What it’s like to give birth while black
Kyisha Williams is trying to focus both on breathing and footwork, as the lyrics to Destra?s “Lucy” waft through the dimly lit room. Williams sways from side to side in time with the music. But this isn?t a dance class or a performance rehearsal, it?s early afternoon at a birth centre in Toronto. Williams has been in labour for two days, in active labour for the past six hours. Williams? doula, Giselle Johnston, had showed up that morning armed with a playlist of dancehall and reggaeton tunes to keep Williams? spirits up. ?We were whining and going down low,? Williams says. ?It was so comforting and productive to be dancing during labour.?
Williams (who is single, queer and uses the pronoun they), has always known that when it came time to give birth, they would try to do it their way. For instance, Williams had a number of practices from Ifa (a traditional West African spirituality) to incorporate to make the birthing experience as meaningful as possible. But when it comes to delivering babies, things don?t often go to plan. And as Williams was about to realize, you?re far more likely to experience complications if you happen to be Black.
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