The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, created by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), defines itself as:

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies or feeding formula safely, and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.

Baby-Friendly USA is the national authority for the BFHI in the United States. According to their website, as of December 22, 2011 there are only 125 US-Baby Friendly Hospitals and Birth Centers. You can find their interactive map here.

This video is part of the Women’s eNews Black Matetnal Health Series. Find more info on this series here.

Interested, I did some research. I was amazing to find this video by Cameroon Link  of the NKah Women of north west Cameroon using this song to promote breastfeeding in their country.

I don’t know about you but I love the lyrics:

Only breastfeeding, we no go tire, we no go tire

Only breastfeeding, we no go tire, Only breastfeeding, we no go tire

Only breastfeeding, we no go tire

We no go tire

As stated on their website, Cameroon link or camlink, is a registered charity, not-for-profit organisation created on the 9th September 1991 with head office in Douala, Cameroon. Its objectives include the promotion of food security through interaction with small scale farmers and breeders with media practitioners, especially those involved in community radio action. Media action focuses on poverty alleviation through the promotion of food and nutrition, community health development, women’s empowerment, human assistance, advocacy, education and communication on the rights to adequate food for all.

Some of the activities supported by camlink are the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding of babies for the first six months and advocacy for the promotion of the International Code on the marketing of breast milk substitutes. They were also major participants in 2011′s World Breastfeeding Week.

Another awesome video by Cameroon Link is the Cameroon Breastfeeding Hymn.

The Cameroon Breastfeeding Hymn is a song that was composed to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the life of a baby. It is sang by expectant mothers and lactating mothers who attend pre-natal and post natal counselling sessions at Cameroon Link and its affiliate associations. It guides mothers on the importance and relevance of breastmilk and the dangers of using formulae before the baby is six months old. It also encourages mothers to compliment breastfeeding of babies from six months with continued breastfeeding up to 24 months and above within the context of the Cameroon National Code.

What are some things you sing to your babies as you nurse them?

When I first began research for our month of Black breastfeeding history I was disappointed by what little information I could find. When I look up Black+breastfeeding+history I get nothing but articles after articles about Black women as wet-nurses.

A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and often cares for another’s child. Wet-nursed children may be known as “milk-siblings”, and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of milk kinship. Wet nurses are solicited for many reason and used in many societies and cultures throughout history. Unfortunately, Black women have been the ones to become the poster child of the “profession” due to the impact of slavery and institution of wet-nursing and care-giving of their slave owner’s children.

So when I began my research for this month all I could find was this:

Slave and Child circa 1848

So, I’m thinking “I know, I know. It’s Black history month; why we gotta talk about slavery?! I so do NOT want to talk about slavery.” It wasn’t until I stumbled across the amazing blog, Mommy Too! Magazine: Celebrating Black Mothers and Motherhood, that I was hipped to some very interesting history about “sucklers,” or breastfeeding slaves, that I had never heard before.

According to the book American Negro Slavery: A Survey of the Supply, Employment and Control of Negro Labor as determined by the Plantation Régime by Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, in some circumstances breastfeeding slave were afforded some  ”priviledges” (for lack of better words) in order to provide breastmilk for their children.

Sucklers are not required to leave their homes until sunrise when they leave their children at the children’s house before going to field. The period of suckling is twelve months. Their work lies always within half a mile of the quarter. They are required to be cool before commencing to suckle to wait fifteen minutes at least in summer after reaching the children’s house before nursing. It is the duty of the nurse to see that none are heated when nursing as well as of the overseer and his wife occasionally to do so.

They are allowed forty five minutes at each nursing to be with their children. They return three times a day until their children are eight months old in the middle of the forenoon at noon and in the middle of the afternoon till the twelfth month but twice a day missing at noon during the twelfth month at noon only. The amount of work done by a suckler is about three fifths of that done by a full hand a little increased toward the last. Pregnant women at five months are put in the sucklers gang. No plowing or lifting must be required of them. Sucklers old infirm and pregnant receive the same allowances as full work hands.

