<![CDATA[Bluebird Baby Company - Blog]]>Mon, 25 May 2026 07:27:27 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[Your Guide to Postpartum Recovery]]>Tue, 14 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/your-guide-to-postpartum-recoveryThe first six weeks after giving birth are known as the postpartum period. This period is an intense time that requires all sorts of care for you and your baby.

During this time, which some researchers believe actually lasts up to six months, your body will experience a number of changes, from healing after childbirth to hormonal mood swings. All of this in addition to the added stress of tackling breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, and the overall monumental adjustment to motherhood (if this is your first child).

In short, it can feel like a lot. It's not uncommon for the first year to feel like a tidal shift.

That said, the recovery period can vary wildly. If you're on your third baby and only pushed for 20 minutes, your recovery will look different than if you labored for 40 hours, pushed for 3, and had an emergency c-section. 

Yet while everyone's experience is different, there are some recovery milestones that you should ideally hit. To help give you a sense of where you should be in your postpartum timeline, this article highlights what you can expect from your body and your mind.

Week 1

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Physical status, post-vaginal delivery

If you had a hospital delivery, you'll most likely stay there for at least part of this week after a vaginal delivery. The usual stay is 24 hours after delivery. Depending on whether or not your tore (and how much), your vagina may hurt quite a lot.

Perineal soreness is normal, as is bleeding. This first week, blood should be bright red, but will eventually turn brown like at the end of your period. You'll also probably feel little contractions, especially when breastfeeding, as the uterus contracts back to its pre-pregnancy size.

Physical status, after C-section

After a cesarean delivery, most movement will be difficult and your incision can be painful. A lot of women have trouble getting in and out of bed, but it's important to move around at least a little bit to avoid blood clots.

Mental Health Status

Day 3 in particular is infamous for being emotionally difficult (although this can occur anywhere between days 3-5). At this point there is a massive drop in estrogen and progesterone, and oxytocin and prolactin levels fluctuate widely throughout the day while breastfeeding. Combined with the sleep deprivation and exhaustion from birth, this makes for a lot of weepiness and feeling like nothing is going right.
​Suggestions for aiding your recovery:
  • If you had a vaginal delivery, use an ice pack or frozen pads with witch hazel on your perineum. Use a spray bottle of warm water during or after peeing.
  • Take Tylenol or Advil at regular intervals. Pain begets pain, so do your best to get ahead of it.
  • Take a stool softener and drink lots of water. Many hospitals won’t let you leave unless you’ve pooped, so make it a little easier on yourself.
  • Again, for C-section moms: Your major job the first week is to keep your incision clean and dry. Give it fresh air after a shower, pat it down with a towel, and set your hair dryer to cold and point it at your scar.
  • Some doctors and midwives say it’s very important to take your temperature 2 to 4 times a day for the first 72 hours, to catch a uterine or kidney infection quickly.

Week 2

Physical status, post-vaginal delivery

For some women, bleeding will start to taper off. For others, it can last up to six weeks. Both are totally normal.
At this point though, the bleeding shouldn’t be heavy. You may start to feel vaginal itchiness, which is caused by the area starting to heal. The sutures — which swell with fluid when they disintegrate — may also be bugging you.

Physical status, after C-section

​You’ll still likely feel quite sore but it will probably feel a little easier to move around. Your scar might become a little itchy as the incision site is healing.

Mental health status

Baby blues are totally normal. In fact, most women are said to get them. Postpartum depression (PPD), however, is something else entirely.
If you’re feeling overcome with sadness an anxiety — if you can’t eat or sleep, aren’t bonding with your newborn, or are having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting anyone else — talk to your doctor.
​Suggestions for aiding your recovery:
  • If you’re breastfeeding, you’ll be deep into it by now. Make sure to have lanolin on hand for sore nipples and keep an eye out for clogged ducts. A lactation consultant can make an enormous difference here, so make sure to see one if you’re having trouble.
  • Incorporate a little bit of movement into your day — whether that’s a walk around your house or the block.
  • Continue to eat well. Foods with potassium can help keep your energy up.

