Giving birth is a significant and transformative experience. Welcoming a new life into the world from within your own body is powerful and sacred. This time should be filled with love, support, and celebration! Still, when we consider the gaps in health outcomes for Black mamas, we recognize that we must create change so that they can birth as safely in the U.S. as all other women.
Choose Black Joy
When we center Black joy in the birthing process, it incorporates the strength, resilience, and beauty of Black mamas and families. As Healthy Mom&Baby observes Black Maternal Health Week 2024, we encourage you to consider the importance of centering Black joy in birthing.
Historically and now, the U.S. healthcare system continues to fail the Black community, as evidenced by the vastly unequal rates of harm and death among Black mamas when compared to all other birthing women in this country. Black women face barriers in our healthcare system that include neglectful care, bias, and disrespect. These barriers put Black mamas? lives at risk by as much as 3-4 times of all other women birthing in the U.S. Where is the joy in that"
However, by focusing on this year?s theme, ?Our bodies still belong to us, reproductive justice now? we can begin to center Black joy in birthing and purposefully work to dismantle these harmful actions and create an equitable, safe, supportive, and empowering birthing culture for Black mamas.
Embrace Cultural Traditions and Practices
Black joy in ...