What are your thoughts about this?

Do you think he institution of slavery contributes to the rates of Black women breastfeeding today?

It’s February ya’ll and in celebration of Black History Month, Free to Breastfeed presents to you Black Breastfeeding History! All month long we will be sharing Black breastfeeding history facts and photos, posts from featured guests, and other black breastfeeding news including updates about the book, Free to Breastfeed: Voices from Black Mothers.

So, let’s get started…

Isis breast-feeding youg Horus in naos, Isis Temple, Philae Island, Egypt

“What?! Isis did it too?!”

Black women have been breastfeeding long before time. Looking at breastfeeding in antiquity, there are many goddess that breastfed their young uns.

The ancient Egyptian goddess Isis (Auset), whose name means “throne”, is worshiped as the ideal mother and wife. Auset is often depicted as the mother of Horus (Heru) and is shown nursing him in countless statues, drawing, and steles.

According to Breastfeeding in Art:

In the traditional form Isis sits on a plain throne that is her namesake with her left hand on the infant Horus’ back for support, proffering her left breast to the child. Horus is not usually placed on or at Isis’ nipple or breast but is generally a little distant, offering the viewer the focus on Isis’s breast more than on Horus nursing at the breast. In many of the images of Isis and Horus found in the official tombs and monuments dedicated to the deceased pharaoh, Horus symbolically represents the dead king himself who nurses at the breast of Isis in order to gain the afterlife.

Isis suckling her child Horus in the Papyrus swamps

Egyptian goddess Isis, the symbol of motherhood and protection, nursing her son Horus.

Unbeknownst to some, Egypt is in Africa and Cleopatra did look like Elizabeth Taylor.

Like what you’re reading and want to join in? We’re seeking creative blog contributors for our Black history month series. Lactation consultants, breastfeeders, doulas, etc. are welcome. If you blog, microblog, or tumbl and can bring a breastfeeding spin to black history month, email us with ideas at info@freetobreastfeed.com.

I really have been enjoying the “sh*t people say” videos. Some of them are hilarious! Soul Veg Mama and I got to spend some time together on her recent trip home. This is our version:

Along with the video, we created a Facebook page. If you want more from us, learn about the upcoming book, or get support and advice check out the Free to Breastfeed: Voices from Black Mothers Facebook page.

Free to Breastfeed is a online support network which addresses the breastfeeding inequities amongst Black women as well as provides support and a centralized place to connect with other Black women who breastfeed.

Free to Breastfeed was started by us, two blogger mothers interested in normalizing breastfeeding in our community by increasing the visibility of nursing Black mothers online. Our initial project, the Brown Mamas Breastfeed Project, was a huge success and only solidified our belief that more Black women wanted to breastfeed but desperately needed the support to reach their breastfeeding goals. Our mission is to raise awareness of and provide basic breastfeeding education relevant to Black women.

“Like” us and stay tuned for updates about the book.

Also, follow us on Twitter at: FreetoBF

What are some crazy things people have said to you while breastfeeding?

Circa 1977, Buffy St. Marie (singer/songwriter) explains breastfeeding to Big Bird.

It’s really starting to grind my gears! The fact that breastfeeding is STILL being scrutinized in mainstream culture is becoming pretty ridiculous and OLD. Very old. At times I feel like I can’t understand the controversy but what I do understand is that people continue to have adverse reactions to breastfeeding mamas and babes.

According to Yahoo! Shine thousands of mamas (and their supporters) want Sesame Street to promote breastfeeding as a “normal” way to nourish babies and remake breastfeeding clips that were aired in the 70s and 80s. The Bring Breastfeeding Back to Sesame Street petition site states:

Back in the 70′s and 80′s nursing was tastefully shown on the show but now they have replaced their nursing videos with bottles. Please note… We are not asking Sesame Street to remove bottle feeding. We are asking that both ways of feeding babies be shown as normal. If we normalize breastfeeding in our community, especially with our children, we can help raise a generation of breastfeeders which will support our economy, make for healthier children and lessen the risk of breast cancer for many nursing mamas!

