Ashley Rogers didn't expect to have a cesarean birth. Her pregnancy had been uneventful, and she had been planning a natural birth after her first child had been born via C-section 11 years earlier. So in July 2021, when doctors told her a C-section would be the safest way to deliver, "I was freaking out," Ashley recalls. Luckily, in addition to her husband, Marley, Ashley had her doula, Nadia Gramby, by her side.
"I remember lying on the table and Nadia coming over. She whispered, 'It's going to be OK. You got this.' And I was totally fine after that!" says Ashley, who gave birth to her son, Makaio, that day.
For Black birth workers like Nadia, a doula based in Birmingham, AL, it's moments like these that crystallize the decision to dedicate their lives to caring not just for expectant mothers, but for expectant Black mothers.
The United States has the highest maternal death rate of any developed nation in the world, and while rates are declining in most countries, the numbers have been steadily rising in the U.S. over the past three decades. For Black women, the statistics are even more daunting. In 2020, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births-nearly three times the rate for non-Hispanic white women.
After working in human resources for 15 years, Nadia became a certified doula five years ago. "I never looked back," she says. "I was called to this by God."
Today Nadia is a birth and postpartum doula and a childbirth educator, meaning she offers her clients emotional support before, during, and after birth, as well as childbirth education, which makes them aware of their rights in the birth room and beyond. She's also studying to become a certified professional midwife, which would enable her to manage the medical care of mom and baby before and during birth.
Denne historien er fra July - August 2022-utgaven av Good House Keeping - US.
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Denne historien er fra July - August 2022-utgaven av Good House Keeping - US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Bring On the Thanks
Embrace the best part of the holidays the chance to share great food with friends and family. Delicious inspiration awaits.
Guide to a Stress-Free DINNER PARTY
This article provides practical tips for hosting a successful dinner party, including planning the menu, setting the scene with decor, and adding thoughtful touches to delight guests. From invitations to finishing details, it covers everything for a memorable event.
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The Mental Health Benefits of Cats - How our feline friends keep our minds purring
A recent survey on pets and mental health by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 84% of pet owners reported that their pets had a positive impact on their mental health. For twothirds of survey participants, the companionship pets offered was key to a positive mindset. Howard Liu, M.D., M.B.A., chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Council on Communications, an adult and child psychiatrist and chair of the UNMC Department of Psychiatry, says feline companionship may be especially beneficial and meaningful for people struggling with anxiety, depression and autism spectrum disorder as well as people who have a history of trauma. Of course, cats aren't a magic pill, Dr. Liu says: "Every person and every cat is unique, so owning a pet is not a guarantee of better mental health." However, people who live with chronic mental health conditions often list spending time with their cats as a coping strategy for when they are sad, anxious or frightened.
Can Anything Really Firm Your Face? - Countless complexion brands tout skin-tightening solutions like firming skincare products, at-home devices and professional treatments
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The Stress-Busting Hack That's Right Under Your Nose- Breathwork is more than the wellness trend du jour- it's a science-backed route to relief from multiple modern ailments.
“OK, OK, just take a breath.” If that’s what a friend advises after you panic-share about a major-anxiety-inducing situation — your teen taking his maiden solo voyage behind the wheel, work instability, another high-stakes world crisis dinging your phone every few minutes — it’s probably because they hate seeing you so on edge. But also, your friend is offering an effective means of slowing your spin. “The way you breathe affects anxiety, and anxiety affects how you breathe,” says James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. “It’s a two-way street, and while anxiety isn’t a conscious choice, our breathing is.”
Do Men Really Not See The Mess? - The answer might surprise you. Journalist and author Gemma Hartley pulls back the curtain to reveal the invisible forces that drive this all-too-common cause of marital strife.
There was a time, earlier in my marriage, when every morning as I walked into the kitchen I braced myself for the rage and resentment that would well up in me.Cupboards left open. Dirty dishes in the sink. Coffee cups strewn around the house. And usually a pair of slippers or shoes, with inside-out socks, on the floor somewhere nearby. Even when I had left the house spotless the night before, I’d wake to a scene of disarray — the mess my husband had left behind on his way out the door for work.I didn’t know which scenario seemed worse, my husband’s consciously expecting me to clean up these messes or his truly not noticing them at all. I found myself silently tallying these small resentments, furious and flummoxed in turn that he seemed oblivious to things that needed to be tidied up around the house. It seemed as if he was always waiting for me to tell him what had to be done, as if he was incapable of noticing the mess himself even when he was creating it.
BLISTERED BITES
Shishitos are delicious all yearand creepy on Halloween!
DRINK if you DARE
Welcome, vampires, skeletons and zombies: This spiritforward duo may be strong enough to wake the dead.
Have a scary-good HALLOWEN
The spookiest day of the year calls for tricks and treats!
