Chae, Mensa, and the Homebirth of Masara Mensah
Homecoming Podcast
Our co-host Chae Pounds just had a baby this March 2021! Chae and her husband Mensa tell us the story of Masara Mensah who was born at home. Chae is a mother of 4 and an apprentice midwife in New Orleans who also works with Birthmark Doula Collective. Mensa is a father, recording artist, school teacher, and an advocate of homebirth. Their story addresses iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy, prodromal labor, and the important role fathers play in family birth.
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S3. E4. Talise and Arsalaan's Surprise Twin Homebirth!
Homecoming Podcast
Isis and Chae interview Atlanta-based married couple, Talise and Arsalaan (formerly known as Deron). All 6 of their children were born at home including their surprise breech twins! Talise is a consultant who encourages women to birth their way, re-normalizes natural homebirth, and educates women about their pregnancy and birthing options. Talise is also an author. Her book, “Home is Where The Birth Is: The Stories of my 6 Homebirths and How You Can Do it Too,” is now available for purchase on Amazon.
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3.3 Giving Birth to a Spirit: Miscarriage as Homebirth with Ellenie Cruz
Homecoming Podcast
Ellenie’s homebirth story is special because it centers her miscarriage which she frames not as a pregnancy loss but rather a gain. Through her experience, Ellenie saw the impact and importance of community and of birth work. She also recognizes that birthing people who experience miscarriage still require postpartum care! Ellenie is a New Orleans-based healer and founder of Ascencion Art, the NOLA herb gathering, and the Atabey School of Cultural Healing. Follow her @asc3nsion_art and @oshunsgarden
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3.2 Unpacking Medical and Obstetric Racism with Dr. Dana-Ain Davis
Homecoming Podcast
Isis and Chae interview Dr. Dana-Ain Davis who discusses her book Reproductive Injustice, as well as how medicalized childbirth is an extension of slavery, how racism is a risk factor for all Black birthing people, and why we need more radical birth workers.
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3.1 Answering the Call of Midwifery with Nubia Martin
Homecoming Podcast
Isis and Chae interview Nubia Martin a Black midwife based in Yonkers, NY. Nubia is the proud mother of 5. Her first 2 babies were born in the hospital. And her last 3 were born at home with midwives. Nubia serves her community by providing childbirth education, lactation support, and now midwifery care and other services through her organization Birth from the Earth, Inc.
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2.11 Doula Shayla Brown's Homebirth Stories
Homecoming Podcast
Shayla is a wife, a mother of 4 (with 1 on the way!) and an advocate for natural birth options for Black women. Shayla has given birth naturally 4 times: Once in a hospital, twice at home with midwives and doulas, and once assisted only by her husband. Shayla believes that with the help of God, access to knowledge, and strong support systems, trauma-free birth is abundantly available to Black women.
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2.10 Keeping it All the Way Real with Nicole Deggins, CNM.
Homecoming Podcast
Isis and Chae interview Nicole Deggins, who is one of the leading birth advocacy experts in the US. Nicole, a NOLA native, is a sought-after public speaker and community educator who works to eliminate perinatal disparities. Nicole knows hospital birth extensively and was a labor and delivery nurse before becoming a nurse midwife. Through Sista Midwife Productions, Nicole provides full-spectrum training to doulas hoping to help improve birth outcomes especially for Black birthing people.
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2.9 Holding Space for Grief and Healing with Tayo Mbande
Homecoming Podcast
This episode features Tayo Mbande--a Californian living in Chicago, homebirth mama and co-founder of Chicago Birth Works Collective. Tayo founded the collective with her mother, Toni Taylor, who supported her at the birth of her youngest daughter born who was born at home without medical assistance. Regretfully, Tayo's father passed away when she was 13 weeks pregnant. She and her husband found strength in community who helped them prepare for their (unassisted) family birth.
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2.8 Jeanine Valrie Logan: Illinois Midwife and Breastfeeding Advocate
Homecoming Podcast
Isis and Chae interview Jeanine Valrie Logan, MPH, CLS. Jeanine is a Chicago-based advanced practice midwife, certified lactation education specialist, youth ally, homebirth mama, ecofeminist, podcaster, and homeschooler. In this episode, Jeanine discusses her entry into birth work in 2008. We also talk about the status of homebirth midwifery in Illinois and how there are still no Black certified professional midwives in Illinois.
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2.7 Chae Births Moziah at Home
Homecoming Podcast
After experiencing emotional ups and downs during pregnancy, including a false diagnosis, Chae had a beautiful home birth! Chae decided to birth unassisted although she did have the support of her birth team including her husband Mensa. In Season 1, Chae shared her breech birth story which started as a planned home birth but resulted in a hospital transfer. In this episode, Chae shares the power of giving birth a second time in the comfort of her home.
info_outlineAtlanta residents Shayla and Isaiah had two home births! Shayla always knew she wanted a natural birth. Shayla’s first child, Maya Malawi was born at home. It was a planned home birth supported by Shayla’s midwife (a traveling, holistic, elder midwife and herbalist) and her midwife’s assistant. Shayla loved her midwife so much that she hired her when she became pregnant a second time. This is also the story of her second-born daughter Sanai Nairobi, born at home in the water as Shayla “breathed her baby out.”
Shayla's Birth Affirmations:
I am whole and at peace
I feel the nourished life force energy
I listen to my body and respond accordingly
I live my life in truth guided by the wisdom of Ma’at and Aset
I have an open heart
I send healing energy to my baby
I trust my body and my body was made for this
I ask and receive exactly what I need
I have everything i need
I am at peace
I desire foods that move me and support my health
I can handle whatever comes up
Access your ancestor’s wisdom
My womb is filled with love
I breathe and eliminate tension
My mind is relaxed, my body is relaxed
I am a wonderful mother
My body becomes stronger and more flexible everyday
My baby feels my love and reassurance and knows that all is well
The tissue in my birth path is completely healthy and safe
I trust my baby to know exactly how and when to be born
I am secure and so is my baby
Visualize your baby relaxing
I trust my inner wisdom
Birth comes easily to me
My belly is full of light and love
My baby moves gently along its journey
I see my womb and yoni hugging my baby guiding him or her down gently into being
Make an intention of relaxing through your labor
My baby is positioned perfectly for a smooth and easy birth
My baby is safe
My baby loves to breastfeed