Week 6

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Physical status, post-vaginal delivery

This is when the uterus goes back to pre-pregnancy size and the bleeding stops. Most people are cleared for exercise and sexual activity, but many don’t feel ready for the latter for a long time.
Around six to eight weeks, bleeding may have stopped many days ago, but mysteriously started up again. This is because your uterus is involuting so much that the placental scab is getting pushed off, so there’s a brief few days of bright red bleeding.

Physical status, after C-section​

Same goes for the uterus and being cleared for sex and exercise. You’re now permitted to drive and lift something other than the baby — but try not to overdo it. The scar probably won’t hurt anymore, but you might still be numb (or even itchy) around the incision.
You should be fully recovered from the surgery and will probably only feel the incision if you bump into something. Walking is great, but go slow on more intense exercise.

Mental health status

If you have any lingering worries about your emotional or mental health, bring them up with your doctor at your six-week checkup. It’s normal to feel exhausted and overwhelmed, but deeper feelings of depression, hopelessness, or anxiety can be treated.
Suggestions for aiding your recovery:
  • Although this is technically when the postpartum period ends, many women don’t feel remotely like themselves for a full year, so be gentle with yourself.
  • If you’re ready to resume exercising, start slowly.
  • Same holds true for sexual activity: Just because you’re cleared doesn’t mean that you feel ready. Listen to your body above all else. Very few women experience painless sex this early after giving birth. 
  • Pelvic floor physical therapy is highly effective at aiding in recovery on all fronts.
  • The exhaustion at this point can be overwhelming. Nap as often as possible.

Six Months

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​Physical status, post-vaginal delivery

If your hair was falling out after your delivery, it should stop now. You should also have full bladder control again, if this was a problem before now.
Depending on your work schedule, milk may be drying up. Your period may come back anytime (or not for a year or more).

​Physical status, after C-section​

One study found that women who had C-sections were more tired after six months. This, of course, depends on how well your baby is sleeping.
Just as with post-vaginal delivery, your milk may be drying up depending on your work schedule and your period may come back anytime.

Mental health status

If you’re getting into the swing of motherhood — and the baby is sleeping more — your mental state might be more positive around this time.
Again, any lingering feelings associated with PPD should be addressed.
​Suggestions for aiding your recovery:
  • Exercise is very important at this stage, for both mental and physical health.
  • You can do abdominal strengthening exercises in earnest, which should help alleviate some back pain.

One Year

​​Physical status, post-vaginal delivery

You may be feeling back to yourself, but your body may still feel slightly different — whether it’s a few extra pounds, or just weight distributed in different places.
Depending on whether you’re still breastfeeding, your breasts will appear different than they did pre-pregnancy.

​​Physical status, after C-section​

Your scar will have faded, but it might still be a little numb. If you want another baby soon, most doctors will recommend (or insist on) a C-section if the babies are 18 months or less apart, this is due to the risk of uterine rupture during labor and vaginal delivery.

Mental health status

This will probably hinge on how comfortably you’re adapting to motherhood and how much sleep you’re getting. If you can, continue to nap on weekends when the baby naps to catch up on sleep.
​Suggestions for recovery:
  • If you’re still having painful sex, prolapse, or urinary incontinence, speak with your doctor. Ask for a referral to pelvic health physical therapy if you haven't already done so.
  • It’s important to maintain a healthy diet and continue to exercise. Depending on your baby’s sleep patterns, consider sleep training.

Sources:

]]><![CDATA[The Pillow Fort]]>Mon, 23 Dec 2024 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/the-pillow-fort


​Okay, it's not what you're thinking. Although I was known to set this up and watch movies when I was pregnant. Anything for some lower back relief! I learned this trick from my own doula when I was pregnant with my 2nd, and then again while in doula training. It's one of the most valuable things I've learned and I make an effort to pass this on to all of my clients. 
This is a great way to stretch during late pregnancy or even during labor. It's so comfortable, some people have even managed to sleep in this position!

(These quality photos were taken by my then 3 year old.)