Signing the petition at number 5,718, I remember how growing up I lived for Sesame Street! Fond memories find me in my grandparents living room after school watching the show on WTTW before dinner was made. I remember when some friends found out I was still watching it in 5th grade. I was mortified. I had never seen these breastfeeding clips (or at least I can’t remember seeing them). Watching the clips today, I am so delighted at how powerful these images are and the now effective they could be if they were aired now.

Normalizing breastfeeding for children (and the adults around) could truly change health outcomes and disparities for futures to come.

Of course, showing breastfeeding babies on Sesame Street will not be the end all-be all to making this change. National health promotion campaigns specific to breastfeeding initiation (and duration) would have to be implemented to see true movement in that direction. Multimedia outlets, including television shows, would only come second (maybe third) to this desperately needed initiative.

And I know, I know…our babies are over stimulated with TV as is and are beginning to become more and more commercialized earlier and earlier but I would definitely love it if that the folks living in that utopia, that which is Sesame Street, would just go ahead and feed their babies…breastmilk.

Sonia Manzano, who played Maria, nursing her real daughter Gabi, who is currently on the show.

This photo has been going around Facebook.

#23 “Yo Mama” breastfeeding her daughter, Malaina, while sitting with her teammates from the Anarchy Angels Roller Derby Team (photo by Russ Desaulniers)— with Kelli Fiedler and Hope Hippie Skippie Nuxoll.

I really love this pic. I know it’s because this bad-ass mama is RBG-awesome nursing on the job. But really it’s because I have (secretly) always wanted to be on a roller derby team.

I just don’t think I can handle the physical contact though. Lol.

On, Saturday, October 10^th (which happens to be International Human Rights Day), the Illinois Single Payer Coalition along with the IL Chapter of a Physicians for a National Health Program and the Chicago Single Payer Action Network, sponsored a Teach-in at Occupy Chicago. The teach-in not only focused on the overall heath disparities within Chicago, but more specifically on how a single-payer health care system will (or will not) address health disparities in Chicago and throughout the nation.

Community groups and organizers were solicited to join the discussion and were encouraged to provide action steps to move the movement of a national health program forward. I was excited to attend the event as I am familiar with single-payer health care program as a whole but never really sat down to think of specific concerns and or questions as to how this type of system will affect the maternal health & medical industrial complex.

The event began with a brief but truly thorough overview by Steve Whitman, PhD, Director of the Sinai Urban Health Institute, about the history of racial segregation and access in Chicago, health disparities amongst whites and blacks, and his research over the last 28 years. As highlighted in the event announcement on the Illinois Single Payer Coalition website:

Chicago is one of the most racially segregated cities in the country, with one of the worst records on health disparities by ethnicity and economic class. Responses by major public and private institutions have been ineffective at best, and at worst actively sacrifice public health to the interests of big corporations. Wall Street’s demand for ever higher profits for health insurance and pharmaceutical companies exacerbates disparities instead of addressing them.

Chicago has some of the worst health disparities in regards to maternal and child health. With the countless advances in medicine and improvements in technology, the medical industrial complex has continued to fall short in its ability to adequately provide evidence-based, scientifically proven care to lower income and racially oppressed people. According to the research Steve presented, in 1995 many of the 15 health outcomes his work focuses on were equal when comparing blacks and whites. 15 years later, in 2005 when they re-investigated the current data, 11 of these 15 measures were worst amongst Black people; including ones specific to maternal and child health.

Three of the 15 measures used in his research, Low birth weight, infant mortality, and no-prenatal care, were specific to maternal and child health. His research concluded that after the 15 year difference, Blacks ranked highest for all three measures. The most shocking and most well articulated realization that I have ever heard about the criminality of this segregation is, when you look at all of these measures and look at the “excess death” (meaning those preventable deaths due to lack of access) he says about 3200 Black people died 2005. These excess deaths are due to no other reason than racism. If you do the math, that’s about 9 folks a day. Breaking it down even more, 3 Black babies die each week due to this racism.

