All five of Amy's children were born unassisted in her home. A deliberate decision made by her and her partner as they wanted to ensure the sacred moment of the birth of their children was led and governed by their decisions. For those unfamiliar with unassisted birth, families who choose to create this birth space usually birth without the support of doctors or midwives. Through her births, Amy was able to find healing from past trauma and now guides other families who want to have the same experience.
Read MoreBirth plans/preferences can be a key component of birth prep, and while they keep us on track to make sure our birth stories represent our choices, they often change following the lead of labor. Chae and her husband didn't let these changes shift their focus or silence their voices. They made sure that when their birth plan changed, they still felt in charge and empowered in their decisions.
Read MoreWhile the primary focus of Birth Stories in Color is birth storytelling, we also want to highlight organizations and resources that are supporting our communities and families on their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journeys. In this episode, we hear from India Robertson COO for Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC). An organization that is working with and for the community to combat infant mortality and inadequate care for African American families.
Read MoreIn this episode, we meet Yolanda Owens who shares with us a story of perseverance, strength, trust and leaning on a community. While her pregnancy was pretty easy, labor and delivery for Yolanda were long and at times very tough. Throughout much of her story, she expresses how vital a role her husband played in being her birth helper and advocate. During their early visits with their care provider, they informed her that doulas were not allowed, a practice that some care providers and hospitals do have in place for their patients. When trying to figure out how to move forward, Yolanda expresses that her husband immediately assured her that he could fulfill that role for her!
Read MoreNicole Braddy is sharing her family's story of faith and promises kept through the birth of her first child. Nicole and her husband, Bryan, were married in January and soon learned they were expecting their first child together. She loves to share their story as an opportunity to teach other families about the onset and complications of preeclampsia and navigating the NICU. The Braddy family was able to endure a harrowing experience that left them feeling victorious and strengthened as a new family.
Read MoreEach of Dasha's birth stories is different. With her first child, she was a teen mother. While the journey was unexpected, she found her stride with the support of her family. Her second birth, she took control, from the moment labor started until she was holding her baby in her arms. For her last birth, Dasha exclaims that she's grateful. The state of her relationship with her husband at the time had taken a toll on her pregnancy and birth, yet she birthed her daughter with no complications. Her stories allow us to reflect on the importance of childbirth education, informed consent, trusting our bodies and being mindful of our relationships with others.
Read MoreToday’s episode features Caitlin Kelley, sharing her successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). With her first daughter’s birth, Caitlin and her husband envisioned an unmedicated and vaginal birth experience. Due to a number of factors, this was not the case and Juniper was born via emergency c-section. Caitlin ensured that for her next birth she was well educated to have a different experience, focusing on education, tools, and support for an unmedicated VBAC. Using that knowledge and the support of a doula, Caitlin was able to give birth to Lou in the way she hoped for.
Read MoreWelcome to Birth Stories in Color! A podcast creating a community for people of color to share and learn from birth stories of all types. In this first episode, you meet your hosts Laurel Gourrier and Danielle Jackson, both serving their community as birth and postpartum doulas. Danielle will also be sharing her two hospital births. While her first birth was overshadowed by her health history, she still finds confidence in its success. That self-confidence and knowledge helped her power through her second birth.
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