![]() Significant differences in velocity of growth were seen between black and white female infants regardless of type of feeding. Black male infants were significantly heavier at 12, 18, and 24 months and significantly taller at 24 months than their white counterparts. The difference was not statistically significant. Mean birth weight of black male newborns was 40 g less than white male newborns. Mean birth weight of black female newborns was 150 g less than white female newborns with a statistical significance of P =. Prenatal and postnatal care were provided at the same university affiliated health maintenance organization. Only term children weighing more than 2500 g were included in the study. ![]() Right there at the top of the search results.Growth data were analyzed on 406 infants (211 black, 195 white) during their first two years of life. I’m proud to say that now when you do a Google image search for “slaves birthing,” you will find the photographs that I took, depicting the power of a Black woman giving birth back when her power was stripped from her. ![]() Because I’d taken the time to first sketch my vision, the shoot took maybe 15 minutes. Up next, Goodwill and Amazon for vintage-looking, neutral fabrics, blankets, clothing, apron, nightgown for the birthing mother, and special-effects “blood.” Then I ripped and dirtied some of the items for a worn vibe. My doula friend introduced me to the model who played the midwife. I have a beautiful client whose birth I’d photographed the month before she loved my idea and volunteered herself and her newborn son as models. No old shacks in my own area, but I happened upon a cool old public-access stone fort 5 minutes from where I live. The hardest part was finding the location. I was clear about the look and the feel I wanted. I knew I could proclaim that truth through my art. I decided to use my art to leave a positive contribution to our society. From that came my project called, “Unto Us a Slave Is Born.” As a Black woman in the United States, I feel it’s important for us to see how capable we truly are, that we’ve been literally birthing naturally for hundreds of years, outside of the traditional, epidural-enhanced, hospital setting, and we have been living through it all. Why was that the image I found in my search criterion, “slaves birthing”? The only image openly available was an illustration of James Marion Sims, the “father of modern gynecology” and torturer of black women, about to perform an experiment on a Black girl who was enslaved. I consulted Google for articles, but also for visual representation. I remember learning about the places and conditions in which our ancestors had to give birth, and how their midwifery knowledge transcended the journey here and soon became sought after by enslavers. Last year, those grim statistics inspired me to find out more about how Black women who were enslaved in the United States birthed their babies. Photo Project: how Black women who were enslaved gave birth I am so grateful for those who allow me to share a piece of their lives with the world to show others what is possible. What I share is so much bigger than just me, bigger even than my clients’ stories. With a new purpose behind my work, my goal now is to spread awareness of those options and promote maternal health. Because there are so many factors to weigh, it’s best to thoroughly research options and consider advice from trusted health professionals. There is no one correct and perfect way to experience prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care for every woman. ![]() Late at night, when an expecting person of color, unable to find a comfortable position in her bed, happens to be scrolling through Instagram and sees a photo of someone who looks like her giving birth using methods she’d never considered, that moment has the potential to alter her story.Įach woman and each pregnancy is different. I’ve found that the birth images I captured have a greater impact on the birth community as a whole than any set of tragic statistics. ![]()
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