Birth With Purpose

So behind with posting but it's been a busy 1st quarter.

3 beautiful baby boys made their entry into the world recently and I couldn't be more grateful to support these families. 💛

blackdoula blackbirthworkers phillymoms postpartumdoula motherhood firsttimemom publichealth blackmaternalhealth

Earlier this week, I presented at the Yale School of Public Health's Social and Behavioral Sciences Seminar Series alongside my Drexel colleagues.

Before the presentation we stopped at a coffee shop and I saw this sign that felt perfectly aligned. As the founder of Birth With Purpose, seeing that sign felt like an intentional reminder that I'm doing what I'm meant to do and walking in my purpose. Grateful for moments of affirmation and for opportunities to connect, learn, and be inspired. 💛

The Black Maternal Mental Health Summit was a wonderful event for us, by us. We poured into one another, shared knowledge, and had tough, honest conversations about our past and current lived realities. Above all, we were reminded that joy is healing, an act of resistance, and our right. 💙

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Last Saturday my family and I participated in the hosted by the .foundation

As a doula and public health professional, I'm well accquainted with preeclampsia and its disproportionate impact on Black women. I've supported several clients through unexpected diagnoses of both preeclampsia and postpartum preeclampsia — some of which resulted in emergency C-sections or rehospitalization during the postpartum period. However, it wasn't until my own labor that I experienced it first hand.

About 24 hours into labor I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia. My care team started me on magnesium, continued to monitor me closely and I went on to have a healthy birth experience. While I’m grateful for that outcome, I know that far too many moms and babies have faced adverse, and even fatal, outcomes due to preeclampsia.

I walked as a preeclampsia survivor — committed to advancing health equity in hopes that this condition will be better understood, better managed, and ultimately cured.💙💗