create a guided journal. A space that she could communicate her feelings with no pressure or judgments. A safe space serving as self-care, a reminder that as a birthing parent, "you are important.." and all parts of you "have a space in your baby's life."

91 | When A Mother's Pain Re-Births Her Calling - Natalie Nicole

Natalie Nicole joined us to share the birth story of her rainbow baby. After experiencing a miscarriage on New Year’s day of 2014, she was terrified of being pregnant again. So that June, when she found out she was pregnant, she was fearful about the same outcome. But in January 2015, her son was born, and answering her prayers and showing her strength.

During her 38 week appointment with her doctor, she had a cervical exam and learned, to her surprise, that she was nearly 10 cm dilated. Things moved quickly to get her settled in the delivery room. Natalie still had her bag of waters intact, and she received a pitocin drip as recommended by her provider to speed up labor. After laboring with pitocin, Natalie knew she wanted additional support by way of an epidural. Reflecting on her birth and the speed of it, Natalie found herself wishing she had more of a plan. She was receiving medication; she couldn’t recall why she was taking it or what it was called. Her family arrived in full force, and she began to feel uncomfortable as the room was crowded and overwhelming, which deterred her focus and ability from being calm. Her birth space had made what could have been a smoother process complicated by the use of forceps, suctioning, and an episiotomy.

One week into postpartum, Natalie found herself feeling depressed. She had limited support at home as her partner had to work, and her mother had been with her for the first week. Intrusive thoughts and breastfeeding challenges led to a lack of sleep and anxiety. She became suicidal and sought help. Natalie shared her feelings and thoughts with her partner and family. She began using antidepressants, but it wasn’t enough as the anxiety and highs and lows continued. Natalie was admitted to a mental health facility to protect herself. Listen on as Natalie shares her harrowing journey through postpartum depression, anxiety and how she was open to not just therapy but medication and continued support.

84 | Birthing Without Bias: Irth - Kimberly Seals Allers

Being a journalist, while pregnant, Kimberly began asking questions. In feeling like the answers weren't adequate, she started looking into how the context of our lives as BIPOC could be clues into the infant and maternal disparities in our community.

In 2006 she wrote the Mocha Manual. This book allowed BIPOC individuals to see themselves in the modern maternity conversation. While also bringing to the forefront the realities and disparities of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding for BIPOC individuals. Kimberly continued to peel back the layers, writing five books total, The Big Letdown being her most recent, a look into the systems, society, pediatricians, and doctors hindering the infant feeding journeys of families. And through that exploration, affirming to nursing parents that they are doing their best in a structure not created to see them succeed.

In her work, Kimberly has had a front-row seat into the experience of many birthing parents and knows sharing our stories holds weight. Reflecting on her birth, she remembered when a hospital was highly recommended to her as an option for care. Yet she walked away from that hospital traumatized. There hasn't been a space for birthing people to have the opportunity to hold the care system accountable. And so Irth was born. The Irth app is a “Yelp-like” platform where individuals can leave reviews on care providers and hospitals to inform each other of where they are receiving good care and where they aren't.

If you are a birthing parent or even a doula/support person, you can share your experience. As Kimberly expressed, "We may not be able to stop all the harm, but we have to be prepared to help heal."

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.

71 | Bed Rest Led to Her Therapy Work - Shenee Bend

Shenee is a counselor who focuses on serving pregnancy and postpartum women. Her second pregnancy was going well until her 32nd week presented with bleeding. The bleeding was unexplained, but she was treated to prevent a preterm birth. She was advised to stop working, but she pushed for less restrictive discharge orders as she believed she had a vascular cervix. Her providers suspected placental abruption as she found herself back at the hospital less than 24 hours later.

Shenee eventually agreed to stay at the hospital until her baby was born to keep them both safe. There was a period of surrender that led to a month-long hospital stay. This was followed by a feeling of body shame and grief for the pregnancy experience she had expected. Her husband and daughter would visit every other day and enhanced their bond during their time together. Shenee dug deep and started each day with intention and positive affirmations that would later inspire her counseling work. The low intervention birth plan had made some significant changes, but she managed to maintain some of her choices. Tune in to hear how her birth culminated and meet the new mother birthed in adversity.

61 | Blooming Mamas Wellness - Bianca Marie

With a relatively easy pregnancy, six weeks before her EDD, she didn't automatically think the cramping she was feeling, and an abnormal gush of water was her being in labor. Throughout the next couple of days, she went about her routine but did schedule an appointment with her OB to ensure all was well. Her doctor instructed her that her day would be taking a turn during her visit, and it was best she head to the hospital. At the hospital, Bianca and her husband were shocked to find that not only did her water break at some point, and she was 5cm dilated.

Throughout the day, they found the staff supportive and receptive to her fiance being a strong advocate for Bianca. It wasn't until the shift change, and when they decided to move forward with an Epidural, that care began to shift. Bianca and her fiance started feeling rushed by the nurses, and a lack of attention to details. During the placement of her epidural, the tech created a chaotic situation. That not only caused stress and fear for Bianca and her fiance but was overly dismissive of the harm they caused and the effects that had for the rest of Bianca's birth.

Her story is a reminder of the sacredness of birth. That those who have the honor to be a part of that space treat it with respect it deserves. No matter how many births as birth workers, support systems, and care providers we have attended or supported, each one is new for each family. It is a privilege to hold space for them because your birth is an experience you carry for a lifetime!

57 | The Body Holds the Score - Alicia & Solomon Tetteh

When they went in for the birth of their twins, Alicia and Solomon did not expect it to be three days - three days filled with all the emotions. As they worked through multiple induction methods, a failed epidural, and a lengthy pushing time, Solomon could feel in his spirit that something was off. In discussions with the doctor on the third day, Solomon's suspicions were confirmed as the doctor indicated the trajectory they were on was unsafe. A surgical birth would be the best option for Alicia and the twins.

Healing from their experience didn't happen immediately and took community support. Alicia and Solomon tapped into their families, supported each other through individual and couples therapy. And maintaining the foundation, they had created of always checking in with each other and speaking on their feelings. As we learned during Black Maternal Health Week, statistics show that up to 20 percent of birthing parents develop a perinatal mental health illness, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or psychosis, either during pregnancy or the year after giving birth and sometimes beyond. For black birthing parents, that risk is doubled. With Alicia and Solomon's story, we also hear the impact and ways mental health can have on partners. As we prepare to grow our families, we must also remember that it's not just about the physical shifts but also the mental.

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.

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