Birthing #blackboyjoy: Black Midwives Caring for Black Mothers of Black Boys During Pregnancy and Childbirth

Abstract

Background Structural racism mediates all aspects of Black life. The medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth, and its detrimental impacts on Black birth, is well documented. The Black Lives Matter movement has elevated the national consciousness on all aspects of Black life, but significant attention has been directed toward the murder and dehumanization of Black men and boys. Black midwives, caring for Black people, using the Midwives Model of Care© which consistently demonstrates its efficacy and better outcomes for Black people, are uniquely positioned to witness the physical and psychosocial experiences of birthing Black boys in America. Methods Between 2011 and 2013, the first author conducted interviews with 22 Black midwives to understand their perceptions of, and experiences in, predominantly white midwifery education programs and professional organizations. Convenience and snowball sampling were used. This paper investigates previously unreported and unexamined data from the original study by focusing on the witness and insight of nine midwives who provided care for Black mothers of boys during pregnancy and childbirth. Findings The data presented three themes: It’s a Boy: On Restlessness and Complicated Uneasiness; Desensitization of Black Death; and, Physiological Impacts of Toxic Stress. Conclusions The findings demonstrate that caring for Black people must be simultaneously theorized and executed within an anti-racist, relationship-centered, reproductive justice framework. Black midwives are uniquely positioned to do this work. Greater attention, in practice and in research, is needed to investigate the birth experiences of Black mothers of boys.

Preterm and low birthweight birth in the United States: Black midwives speak of causality, prevention, and healing

“…As this student midwife's words emphasize, Black women's struggles are compounded by the intersecting experiences of race and gender within systems that are designed to oppress them as dual members of these groups 26,27 . Systemic racism is felt on both the individual and the community levels, and it contributes to the process of weathering described by Geronimus et al 12 Black midwives see systemic racism as “impacting everything in the lives of Black mothers” from the accessibility of healthy foods, to employment, to the fear of losing, or actual loss of their children and loved ones because of incarceration and police brutality 39 . These constant stressors are coupled with the perceived requirement “to be strong for the family” or for the community.…”

“…Culturally‐centered or “Afrocentric” care (redacted) affirms the strength and creativity of the Black diaspora. Such affirming practices can “act as antidotes to internalized oppression.” 39 Several midwives reflected that during the 1960s and 1970s during the Civil Rights and Black is Beautiful eras, when social uplift and anti‐poverty programs in the United States provided additional resources, coupled with the sense of solidarity and unity that came with being part of movements making effective change, the rates of Black infant mortality began to improve. Many argued that “we should be learning from historical and traditional ways of caring for pregnant women in our communities” and finding ways to re‐institute programs that we know worked.…”

“…In addition, while we intentionally sampled for diversity, we have no way of knowing how the characteristics of those who participated might differ from, or overlap with, the larger population of Black midwives in the United States. However, as the goal of our qualitative analysis was to elicit depth, richness and “thick description” 39 from an understudied perspective, and not to generalize about the causes or cures for LBW and PTB, Black midwives’ voices provide a valuable addition to the literature.…”

“…26,27 Systemic racism is felt on both the individual and the community levels, and it contributes to the process of weathering described by Geronimus et al 12 Black midwives see systemic racism as "impacting everything in the lives of Black mothers" from the accessibility of healthy foods, to employment, to the fear of losing, or actual loss of their children and loved ones because of incarceration and police brutality. 39 These constant stressors are coupled with the perceived requirement "to be strong for the family" or for the community. Thus, midwives worry that their clients will internalize the systemic oppression that contributes to high stress levels and weathering.…”

“…We experience "death from racism, coming from stress, worry, fear, insecurity. 39 We don't always know our strengths, our greatness. We do know our struggles."…”