Oakland Better Birth Foundation

https://mailchi.mp/314e5f85f/betterbirthjournaldecember2020

Colonialism has motherhood/parenting all wrong. No, our babies will not sleep alone as they have been sleeping beside us, on us, and between us, for generations before the colonizer told us what was right. No, our babies will not cry it out, as they are designed to cry in order to get their needs met through us. It is scientifically proven that crying it out causes all kinds of trauma on the brain, and thus snowballs into long term emotional impacts. They will nurse, be... held, hear our traditional songs and lullabies, and be placed in our swings for comfort, even if it is 10 times a night, so they know we are here and we love them fully. No, our children will not stop nursing just because colonialism deems it as inappropriate anytime it is over the age of one. Because aunties and mothers (and even kokums) have been co-nursing our babies longer than colonialism has even existed. And it’s more than just food. It’s comfort, it’s connection, it’s safety. It’s love. No, our babies will not be forced to grow up in order to cater to, and serve, capitalistic and colonial standards and environments in ways such as sleeping through the night. I’ll be up 10 times a night and show up the next day to get the work done. Until we are both ready to wean. No, our babies will not have to endure tough outcomes in their lives based on our behaviours as adults- for how we treat others as adults, plants, animals and human, will fall back on our children, and our children’s children, and our children’s children’s children. We will treat one another with that deep love. No, our babies will not be forced to suffer being away from kinships for long periods of time for the purpose of capitalism and colonial ideas of success for an adult. If babies are present in classrooms, boardrooms, and work spaces, nursing and playing just to get that connecting time, that is indigenous kinship. No, our babies will not be shamed, judged, or criticized for feeling emotions, because we are undoing what those priests and those nuns have taught us about our relationship to our emotions. All emotions are allowed in our homes, and in public spaces. And no, our babies will never cater to the colonizer, their systems, or their standards of what a good child is. Colonialism has motherhood/parenting all wrong. Because our babies will grow up firm in their kinships and strong in who they are and where they come from. Based on raising them as best as we can with the teachings, morals, and principles, of our nations and teachings. And based on raising them in a way that works for us. Because this is indigenous parenthood. And it is a force to be reckoned with. - Andrea Landry

The Sacred Birth Study is looking for Black mothers who gave birth in hospitals this year. Eligible participants can sign up directly or they can be referred by a provider/health/social worker. For more info or to refer go to https://sacredbirth.ucsf.edu

I want to extend my thanks to our community hospitals Highland Hospital and Sf General Hospital for not abandoning birthing mothers / people during this pandemi...c ! Thank you for your dedication to lowering the mortality rate for Black women , for all birthing people . Thank you for your wisdom in knowing that women / birthing people need their birth support (doulas) during this crisis more than ever ! Thank you! Samsarah Morgan Executive Director Oakland Better Birth Foundation Shiphrah's Circle Community Doula Program, A OBBF Program See more

HONEST DOULA PODCAST EP2: The Importance of Breathing In this episode I discuss both the importance of breathing and the cons to not properly breathing. I will also lead you in two breathing exercises that you can use throughout your day! ... Youtube: https://youtu.be/qDfYIzyeTxY Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/hgPV3kMpMRiAMRD39 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7EpIUSsD5x69ZwwEKePWE5 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com//honest-doula-pod/id1537327596

"Can you see that bulge on her lower back? That is the rhombus of Michaelis. During the second stage of labour, a combination of bones including your sacrum ac...tually move backwards and in doing so, increases the diameter of your pelvis. This is what is known as the opening of the back. This is completely normal and is, in fact, an integral part of a physiological birth as it allows your baby the maximum amount of space to turn as they navigate their way out into the world. In order to facilitate the opening of your back, you should use active birth positions where you are upright and leaning forwards. So cool right! And while your pelvis is expanding, your baby's head is moulding - changing shape to fit through those pelvic bones! Your body was made to do this! And your body and your baby work together! Birth is not something to be feared...it is something to be understood! Image via North Dallas Doula Associates See more

Two lectures coming up at the University of Louisville Nov. 11 & 12: See below and please join. All free. Thanks!

We envision a world where Black mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy. - Black Mamas Matter Alliance We have the stats. We know it happens. We know who is most at risk. We know that institutionalized and personally mediated racism and implicit and explicit bias impact pregnancy outcomes. We cannot keep losing women and parents before they even have a chance to be a mother or parent. From the March of Dimes:... Maternal death is when a woman dies during pregnancy or up to 42 days after the end of pregnancy from health problems related to pregnancy. Maternal death and maternal mortality mean the same thing. Pregnancy-related death is when a woman dies during pregnancy or within 1 year after the end of her pregnancy from health problems related to pregnancy. These deaths may be caused by: * A health condition (like heart disease) that was diagnosed before pregnancy that may worsen due to pregnancy * A pregnancy complication, like preeclampsia (a serious blood pressure condition that can happen after the 20th week of pregnancy or after giving birth) * Treatment received during pregnancy From the CDC For 2018, the maternal mortality rate is 17.4 per 100,000 live births in the United States. While approximately 700 pregnancy-related deaths occur each year, 2/3 of these deaths are considered to be preventable. Wide racial and ethnic gaps exist between non-Hispanic black (37.1 deaths per 100,000 live births), non-Hispanic white (14.7), and Hispanic (11.8)women. Rates also increased substantially by age, with rates for women aged 40 and over roughly eight times the rate for women under 25 (81.9 and 10.6, respectively). From the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine: SMFM advocates for federal and state-level policy changes that * improve access to maternity care benefits, * reduce health care disparities * standardize data collection related to maternal morbidity and mortality Anthony Wallace is organizing a fundraiser in honor of his wife. Please consider contributing if you are willing and able: https://www.gofundme.com/f/charlotte-wallace Because Black birthing people in the United States are 3-4x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than non-Black women, and because this inequity spans across income and education levels- we HAVE to keep advocating for Black birthing people. Our lives depend on it. It is time. It has BEEN time... #ChanieceWallace #SayHerName #BlackMaternalHealth #AdvancingBlackBirth #BlackBirthingLivesMatter #BlackMamasMatter #ActuallyPreventPreventableMaternalDeaths

The National Association to Advance Black Birth, Elephant Circle, and National Black Midwives Alliance are conducting this survey with the underlying goal of strengthening and developing the workforce of birthworkers of color to address inequalities in perinatal health care system. Your feedback is much appreciated: [bit.ly/birthworkerssurvey](http://bit.ly/birthworkerssurvey)

"Routine medical interventions such as induction of labour, caesarean and forceps births without obstetric indication will increase the likelihood of maternal a...nd newborn complications, increase the length of hospital stay and add to staffing burdens in hospitals, all of which will increase the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 and reduce the positive experience of birth for mothers and their families. - International Confederation of Midwives, 2020"