You will need:
3-4 pillows
A yoga ball (you can also use a stool, but the ball enables you to rock back and forth)
Blanket (optional to cover the ball)





​
​Place two pillows on the ground in a V shape to kneel on. 





​You want the two pillows to be long enough and firm enough that they support your ankles, and keep your knees nice and cushioned. Make sure your feet are hanging off the ends so that you don't crush your ankles.


​



​Place another pillow behind your knees so you have something to sit on and are not crushing your knee joints.




​Now relax down into the stretch using the stool or yoga ball for support. If needed, you can place an additional pillow underneath your belly for support. Using the ball, you can gently roll back and forth to stretch on either side.

This is also a really good position to be in for a partner to perform lower back massage. Use thumbs to move in downward motion on either side of the spine, through the sacral area, and then down and out to the sides of the hips. Squeezing the hips may also feel really good in this position. ​
]]><![CDATA[Sipping Broth]]>Wed, 11 Sep 2024 18:10:43 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/sipping-broth
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Eating and drinking throughout labor is so important for maintaining hydration and energy levels. But sometimes it can be difficult to find things that your stomach can tolerate, or maybe you've had an epidural and are restricted to a clear fluids diet. Sipping Broth is a great way to maintain hydration, it's high in protein and gentle on the stomach. This simple recipe makes it more flavorful like a soup base, and is then strained to make it easier for consumption during labor. If you freeze this using paper cups in 4-8 ounce portions, it's very easy to microwave one serving at a time, and even to transport it to a hospital or birth center in a cooler (and it's so much better than the instant stuff otherwise available).

Sipping Broth

1 32 oz carton Chicken Bone Broth (use beef if you prefer)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 bunch of scallions or 1 shallot, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste (be careful if you are using salted stock)
​(These ingredients are the base. You can stop here, or add other ingredients for more variation. There are some examples below, but the sky is the limit here.)

Option 1:
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/3 C chopped cilantro
3 Tbs fresh lime juice

Option 2:
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 bay leaf

Option 3:
3-4 Tbs white or yellow miso paste

Add oil to a medium sized stock pot and sauté the scallions/shallot and garlic until fragrant. Add any dried spices you are using (hold off on fresh herbs) and stir to coat. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add any fresh herbs you are using or the miso paste. Simmer on low for up to an hour using a lid so you don't evaporate your soup. Allow the broth to cool and then pour through a strainer to remove any of the solids you've added.  
]]><![CDATA[Let Gaza Live]]>Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:07:03 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/let-gaza-liveWhat can I say that hasn’t already been said better by a thousand other voices? Still, I’ll add my voice to the chorus of millions calling for a #ceasefire. At this point, if you don’t know what’s going on in Gaza, you are guilty of deliberately sticking your head in the sand to avoid the news. What a privilege for you.

Last week my family attended the Idaho Women’s March in solidarity with Palestine. I read later that the leaders of the march made a point to tell their speakers, “it’s best not to mention Palestine.” I can’t confirm this actually happened, because I didn’t hear it with my own ears. However, I do know that for nearly two hours of people shouting from the capitol steps, I didn’t hear Palestine mentioned once. I am profoundly disappointed in what I see as selective white liberalism. Reproductive rights are a GLOBAL issue–fighting injustice everywhere is crucial for LIBERATION FOR ALL.
The rights of Palestinian women are being threatened as we speak. There are 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza who are being forced to give birth in horrific conditions–no electricity, medical supplies or even clean water. Miscarriage rates have increased 300% since the war began due to Israeli bombing. Women have been forced to undergo c-sections without anesthesia. Children, if they survive the bombings at all, are undergoing amputations without anesthesia.

STOP.

Read those last two sentences again. 
Women in Gaza are facing challenges to their dignity and their health. 700,000 menstruating girls and women are currently living in Gaza, and due to Israel’s blockade, they lack access to shelter, feminine hygiene products, soap, clean water and basic supplies. Out of desperation, they have taken to using strips of dirty tent material threatening them with chronic illness and disease.