According to the 2005 publication of The Birth Outcomes and Infant Mortality in Chicago report compiled by the Chicago Department of Public Health Office of Epidemiology, the following data shows how desperate Chicago (and nationally) is for attention to these disparities in birth outcomes.

• Out the highest amounts of births in Chicago, Blacks rank #2 after Hispanics*
• % of births with no prenatal care; Blacks rank highest at 3.3%
• % of births that were premature; Blacks rank highest at 16.1%
• % of singleton babies born with low birth weight; Blacks rank highest at 13.2%
• % of infant mortality; Blacks rank highest at 14.7%
• % of neonatal mortality; Blacks rank highest at 9%
• Lastly, there were 4 maternal deaths in the year 2004 and all 4 were Black

Knowing this information and overstanding the need for immediate action to reverse 15 years (really more) of the harm imposed by the medical industrial complex, what is in store for us within a single payer health care system?

In thinking about access, race, and the current state of affairs for maternal and child health care (i.e. birth justice) I can’t help but have a few questions about how this system will support low income, mothers of color.

One of my greatest concerns about a single-payer health care system is how will this program increase mothers of color’s access to those “evidence-based” practices that I mentioned earlier?

How will this system make maternal and child health more accessible to our communities (i.e. low income, POC, limited-no access to services, birth workers, and/or midwives)?

How will it provide options to poor and marginalized women to make decisions about their pregnancy, birth and parenting without the policing of their bodies and/or reproduction?

How will policies change to support birth justice within the medical industrial complex as well be provided to our sisters in the prison industrial complex?

How will a single-payer system allow greater opportunities (including financial) for birth workers (midwives, doulas, lactation specialists, childbirth educators), healers, and practitioners of color to achieve education and/or certification (if they choose) and practice?

How will this kind of health care reform close these gaps in disparities and improve outcomes for Black women thus improving community health?

Will holistic and modestly cost public health interventions and preventative care (i.e. massage, acupuncture, yoga, etc) be accessible and covered under a single-payer system?

To add, will the midwifery model of care and out-of-hospital midwifery practices be seen as an adequate and viable option for consumers or will the “standard of care” continue to be based on profit-driven, insurance company rules and regulations and not based on evidence and research?

Will a single-payer health care system hold space for increased accurate, client-centered, public health promotion and communication around most importantly, breastfeeding, SIDS, nutrition, fathering, postpartum depression, pre-conception health, and accessing prenatal/postpartum services?

Lastly, in contrast, will Obama’s Health Reform fill in any of these gaps and concerns I have mentioned in discussing a single-payer system?

Well, I am waiting… (crickets).

The International Center for Traditional Childbearing, the Midwives Alliance of North America, and Citizens for Midwifery all have statements that include recommendations** for some kind of health reform (mostly recommendations for Obama-Biden’s Health Reform); many of which can be applied to the single-payer system as well.

I challenge the administration to really step up and address the social and economic barriers that directly affect the overall health of Black and Brown people and in addition make the birth outcomes of those disproportionally affected a continued priority.

It’s clear that what we have now is not only broken but absolutely criminal and barbaric.

*Language provided by the researchers

**Resources for your enjoyment:

International Center for Traditional Childbearing President’s “Healthy Babies are Everyone’s Business”

http://www.ictcmidwives.org/newhealthcarereform.pdf

Midwives Alliance of North America’s “Reforming Maternity Care in America: Recommendations to the Obama-Biden Transition Team on Maternity Health Care”

http://mana.org/pdfs/MANARecsToObamaHealthTeamJan09.pdf

Midwives Alliance of North America’s Working Group Recommendations

http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/chc/recommendations/orgs/midwivesalliance.pdf

Citizens for Midwifery’s “Maternity Care: A Priority for Health Care Reform.”

