Blooming. Being an advocate and protector of myself. Caring for myself so I can continue to show up for others. Excited to be in these spaces over the next few weeks. Join us if you can. ♥️
Still in these midwife streets. Constantly processing, reflecting and evaluating. No IG post could sum up the last few years but grateful for the joy and cackles and cute office fits amidst all the change. My patients have started to refer to me as an OG and I don’t know how I feel about that 🤣 . The journey continues #sixyearsin #midwifelife
Loc appreciation post. I was getting to the point where I thought I wanted to cut them off and start over but nahhhh imma stick beside them. I didn’t know what they would look like when they grew out but so happy with their transformation. The loctician who started them told me they would fit my Leo nature and she was right. 🙏🏾💕#locs #loclivin #locstyles #locjourney #locstylesforwomen
This February has been full of remembrance and honor of grand midwives. As I approach my five year anniversary in this calling I am so grateful and reflective. Black midwives are still here in various communities and settings embracing the fire and wisdom needed to change the outcomes for our birthing people.
#grandmidwives #midwifery #blackhistorymonth #sankofa
There’s so much magic yet expectation wrapped around being a black woman and so much wrapped around having a “successful”career as a black woman. In the past few years of soul digging I’ve really realized that in my past I’ve done a lot of free labor just to feel like I was successful or to maintain romantic or platonic relationships since my 20s. I know so many black women who feel like so much is expected of them and they give and give. Yes, boundary setting is a necessity but also stop asking us for free shit including but not limited to:
🗣🗣🗣
Mental labor
Emotional labor
Sexual labor
Culinary labor
Spiritual labor
Hard labor
Intellectual labor
P.S.
@jamiimidwife gifted me this pin ❤️
One of my favorite pastimes is finding @airbnbs in cool cities. Thanks @thefunkyloft for your hospitality and curating such a beautiful space! Much needed after an intense week. ❤️ #offcall #airbnb #thefunkyloft
How I wake up knowing that nothing I accept about myself can be used to hurt me. Happy Friday! It’s been a steady but good week in these midwife streets! #happyfriday #midwifelife #flourish #locs #locnation #locjourney #locstyles #loclivin
Y’all. This week made one year I’ve been officially working as a nurse midwife. I can’t even summarize all of the events that have happened in the last 365 days but it’s been an experience for sure. Favorite part hands down is all of the clients I’ve met along the way who inspire me deeply and whose stories I’ve been honored to listen to and support. Second favorite part is being able to be an unapologetically black midwife for black women. Third favorite part having resources and really awesome wrap around services to be able to support the clients I serve. Fourth, the people I work with who keep me laughing (quite often)and fed. Fifth would be the stop and drops, ambulance rides and other adventures that seem to follow me in every step of my career. I’ll speak on my not so favorite parts when I have solutions for them 😉 #midwifelife #notesforthejourney #babycatcher #reproductivejustice #blackmidwives #birthcenter #hospitalbirth #nursemidwife
Because when you create safe spaces everyone feels free to breathe. I love my job. #keepinitreal #midwifery #safespaces #preserveyourhairstyleatallcosts #midwifelife.
Just did the last delivery of my twenties and it’s finally kicking in that I’m a whole independent midwife 🤧🤧🤧Feels cray but it also fills me with gratitude. 📷: @karma_kia #30inaweek #oldlady #leomanchildwasborn #midwife #offcall #leobabieshavebeenkeepingmebusyandtired
Really crazy to think that when I started on this path of birth work so many doors would open and I would connect with so many people. I'm hesitant to accept certain opportunities at times but then I remember my why.
In April of 2011 I almost died from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I literally had to beg to be seen as I was in and out of consciousness after being taken to the ER via ambulance. Once they realized I was an ICU nurse things started happening quickly. I could tell because I was skinny and groggy due to hemorrhagic shock they thought I was high. I was 22, pregnant and lived in the inner city. If you ask me how I knew this was a thought, the secretary who I begged to get a nurse said, "Look at her, she can't even keep her head up." Fast forward minus some crazy details that will be shared at another time, I ended up with emergency surgery and a short stay in the Surgical ICU.
This is definitely my why. It's taken a while for me to share because it was an extremely painful experience on multiple levels and deserves more than a quick DM but I am asked so often I decided to briefly share here. Black women aren't being listened to and dying as a result. This is only one of the many issues to the growing maternal mortality rate amongst us in America.
A journey of self love and healing led to my path as a doula and now midwife. I want to listen, respect and believe the women I serve because it's literally a matter of life or death. To all of the women who reach out interested in birthwork do it. We need you. Let's heal together. ❤️ #midwifery #thejourney #thisisjustthehalf #blackmidwife