As of this writing, the current official (and likely underreported) death toll in Gaza is 25,105. Of that number, 70% of those killed in Gaza have been women and children. This particular statistic keeps popping up among accounts and news organizations that I follow, and every time I see it, part of me wonders why we need to mention that at all. It implies that the deaths of the remaining 30% of the population are somehow not as tragic. For me, there’s not a single justifiable death among those tens of thousands of people. In the words of Adam Grant, “Throughout history, people committing atrocities have convinced themselves they’re a necessary evil. Evil is never necessary. Rationalizations perpetuate vicious cycles of violence. Noble ends don’t justify vile means. Violating human rights doesn’t serve a greater good.”

Although we should all be on strike permanently until this ends, this week is a global strike. I’m not going to explain how to strike here–you can look it up for yourself. But I’ll repeat my call for action, ANY action. Boycott, march, make posts, CALL. YOUR. REPRESENTATIVES. EVERY. DAY. DEMAND A CEASEFIRE. In the words of a remarkable person I just recently met, “I can’t believe every mother isn’t going absolutely feral right now.” Put yourself in the shoes of any Palestinian person and ask yourself, what would you do?

#freepalestine  #ceasefirenow  #endthegenocide

]]><![CDATA[Birth Plan Template]]>Thu, 30 Nov 2023 17:21:57 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/birth-plan-templateUse the template below for an easy printable birth plan. (Click on the image for a downloadable file.) Keep it simple–the nurses/midwives will likely ask you all of these questions anyway. The broader, more detailed parts of your plan should already be known between you and your doula/support partner and don’t need to be included in this plan. A good basic plan consists of just a few things: pain management options during labor and delivery, and your immediate postpartum wishes. If you have questions about any of this, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor, midwife, or doula for help!
For pain management during labor and delivery, you may want to list some or all of the following:

*labor in the tub/shower
*fentanyl shot
*nitrous
*epidural
*NO epidural

For postpartum, your care providers will want to know the following:
*delayed cord clamping
*dad/partner cut cord
*antibiotic eye drops-YES/NO
*vitamin K-YES/NO
*Hep B-YES/NO

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]]><![CDATA[Inherent Bias in Birth and Other Matters]]>Wed, 08 Nov 2023 19:08:15 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/inherent-bias-in-birth-and-other-matters
First of all, even though it’s not in the title, this is a post primarily about what I believe to be a genocide taking place in Gaza and what I’m doing to support innocent civilians affected by this global tragedy. It’s also a post about birth (a little bit), because that’s what I do here. I hope you keep reading, even if you disagree with me.

In an effort to remain politically neutral in my business, I’ve mostly avoided making certain kinds of statements. (Although if you really read my website, it’s clear that I’m not a neutral person.) I also think that there are enough people more qualified than I am already speaking up on the matter of Palestine and Israel and I prefer to boost those voices on my personal platforms.
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Drawing by 13 year old Slovenian student Anja Rozen.
It’s been brought to my attention, however, that my silence itself sends a message (of course it does). But it’s not the message that I want to convey to my potential clients–that I love and support ALL people, that I stand with HUMANITY. Which brings me to the subject of inherent bias.

Inherent bias refers to the effect of underlying factors or assumptions that skew the viewpoints of a subject under discussion. In other words, my own personal experience can blind me to the experiences of others. Birth workers encounter this all the time when working with Black women, for example, who suffer from disproportionately high rates of maternal death and infant mortality and who are routinely mistreated by the healthcare system within the United States. It is on us to be educated, informed, and open to seeing this.

Inherent bias is something that I, as a person of privilege, am constantly working on. It’s important to me to not only be available to clients who might not usually hire a doula, but to also be able to meet them in a place of empathy and understanding for whatever their situation or circumstance might be. This means that in my studies and career I’ve done many trainings in trauma support, various multicultural birth support methods, gender and racial equality, and socioeconomic issues. None of this means anything though if I don’t speak up and make it abundantly clear that I am a safe person with whom you can share your experience. 

So let me be clear: thousands of innocents are dying every single day right now. Millions more face permanent displacement, starvation and death. In the name of self defense, Israel is breaking multiple international laws and conducting a campaign of terror and genocide in Gaza and they are doing it with the full support of the United States government.

