Living Life in Bloom

In the summer of 2006 I was in my third trimester with baby Charlotte and living in South Carolina. We were near Charleston in a small town in Berkeley County and it was oppressively hot. Out of curiosity today I looked up the weather reports from that time. The South Carolina State Climatology Office published a summary of weather trends by month for that year. The report says "South Carolina baked the first week of August." A nearby Berkeley County town apparently reported 103 degrees on August 3. The report indicates that tropical storms followed not too long after that, which is typical for the region that time of year. Charlotte (who now goes by Caedyn) was born on September 21. I remember intense fatigue -- more so than with Juliana who was born on New Year's Eve. I became dizzy immediately anytime I walked outside (to be fair, I've never been great with heat so that's not so out of the ordinary). The heat and humidity formed a solid wall, and I had to face...

Birthing women and people of size deserve no less than to be respected, honored, and wholeheartedly supported during their pregnancy and postpartum experiences. Pregnant women with higher body mass index (BMI) may be discriminated against. They may be presented with a barrage of anticipated risks rather than getting individualized support when seeking health services. BMI has (finally) been taken down a notch in the medical community, at least “on paper.” The American Medical Association published a new policy in June of 2023 that aimed to clarify the role of BMI. They called out “historical harm,” “use for racist exclusion,” and other limitations of the measure. In BMI We Trust, Reframing the Body Mass Index as a Measure of Health , medical sociologist Iliya Gutin argued that we should use BMI as only part of a holistic view of health, recognize its limitations, and be more flexible about its interpretation.  But how do people of size actually feel when seeking health services? I...

Photo by Mediamodifier on Unsplash The federal  Pregnant Workers Fairness Act  went into effect June of 2023. It requires covered employers to provide "reasonable accommodations" to a worker's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. There are some exceptions if it causes the employer an "undue hardship." You can read more about the law on the EEOC's website at  What You Should Know About the PWFA . Here are some of the possible reasonable accommodations pregnant people can request:  Ability to sit or drink water Get a closer parking spot Request uniforms and safety apparel that fit Receive flexible hours Receive additional break time for using the bathroom, eating and resting Be excused from strenuous activities or chemicals that can harm you or the baby This legislation is a step in the right direction. If you're pregnant, you deserve to be safe at work. You deserve to stay hydrated and well-nourished. You dese...

  My sister Hella met her husband Mike at the climbing wall at the University of North Texas. Climbing and bouldering together cemented their relationship, kept them strong and provided stress relief during grad school and beyond. When Hella became pregnant with their first child, she kept climbing.  The photo featured in this post shows her bouldering at about 5 months' gestation. Mike also proudly shares a video of Hella climbing a 5.11 at the gym, at full term and 3 days before she gave birth. (She wore a special harness to support her pregnant body for climbing.) Climbing was a way for Hella to feel alive and healthy during her pregnancy. As a doula, I look at the photos of her and see her building strength in her pelvic floor, hips, core and full body. I see her opening her pelvis for birth through the natural motions of climbing. Other pregnant people find that walking, yoga, or biking keep them feeling well. Some love dancing or swimming. Talk to your midwife or doctor...