172 | Trusting Intuition, Rooted in Autonomy - Emoni Cobb

01/11/24 • 40 min

Meeting Emoni and listening to her pregnancy and birth reminds one of the classic interview of a young Serena Williams when the interviewer asked her repeatedly why she thought she was going to win her match. Her father Richard Williams interrupted the interview and told the reporter to “leave that alone.” The “that” he referred to was Serena’s confidence. He was deeply protective of that which he and her mother had built through practice and words. For those entrusted with the work of birth in any capacity and for those entrusted with someone sharing their birth wishes, “Leave that alone.” Birthing in confidence doesn’t mean to be ignorant of the possibilities that something could go wrong. But it does help shape the mind to prepare the body for the work ahead in pregnancy, labor, delivery, and parenthood.

Emoni knew she didn’t want to give birth in a hospital. She connected with the resources within her community to help push her vision into motion. A local midwife, the dedicated doulas of ROOTT, her child’s father, and her mother were entrusted with her vision and supported her through the birthing experience from early conception through her first 18 months of motherhood.

Laboring in her mother’s home at her own pace was an empowering experience. The birth she envisioned happened. Emoni’s mom described it as the most powerful birth she’d ever been present for.

The high of labor would soon turn to postpartum lows. Despite having extended support from her doula, Emoni struggled with postpartum depression. Having support doesn’t mean you won’t experience mental health challenges. Postpartum depression can be the perfect storm of lower oxytocin and increased cortisol. Emoni did make her way through postpartum depression. She wishes she had asked for more help but more importantly, she wished she knew what she could ask for, reflections she hopes informs others.

Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) | reproductive justice organization
LG Doula | full spectrum doula, birth & postpartum photographer

Laboring in her mother’s home at her own pace was an empowering experience. The birth she envisioned happened. Emoni’s mom described it as the most powerful birth she’d ever been present for.

Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) | reproductive justice organization
LG Doula | full spectrum doula, birth & postpartum photographer

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Courtney Williams - The Journey Pregnancy App

Our guest, CEO of Emagine Solutions Technology Courtney Williams, is the creator of The Journey Pregnancy App. The app enables patients to vital signs during pregnancy and then transmits this information in real-time and creates a record. Beyond that it issues a call to action for users to contact their providers when they enter vitals that are out of bounds based on ACOG standards. This technology was developed after Courtney experienced Postpartum Preeclampsia, a rare condition that occurs when you have high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine soon after childbirth. She was already working in maternal health technology.

Courtney’s pregnancy started in 2019; she gave birth at the height of the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. The pregnancy started well; she ate right and worked out daily. But the gym access stopped due to the pandemic - unfortunately, this was a major stress reliever for Courtney. She also utilized acupuncture with a naturopathic provider. Eventually, she lost access to that support due to growing concerns due to the pandemic. It had been helpful for morning sickness; this was another hit to her emotional support.

A week before the childbirth, Courtney's son measured big and they were scheduled for a surgical birth; which she was ok with because it eased her uncertainty. Unfortunately, the hospital would not allow her doula to be present. Courtney’s husband was her sole support during the birth and everything went well as they welcomed their son. In the hours and days after the birth, her body started swelling. Courtney presented with a headache and pronounced chest pain five days postpartum. She attempted to contact her provider but did not get a response; she decided to go to the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with Postpartum Preeclampsia. After returning home, she needed to report to her doctor’s office multiple days in a week for blood pressure readings. This brought about challenges in their breastfeeding/pumping journey. Courtney was surprised that there wasn't technology to ease the challenges for new parents to go to frequent appointments during the early phases of postpartum.

We will save ourselves. We have everything we need within ourselves to rebuild birth better. Being active participants in our care, engaging providers who acknowledge and respect our voices, and equipping ourselves with innate knowledge and an understanding of how our unique bodies respond to pregnancy are key components in creating safer, joy-filled birth experiences.

Resources:

The Journey Pregnancy App | software app that enables patients to track vital signs in pregnancy and transmits this information to providers in real time

Emagine Solutions Technology | tackling the U.S. maternal health crisis with remote patient monitoring for pregnancy care

Health in her Hue | a digital platform that connects Black women and women of color to culturally competent and sensitive healthcare providers, and offers health information and content

Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence | provides maternity care & support in Los Angeles County

Wolomi App | digital community that offers support to women of color to improve maternal health outcomes

SHERO | online prenatal program

Central Phoenix OBGYN | Dr. Sharon Thompson - supportive pregnancy care