Birth HERstory Blog
Celebrating the HERstory of Black women in BIRTH in the 21st Century
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Yesterday, I said that I would share how birthwork led to my work as a Relationship Strategist and Legacy Builder, but actually I was already doing that work. Birthwork helped me see the importance of the work I was already doing and refine it. Let me explain…
Birthwork showed up and called out to me the day I submitted my doctoral dissertation for final approval. True story… Youtube was a bit younger then, still less than 10 years old, but there were still unusual videos uploaded. I signed onto Youtube and it suggested a video of an Indian woman who breastfed goats… I know, I know… But I was intrigued. The woman felt it was her responsibility to feed the goat who did not have a mother because goats and their milk was used to feed humans. I watched a couple of those videos in amazement and after the second one, Youtube suggested a video about the Legacy of the Black Midwife. This was back when your videos could only be 10 minutes long, so there were 6 parts to it. I sat and watched all six parts as a beautifully garbed Black woman talked about the role Black midwives had played in the lives of Black families for centuries. She talked about how complex their role was during the childbearing year. Along with everything I have mentioned in previous emails about the spiritual roles they served, Grand Granny Midwives were so much more. They were highly respected and revered and they helped the families prepare for the baby that was coming by considering how the people in the household were getting along. During those times, they were spiritual advisors, counselors and confidants. I have so much admiration for Grand Granny Midwives and I believe I am a part of their legacy. Have I mentioned that I earned a Doctorate of Education with a Specialization in Curriculum and Instruction? My Doctoral Dissertation was titled Non-Conventional Gender Roles in Relationship Education Curricula for African Americans: A Content Analysis. When I committed to birth work, I had already completed this research and I was already working with individuals, couples and families with my husband Eugene. We had already been developing coursework - Maximizing the Connection and Power Couple Mentoring -and teaching it. Birthwork offered additional perspective about the ways that we could use our work to help folks navigate their most important goals… their relationships, especially as they were growing and birthing babies. I am extremely proud of my work as a Relationship Strategist who is helping families BUILD LEGACY. I am most proud because the framework centers around the historical experiences of Black couples in the United States who have created satisfying relationships, even in challenging times. Similar to Black women during the childbearing year, Black couples often face nuanced challenges that require strategic solutions. I wrote about it in my FREE ebook What’s Black Love Got to Do With It? In it, I addressed the cognitive dissonance Black couples often face while seeking to live out cookie cutter expectations of relationships that do not work for them, and instead offered solutions that suggest how they can craft relationship strategies for themselves that works specifically for them as a couple... NO COOKIE CUTTER SOLUTIONS. From my research, I also developed the Power Couple Quiz for couples and the Compatibility Tool for anybody who wants to consider how compatible they might be with various people in their lives. Could you use some guidance in the area of relationships? ALL OF THESE RELATIONSHIP RESOURCES and MORE are my CELEBRATE 50 offerings for today. They are offered through the WeVibe WeFit App I developed... yes, I built it! I am a STEM girl to my core, and there are many tools I have in my arsenal to serve people in this lifetime. On the WeVibe WeFit App, we have something those desiring to be supported in their #RelationshipGoals... any of your relationship goals. There is something for everyone and even FREE resources available just for signing up on the app, even music (yep, we have produced our own music over the years, too); and daily Legacy Vibrations to encourage you in your efforts to Build Legacy in your life. The WeVibe WeFit App will be really important in 2023 because we will be moving forward with some trainings and intensives for individuals and couples who would like to glean from our 30 years of friendship, relationship, and partnership. At a time when there are many self-proclaimed "Relationship Gurus" as well as an emphasis on "High Value Men" vs "Masculine Women", we believe that a balanced message, based on practical experience and research, is important. If you are looking for relationship guidance in any area of your life -- personal, professional, family, or romantic -- allow us to support you. Download the WeVibe WeFit App for FREE, then for a one-time payment of $50 you can gain life-time access to the Compatibility Tool, the Power Couple Quiz, the We Build Legacy Mini-Course and MORE! I am confident that the WeVibe WeFit App will equip you to empower yourself in your relationships. I want to say THANK YOU for being here with me this week and I invite you to reply to this email if you feel that I can support you in some way based on what I have shared over the past few days. MY 50TH BIRTHDAY IS ALMOST HERE!!! WHOO HOO!!! It is truly a blessing. Talk to you tomorrow. With great expectation, Andrea Little Mason, Ed.D. "Dr. Doula" Doula and Birth Mentor www.DrDoula.com "Reclaim Your Birth Rites" Relationship Strategist www.WeBuildLegacy.com "We Build Legacy" |
Dr. DoulaMy work is informed by my background – experiences, expertise, exposure, education & environment – as a woman, mother, wife, sister, educator, researcher, scholar, advocate, birth ally and legacy builder. #IAmTheAnswer #WeSaveOurselves Archives
December 2022
CategoriesAll African Women BirthHERstory Black Midwives Black Women Breastfeeding DrDoula Home Birth Postpartum Pregnancy |