http://cfmidwifery.org/pdf/CfMStatementObamaTeamFINAL200901_doc.pdf

National Association of Certified Professional Midwives’ “Maternity Care and Health Care Reform: Opportunities to improve quality and access, reduce costs, and increase evidence-based practice”

http://www.nacpm.org/documents/NACPM-recommendations.pdf

Physicians for a National Health Program’s “International Health Systems.” Check out the Cuba and South Africa profile, written by me back in 2004.

http://www.pnhp.org/facts/international_health_systems.php?page=all

september 18, 2010 was a day that has truly changed my life.  that was the day that my beautiful baby girl was born. not only was she born, she was born in peace, with mountainous amounts of love bestowed.  She was born at home after two days of labor.

the labor started in the bowels of night.  i had already been home for a month and Ahimsa was nearly one week later.  it was tuesday (14th) going into wednesday (15th) when i began to felt the tightened and expanding of my uterus much stronger than they had been.  i had been having braxton hicks contractions for about 6 weeks.  the last couple of weeks while I was till working i was having them tough and having them often. they weren’t supposed to be uncomfortable or even noticeable but sho nuff they were.  looking back on it now i think that had a lot to do with the stresses of doing direct service with youth and adolescents.  this night though i prayed that she would soon come. and although i slept the rushes were still uncomfortable and would wake me to let me know she was imminent.

thursday (16th) we hung around the house-walter and i.  i didn’t feel like going too far but for my daily evening walk.  we’d walk around the park or on the street every evening just to make sure we’d get out of the house.  both of us anxiously anticipating ahimsa’s arrival began to grow crazy with cabin fever and boredom.  we decided to walk and get some food.  We went to yes-a thai restaurant in our neighborhood.  i was still having contractions but they weren’t regular; no more than 20 minutes apart but they were so much stronger.  I was having more and more mucus and bloody show.  i actually thought that my water had broken.  after eating we came home and even more.  i knew this was getting real and closer to actual labor.

i tried to continue to relax and chill out as much as possible but my anxiousness  took over.  all night i tossed and turned with contractions moving from 5 to 8 minutes apart.  they felt real.  it was so amazing to be feeling.  i know i have increasingly and with more ease allowed myself to “numb out.”  being so busy with work and life i had come a couch potatoe trying to numb myself from thinking about the next day.  i had never felt anything like this but was so amazed at the intensity of feeling that i was having.  it was so amazing and very spiritual.  i would lay there in half slumber and feel my baby moving in my body, my body moving against my better mind to try to stop the “uncomfortableness.”  i couldn’t believe my strength, my patience, my will.  i also could not articulate the closeness i felt to walter and the time.  throughout the night he would hold my and caress me through my rushes -holding me close in between as i drifted back to sleep.  i remember how happy he would be when i would have a contraction that made me pause  and reach for him.  he would smile he said do his excitement for the baby’s arrival and pride of our growing family.  i like to think he was proud of me as well (lol).

Friday (17th) we got up and got to cleaning.  i should say walter did most of the cleaning.  i walked around the house directing and laid on the couch as my contractions began to intensify even further.   i called my fateful friend Nancy and midwife sarah around 1 pm.  this was only after hours of protesting by me and a finally demand by walter.  i didn’t want to call folks too early in the game.  Nancy came over right away and sarah soon arrived after.  This is where things begin to get blurry.  This is where i began to lose track of time.  Sarah checks me and i am 3 centimeters and totally effaced.  i was a bit disappointed and felt like crying.  we hung out for a while and labor progressed.

birth tub and birth altar

sometime that evening/night i got into the birth tub.  it was a nice relief but i felt like i was floating.  i didn’t feel grounded but it did help my contractions making them less uncomfortable.  we had the pool setup in our sunroom.  our sunroom is painted a beautiful green.  the room felt so sensual and warm with candles burning.  we didn’t have any lights on (i believe) in the house.  walter and nancy took turns pouring water over my belly and rubbing my back during the rushes.