Let me also say this: PEOPLE ARE NOT THEIR GOVERNMENT, OR THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THEIR COUNTRIES.

And what does all this have to do with birth, you might ask? The answer is EVERYTHING.  In Gaza there are currently more than half a million displaced women and girls. There are more than 50,000 pregnant women with more than 5500 of those women due to give birth in the next month--in a place where hospitals have no power, running water, or even a roof (source: Institute for Palestine Studies). In the eloquent words of @taprootdoula, "Once you become a mother, you mother every child. You mother the entire world." We all love our children in the same language (@yoga_girl).

So, these are things that I’m personally doing in support of the Palestinian people and I encourage you to do the same because your voice matters. I also encourage you to make it clear to others that you are actively engaged in these activities. My inherent bias told me that doing so was patting myself on the back, and so I remained silent with regards to my activities. But I understand now the importance of letting people know, in a respectful way, where you stand. My hope is that this post also gives you the extra support you need to speak up if you are feeling a little intimidated. I see you, I support you, and I love you all.

#ceasefirenow #bringthemhome #freepalestine

RIGHT NOW: Text CEASEFIRE to 51905
This will take you to a page created by Jewish Voice for Peace where you can: tell President Biden to call a ceasefire now, tell Congress to support a ceasefire, and demand better coverage on Gaza from the New York Times.

Educate yourself and others; learn from history, READ, watch documentaries and have empathetic conversations with your community. I highly recommend reading “The Olive Grove” by Deborah Rohan.

Learn more by following @palestine.academy

Denounce Islamophobia and antisemitism.

Join a rally, protest, march, or vigil near you.

Sign the petition on JVP.org

Contact your representatives and demand an immediate ceasefire and return of the hostages. Call 202-224-3121 or visit https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative OR download the 5 Calls app, which connects you directly to your representatives and gives you a script to follow. If you do not like talking to people, call after hours and leave a message. SPEAK UP NOW FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T!

Follow accounts like:
@eye.on.palestine
@sbeih.jpg
@jewishvoiceforpeace 
@aljazeeraenglish
]]><![CDATA[Not Your Mama's Jello]]>Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:43:41 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/not-your-mamas-jello
Hold on now!! This is not the neon-colored, chemical-flavored jello of your childhood (sorry)!

The benefits of gelatin are almost immeasurable. Gelatin is an excellent source of protein, is extremely soothing to the gut, builds healthy joints, builds strong bones and teeth, detoxifies the body, improves digestion, and provides collagen for healthy skin and hair.

It's a great snack to have on hand during labor, and for a quick treat during both pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Also, it just tastes so much better than the hospital stuff.

Not Your Mama's Jello

Serves 2

2 C fruit juice*
1 generous Tbs unflavored beef gelatin (such as Vital Proteins or Great Lakes), add more for stiffer jello (up to 2 Tbs)
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup or date syrup (optional)**

Choose a storage container such as a mason jar or bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Add about ½ C juice to the container and sprinkle with gelatin powder.  Whisk together to combine, allowing to sit for5 minutes to bloom. It should look like sludge.

While the gelatin is blooming, pour the remaining juice into a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until almost boiling.

Remove from heat and pour into gelatin container (make sure your gelatin has bloomed first!). Stir in sweetener (if using) and whisk well to dissolve.

Allow to cool for a bit, cover, and refrigerate about 4 hours or until set.

*Use fruit in the juicer (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, watermelon).  Put the pulp through an extra time.  Add about ¼ C of water to achieve the total 2 cups of juice.  You can also use pre-made juices such as peach, passion fruit, guava, cranberry/pomegranate etc–just avoid any citrus as it will inhibit the gelatin from blooming properly. Real juices will result in a cloudy-looking finished product, but that’s fine!

**Granulated sugars such as coconut can be used here, but they can be more difficult to dissolve and affect the finished texture. You can also use honey, but it has a prominent flavor.

