Magic City Mothers

For the second time this month, I’ve been locked out of my doula business Instagram page with no explanation from Instagram. 🤨😡

But I wanted to wish everyone a Happy World Doula Week before it’s over! Hopefully I’ll be able to log back in soon (it’s going on 4 days! 😬)

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/17/punished-pushing-back-pregnancy-metoo

'I felt I was being punished for pushing back': pregnancy and #MeToo Pregnant women are still being patronised, blamed for our bodies’ failings, and made to feel guilty about our choices

Thank you for having us! What a cool night of sharing stories with bad ass women!
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Come celebrate International Women’s Day with us at West Elm! This Thursday, March 8, we’re celebrating the female spirit with the stories of our friends , , , , and . We’ll have sips, snacks and lots of great conversation 7-8:30pm!

Hey Birmingham!!! If any of you are interested in learning more about home birth possibilities here in Alabama, please consider coming to this event. There will be booze & food available, a movie screening, vendors, a panel, swag bags, a raffle, and a helluva lot of info available to you which will hopefully demystify some of the stigma & hesitations associated with home births. Bring your pregnant coworker, your sister, your mom and your super fine selves. ( )

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-identified-first-working-treatment-babies-colic-lactobacillus-reuteri-probiotic

We Now Have Scientific Evidence For a Colic Treatment That Actually Works Each year, hundreds of thousands of babies and their concerned families suffer from colic - a condition diagnosed simply by intense bouts of excessive crying that last for hours.

https://mosaicscience.com/story/whos-control-when-youre-giving-birth

Who’s in control when you’re giving birth? Rebecca Grant reports on the ethics and law of consent in the delivery room.

Super important & informative with Considering where we stand in terms of maternal mortality, this info stings even more.
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The cumulative costs of approximately four million annual births is well over $50 billion. The New York Times reports, newborn care constitutes for the single biggest category of hospital payouts for most commercial insurers and state Medicaid programs. Many developed countries receive the same type of pre-natal and delivery services. What's causing our cost to rise exponentially is how we are billed for these services. Instead of being bundled, each service itemized. Even your baby's first diaper is a separate, and often inflated, fee.⠀
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The average total price charged for pregnancy and newborn care was about $30,000 for a vaginal delivery and $50,000 for a C-section, with commercial insurers paying out an average of $18,329 and $27,866, as reported by ⠀
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Ireland's public hospitals guarantees free maternity care and delivery for everyone. In France mothers spend almost a week opposed to US's 3-4 days. French mothers spend the time healing and being taught breastfeeding techniques. ⠀
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How much do home births cost? The U.S average is about $3,000 (!!!) The issue is that because many insurance companies don't cover it in full (or at all), the cost ends up coming out of the pregnant person's pocket. ⠀
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And while our costs are highest...so are our maternal and infant mortality rates compared to other industrialized countries- particularly for women of color. ⠀
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💔 with
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Why racism is imbedded in the foundation of modern obstetrics and gynecology:
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“Modern gynecology, what is known as modern gynecology, was practiced without anesthesia on unwilling black slave women by a man named James Marion Sims in the mid 19th century. He is known as the 'Father of modern gynecology'.

This image shows Anarcha, a black slave woman who had over 30 experimental surgeries performed on her reproductive system without anesthesia by Sims, whom she is looking at.

It was only when Sims 'perfected' his techniques did he perform surgeries and examinations on white women, with anesthesia.

In honor of MLK day, and in honor of all the women of color who suffered at the hands of men in the name of modern gynecology, I share this information. This is what modern gynaecology is founded upon in this is the basis for how women are treated in the women's health field.” ~ thank you for your words.
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This will be the first of many posts examining and deconstructing racism within the birth sphere. There is so much we can learn and so much we can do better for women and families of color.
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Love,
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I finally broke down & got a repost app, so look out...my saved photos are about to flood your feed! with
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When i look at this photo by i see LIFE 🌿 featuring mama’s .wild and