hydrotherapy to cope with the intensity

walter even got in the pool with me.  it was nice to be so close to him and hold on to him as my body expanded.  i began to get so hot in the pool we had to have a fan plugged up and more cool water added to the pool.  the pool had really relaxed me and eventually my contractions petered out.  i was back at having one every 20 or 30 minutes.  this not being productive my midwife had me get out. needless to say, i didn’t get back in.

i believe it was a round this time (or right before) that i began having contractions every time i urinated. they were really beginning to get intense.  i failed to mention that in my initial stages of prelabor and labor sometimes my contractions were coupled with aftershocks as I would call them.  I’d have one strong long rush (about 1.5 minutes or so) and then have a shorter as intense one just as the initial one ended. well this began to increase.  i would use the bathroom and as soon as i began to urinate i’d have a contraction and as i ended and stood up here comes another one trying to knock me down.  i could get on top of them.  still irregular i tried to get some rest as we were moving into my third night of restlessness and sleep preventing contractions.  i was having a hard time and felt like i couldn’t rest in between the rushes.  my midwife and her assistant were so loving and supportive.  they were constantly feeding me and hydrating me especially since i had some decels initially in the labor.  they were amazing at keeping me (and walter’s) energy up especially since we were moving into day two of this woman’s work.

i believe it was 2 or 3 am saturday (18th) morning .  and things had really slowed down.  my midwife and assistant decide it would be best to leave and let us get some rest. we agreed.  we did in fact rest until about 6 in the morning when my rushes return full force.  we called everyone to return around 8 o’clock.  again we collectively called on ahimsa to come.  my rushes were deeper and longer.  i hoped she would come soon.  i kept thinking how amazing my body was although i was kind of lucid. i felt strong yet weak with exhaustion.  i didn’t know how i would find the strength to push her out.  my thinking mind was cautious and anxious about the pain but my body keep saying bring it on.

around 11 am sarah sent walter and i out for a walk.  we walked up oakley and back to bomanville and back to foster.  it was nice to be outside and alone with him.  he was so tender and supportive as i would fold into a deep squat with every contraction.  passerbys would stop and stare or try to act like they didn’t see us.  only one person stopped to see if we were okay.  i loved to hear my grunts and groans in the morning light hanging low with walter’s hands confidently supporting me. everything looked so different even though it was indeed the same.  i had my labor eyes on. i was focused and ready more than i ever was.  we walked the curb as i dropped my hips with each step.  we lunged on the stoop.  i needed her to come.  i wanted her in my arms now more than ever.  it had seemed like forever.

back in the house i moved into different positions.  my stomach was hoisted up with each contraction.  my leg was lifted to my shoulder.  i hollered with all my emotion.  i wanted the progress.  i wanted her home.

moving into the afternoon sarah checked me again.  i just knew i was close. sike.  i was only 7 centimeters.  it had been 12 hours since my last vaginal exam when i was at 3.  i felt defeated.  lying in my bed crying i didn’t know how much more i could take.  i was exhausted.  sarah suggested walter and i have some alone time.  i popped a benadryl to try to get a nap.  this didn’t last long.  my rushes returned stronger than ever.  i called out in enough time to get a bucket by my bedside as i began to vomit my eyeballs out.  i was ecstatic.  i knew this was progress.

sarah decided to leave for a while as there was still time.  nancy stayed and i laid in the bed listening to one exhausted walter sleeping.  nancy called me into the living room.  she wanted me to go sit by my ancestral altar and talk to my mother and the Orishas.  she told me  to just sit and try to ask them for their help and any strength i needed.  she told me to talk to them about whatever it was that may be keeping ahimsa inside.  i swore nothing was bothering me.  that is until i sat in front of my alter.  the tears began to flow as i admitted that i was having a hard time going through this process without my mother around.  I lost my mother 12 years ago when she died of breast cancer.  i never truly imagined having a child without that lineage present to validate my experiences in motherhood. my angel, nancy and i talked about our lives and shared stories .  We looked at pictures and cried. i really feel like this was the turning point that i needed.  i released that fear that all pregnant women faced and  realized that i had been doing some amazing body work.  that is was laboring with strength and confidence that i due to my own issues hadn’t been able to identify.  nancy is a God sent and i didn’t believe that this woman (who had known my mother in high school) was introduced into my life.