]]><![CDATA[Birth and the Art of Letting Go]]>Fri, 04 Nov 2022 16:42:26 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/birth-and-the-art-of-letting-goPicture

We all know that birth rarely goes according to plan. As a doula, it’s my job to make sure to the best of my abilities that when things go off track my clients feel informed, empowered, and in control of the decisions that are being made. It’s also my job to help clients let go and grieve unmet expectations as we go along. While I take this protection of your experience very seriously, sometimes there are reasons that this emotional processing must be done later. Maybe things were moving too quickly, or you were too tired in the moment to even begin to think about it.

One thing we can know for sure about birth, is that in the best of circumstances it is completely life altering. It is a monumental shift on every level of everything you ever knew to be true. When things don’t go according to plan, this shift can feel even more daunting.

I recently attended a birth.

Of course you did, you say. I was going to make that sentence a little longer, but realized I can’t possibly say all the things I need to say about this birth in one sentence. This birth was…first and foremost, LONG. It was hard. Determined. Strong. Distressing. Hopeful. Beautiful. Messy. Fraught. Powerful. Anxious. Calm. Did I already say, long?

This birth was a process filled with letting go, of releasing unmet expectations, constantly adjusting to new options, and coming to terms with the realization that we are most often not in control. It was a lovely, if not extremely difficult, metaphor for parenthood: that journey in which we give it our best shot and then standby and watch as it all falls apart, over and over again, only to get up and do it all again the next day. And if that sounds a little dark, it's not my intention. This is a tribute to the sheer force of will and determination of one mother, and of all mothers, who give every last morsel of their energy–often to their own detriment–without a second thought. Who fight for what they need and for what their babies need. And who sometimes lose that battle. It can be a painful loss when it doesn’t go the way we wanted or expected. It can take time to grieve and heal. And that's okay. 

I often find myself saying, "well, this is not what we wanted." And while that is true so many times during birth, I also hope my clients can let go enough to see the beauty in this experience as it presents itself in other unexpected forms. In other words, when we let go, we create space for more. More power, more strength, more love. Maybe not as we envisioned it. But maybe in a way that allows us to walk this path with more grace and compassion than we would have previously–for others who walk the path after us, and most importantly for ourselves as we go through the process of letting go.

In the words of Maya Angelou, "Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for ALL women.” My hope is that this mother, and all mothers, come to see what I see in them: adaptability, strength, the birth of an immeasurable love for their families, and maybe most importantly a Woman Who Stood Up–for herself, for her family, and for all women. May we all strive for such heights.
]]><![CDATA[Ceremonial Hot Chocolate]]>Sat, 09 Apr 2022 22:11:18 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/ceremonial-hot-chocolatePicture
I first learned of Ceremonial Hot Chocolate after the birth of my second daughter.  It is a recipe published in my favorite postpartum guide The First Forty Days, The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou.  Designed as a Mexican-style cocoa, it is best prepared by and shared with a good friend or partner in celebration of mom’s powerful birth act.  The addition of cornmeal gives the drink some substance and can be blended for a smoother consistency as the cornmeal adds an unusual texture.  With slight modifications to the original recipe (I now remove the coconut oil), this is a beverage I still use regularly to nourish the soul and share with others when the occasion calls for it. 

Ceremonial Hot Chocolate

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Serves 2

2 cups light coconut milk or almond milk
3 tablespoons cacao powder or unsweetened dark cocoa powder (you could also use carob powder)
Pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon coarse cornmeal
1 tablespoon coconut oil, ghee, or salted grass-fed butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar to taste (optional)
1 small strip of orange peel (optional)


In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the coconut milk, and then stir the rest of the ingredients into the milk slowly.

When the cacao and sweetener are dissolved and it tastes perfect to you, drink warm.  There may be some congealed bits of cornmeal, which add texture, or you can blend until smooth.  