after what seemed like a few hours of soul-searching the labor really got good.  my contractions were like nonstop. one right after another. i was so out of it. my body rocked and moved with every expansion. no more rushed lying or sitting down. i was totally focused and in a zone. i didn’t even notice when sarah returned. nancy had me up and moving. walter had to get up and i grabbed at him at every contraction-especially the ones on the toilet.

ahhh this feels good!

sarah suggested we get in the shower together and do some nipple stimulation. as some as we got in the bathroom i had a few back to back.  we got in the shower and they kept coming.  i didn’t have anything not wet and slippery to hold on to. i leaped out the shower like a frog and squatted on the floor. i knew this was it.

i ran out leaving walter in the shower.  i was screaming that i could do the shower anymore and that my contractions were coming nonstop. all of this said as i leap onto the floor in a half lunge squat holding on the birthing stool sarah had brought over.  sarah looked at nancy as said let’s try a few contractions int he bed.  they began to set things up in our bedroom like the baby was really coming.  i had no idea.

on my hands and knees and had a few contractions that we out of this world.  a new sensation is what i was feeling.  i could feel ahimsa moving through my pelvis. oh shit i thought.  this was really it.  sarah and nancy had me turn over to repeat the position they had me in earlier where they hoist up in stomach and leg to make room for baby to get through (this was so helpful as we found out later that she was a bit asynclitic).  it was at this moment where i felt and pop and gushing from my vagina.  i screamed i think my water broke.  i asked if i was supposed to be pushing because at this time i couldn’t stop myself. the sensation felt so good. i felt so strong and energized.  they told me to do whatever my body felt it needed to go.  with that i was on my hands and knees riding some long and intense expansions. i was grunting and pushing like a mad woman.

third stage...yes!

after a couple of contractions i asked nancy what time it was.  at the same time i looked at the digital clock under our tv.  it said 6:18 or something like that.  being on births previously, i knew that some women push for hours.  i  said forget that i needed to get her out fast.  i couldn’t wait to see her.  we had been doing this for days and was ready for it to be complete.  i am thankful now for those irregular contractions because they kept coming and i kept pushing. what seems like two contractions later nancy and sarah told me that they could see ahimsa’s head stay out even when i was not pushing.  i was grunting nonstop at this time and knew she’d be here soon. a few more pushes and i could feel the ring of fire which to me felt less like fire and more like a stretching that i instinctively wanted to ease through.  this is when i began blowing out of my mouth and trying contain my adrenaline.

with that ahimsa’s head was out and i could hear everyone’s excitement from behind.  especially walter’s. he had been giving me a play by play of everything that was going on (especially since in between my grunting i kept asking what was happening back there (lol)).  i could hear in his voice that he was crying and i could see the big smile he had on his face.  all my worries diminished and i was elated that i would be seeing ahimsa soon.  what seemed like one more strong and long push ahimsa body slide effortlessly out of my pelvis and into walter’s, sarah’s and nancy’s hands.  my baby had a 6 handed catch (lol)-she is so loved.  i didn’t know she was born until i heard her scream and everyone’s celebratory cries. i looked back because I couldn’t believe i was hearing my child’s first cries.  i thought it was my neighbor’s kid crying.  it was 6:43 pm and our baby had been born. it had happened so fast.  i flipped over and held my daughter for the first time. tight to my chest. speechless and amazed. she was absolutely amazing.  i couldn’t believe that i had done that. the first thing i said after i said oh my god about a hundred times was that was fun.  everyone laughed and said i was crazy.  but i was fun.  it was challenging and called on me to be brave and strong.  it made me think and understand the brilliance that is my body.  i felt truly amazing.  these words don’t give the experience justice. i was holding my daughter in my arms with the love of my life holding us both. as she suckled my breast, i just stared in disbelief. this is my definition of complete and utter happiness.

our first moments skin-to-skin

Sarah put on a cd and the party began.  with the normal post birth stuff going on walter ahimsa and i got acquainted more and shared endless kisses between us all.  walter cut the cord and i stood up to birth the placenta. ahimsa and the house was cleaned up and sarah and nancy prepared us a delicious after birth meal.  this sole moment in my life will be my most proudest moment.  i am so thankful of my commitment to birth ahimsa naturally, in my home, with love and support of my partner.

with papa skin-to-skin

i have never truly excelled in sports or have done anything to test my body’s limits before.  i am so proud that i did this and although i was uncomfortable and in some instances terrified i knew i could do it. i know i can do anything.  when i love at ahimsa i know i can be the model of womaness that my mother was for me.  i will share with her this story in hopes that she will be able to take this with her through her most challenging times.  i hope she will love back on her birth through our words, our pictures, or her subconscious memories and know she was birthed in love and peace and know that she can do anything. this is what i will carry with me forever.

Ahimsa Zipporah Logan born at home September 18, 2010 at 6:43 pm.

welcome Ahimsa!

happy birthday my little one!

love, mama

Taken from the Office of Minority Health

So, I’ve tried to stay away from Twitter as long as I could but recently I’ve been obsessed with it. I have to say being able to follow other like-minded mamas (breastfeeding, cloth diapering, vegan, possible homeschooling) has truly been God-sent.

It was during one of my manic-induced tweeting fits that Sista Midwife reminded me that September was National Infant Mortality Awareness Month!She tweeted:

Hey folks…. if you didn’t know… September is Infant Mortality Awareness Month.

And then another:

Spread the word folks!! We hav 2 wrk 2gether to #decreaseinfantmortality. Healthy babies is EVERYBODY’s business #incaseyouwereconfused

As a birth worker committed to vocalizing and advocating for a critical look at disparities in birth outcomes amongst Black or African American women, I immediately began to think about what I want– no! what I need to do– to increase the awareness. I knew my upcoming weekend would help me figure out what that could be.

This past Saturday my day was full of birth business. It started with the ICTC IL-Chicago Member Group Meetup. Every month the IL-Chicago members of ICTC or the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (the only national organization for midwives, healers, and birth workers of color) meet to discuss birth work and health disparities, to plan our events, and to just plain o’ commune. Yes! It’s so refreshing to meet new sisters every month who are passionate and filled with the desire to change “birth” in our communities.

The babies, the stories, the sharing, the revolution…it all happens there. I’m always happy to met and commune with such powerful Black women. To get more info about ICTC IL-Chicago Members Group, events, and meeting times, please contact ICTC State Representative, Rayna Brown at ictcilchicago@gmail.com.

From talking about birth I moved to celebrating a life. 

After the meeting I went to the memorial service for a dear colleague, Christina Santiago. When life comes to a full circle we are left with death. Death is something I still have a hard time with. Christina’s service was beautiful and the words folks shared about her were so loving and so intimate. She was such an asset to the community, so funny…so amazing. 

I am so grateful to have known her.

The last stop on my informative day was the More Business of Being Born screening hosted by the Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives and .:Seeds:. Literary Arts Journal. I was asked to be on the panel alongside several other local birth workers and activists. The turnout was very impressive. It was great to see so many folks supporting the fight for the legalization (and hopefully decriminalization) of Certified Professional Midwives in Illinois. I was so honored to have been invited to speak and used the opportunity to advocate of mamas of color who desperately need birth options.

Needless to say, after a fulfilling day, I am still unsure about what I will do about bringing awareness to infant mortality.

I just hope by writing this post I’m at least moving in the right direction…

What will you do about infant mortality?