]]><![CDATA[Black Mamas Matter]]>Fri, 16 Apr 2021 19:25:57 GMThttps://www.bluebirdbabycompany.com/blog/black-mamas-matter
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Just because Black Maternal Health Week is coming to a close, doesn’t mean we stop advocating for black women and babies.  Implicit bias, or a subconscious negative attitude toward a certain group, is a major problem affecting Black mothers and their babies.  Over the course of the last week we’ve posted some bleak statistics that bear repeating:

-Black women are three to four times more likely than white women to experience a pregnancy-related death. The CDC reports three out of five of those deaths could have been prevented. ⁠

-Underlying health conditions make pregnancy more risky for black women.  High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are two of the leading causes of death according to the CDC. African-Americans are at an increased risk for these conditions, which have a dangerous effect on pregnancy.⁠

-Black women are mistreated by the healthcare system.  A report from the Institute of Medicine found that Black Americans receive less quality healthcare than whites for nearly every disease there is, including prenatal care. Data shows that black women often aren't believed when they say they are in pain, and much of that is due to discrimination and bias in the healthcare industry.⁠

-Black infant mortality rates keep going up.  You read that right: black infant mortality rates keep going UP. Not only are black mothers at risk while giving birth, so are their babies. Black infants in America are twice as likely to die as white infants. According to the CDC, well-educated, middle-class black mothers are more likely to lose their babies than poor white mothers without a high school diploma.⁠

-Black women receive less help for postpartum depression.  Postpartum depression is debilitating and affects roughly 10-20% of women who give birth. Black mothers are less likely to get the help they need. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 8% of white women receive treatment for their postpartum depression compared to only 4% of black women.⁠

If you are a parent of color, here are 5 ways to self advocate, courtesy of @drkiarraking:

-See a doctor you trust.

-Never be afraid to ask questions.  If you are made to feel less than or as if you are bothering the doctor, FIND A NEW ONE.

-Bring a family member, friend, or trusted ally like your doula with you to visits.

-Never be afraid to get a second opinion.

-Listen to your body and trust your instincts.  Pregnancy can bring a lot of uncertainty.  If you are concerned, SPEAK UP.

The New York Times also just published this excellent guide for black mothers and their care providers, "Protecting Your Birth: A Guide for Black Mothers."

And if you are an advocate for a parent of color, here are 6 ways to take action now, courtesy of DONA International:

Make a donation to The Grand Challenge.  This organization funds full scholarships to midwifery school, doula trainings, and childbirth educator trainings to people of color so they can gain the skills they need to work effectively in their communities. If you are a faculty member, trainer or instructor in any of these areas, consider participating in The Grand Challenge by offering a full scholarship, a mentor-ship or being a preceptor to a participant selected by The Grand Scholarship. Donations of services or funds can make a huge difference and make education accessible to folks who need some support.

Consider offering a free or reduced fee birth or postpartum package to a family of color so they can personally experience the benefits of having a doula on their team. Bluebird Baby Co is happy to discuss our sliding scale with you.  We want ALL parents to feel supported through birth and postpartum.

Write a blog post to share on your website or on a local community blog about Black Maternal Health Week and some of the inequities that Black families face during pregnancy, birth or postpartum.

Increase your own awareness of the issues facing Black families by reading “Battling over Birth: Black Women and the Maternal Health Care Crisis.” DONA International has reviewed this amazing book and loved how it centered the experiences of Black women and parents. 

Download the DONA International Legislative Toolkit which was created by DONA International’s Advocacy Committee, and learn how to advocate for change on the local, state and national level that will impact Black families who are pregnant, birthing and parenting.

Join DONA International’s Health Disparities and Inequities subcommittee under the direction of Kelli Brien, Subcommittee Chair. Contact the Advocacy Committee to get connected. The Health Disparities and Inequities subcommittee “aims to raise awareness among doulas, clients, healthcare providers, policymakers, and the general public about disparities and inequities in healthcare; educate DONA International doulas in effective ways to reduce health disparities and inequities, as well as improve health outcomes among communities currently and historically experiencing discrimination; and decrease disparities and inequities among population groups and communities within our scope of practice as doulas.”

The inequities and racism facing black families every day are unacceptable, but they are not insurmountable.  We must take responsibility for educating ourselves, advocating to improve the situation, speaking out, and supporting families of color.

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