6 Documentaries on Birth, Maternal Health and Motherhood

For visual and experiential learners like myself, documentaries are everything. You can give me a book with all the statistics and the stories on a subject, and I'll learn a lot. But let me see a face, hear a voice, and be told the story as I watch — and I'll remember what I've learned a in a lot more detail for a lot longer. So I am so grateful for these documentaries that introduced me to significant information about the state of birth, maternal health and motherhood in the United States today. If you're interested in this issue as well, you don't want to miss these.

The Mama Sherpas
With C-section rates dangerously over 30% in America, are midwives the solution? In recent years, the idea of a “collaborative care” practice where doctors and midwives manage women’s care together has begun to gain traction. Research has demonstrated that collaborative care models produce better outcomes for mother and baby, including fewer C-sections. This film provides an intimate lens into how midwives across the country work within and better the hospital system, redefining how the US looks at the birthing process.

Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & the Farm Midwives
About a spirited group of women who taught themselves how to deliver babies on a 1970s hippie commune, rescued modern midwifery from extinction, and changed the way a generation thought about childbirth. Today, as nearly 1/3 of all US babies are born via C-section, they labor on, fighting to preserve their knowledge and pushing, once again, for the rebirth of birth.

Death by Delivery
Fusion TV marked International Women's Day this year with Death by Delivery, a searing portrait of the cost of racism in America. See what Fusion's Nelufar Hedayat found while reporting on this systemic problem affecting black women across the country.
 

The Milky Way
The Milky Way is a documentary exposé about breastfeeding in the United States. We show how women can reclaim their birthright and restore the nursing mother archetype. More than a breastfeeding promotion film, this is a film by, for, and about women. It is about the knowledge that inherently resides in every woman, how to access that knowledge and how to trust what we already know. It is a film that inspires women to say, “I can do that! I want to do that!”

Breastmilk
With unexpected humor, with an unflinching camera, with some guilt and some pain, this film takes the unusual risk of examining what breast milk truly means.

We are often told that breast milk is better. Better for babies, better for mothers, better for nutrition, health, well-being, and society. Many accept this and yet there are still very few women who succeed in breastfeeding exclusively for the recommended six months and beyond. What would it take to change?

The Business of Being Born
Of all the documentaries in this list, this is one you've probably heard of already. I'm still including it!

Birth: it's a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to explore the maternity care system in America.

BONUS: Why Not Home
Beautiful and informative! I was so honored to support its Kickstarter campaign and attend one of its first screenings in my city.

Why would doctors who attend birth in hospitals choose to have their own babies at home? What do they know about birth that others don't? Told through the lens of doctors, nurses, and midwives, this film examines the latest evidence on risks and rewards of different birth settings. The film presents a balanced and accessible view on the latest research, along with moving personal stories of medical practitioners faced with big decisions for their own growing families.

Are there other documentaries you've watched that should be on this list? Tell me about them in the comments below!

4 Infographics on the Reality of Illegal Immigration Today

There's been a lot of talk in the United States in the past year or so about illegal immigration — who illegal immigrants are, what they do and how their addition affects the country we share. The New York Times published an article this week: Here’s the Reality About Illegal Immigrants in the United States. I highly encourage everyone and anyone to give it a close read. This is an important topic we should all be well aware of, so that we can base our perspectives on truth, and know how to best support and advocate for our friends, family and neighbors.

As a highly visual learner myself, I really appreciated how the article's design leaned heavily on images and infographics to educate. Are you a part of an organization trying to educate people on significant issues? Take a note. How can you make infographics like these work for your cause?

The Majority of Illegal Immigrants
Have Been Here for 10+ Years

From the article:

"To hear many liberals and immigrant advocates tell it, most undocumented immigrants are productive, law-abiding members of society, deeply rooted in communities all over the country, working hard, living quietly, paying taxes and raising families.

Statistics show that many of the undocumented fit this profile. About 60 percent of the unauthorized population has been here for at least a decade, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute."

Millions of Illegal Immigrants
Have U.S. Born Children

From the article:

"Lydia, who like several undocumented immigrants did not want her last name published for fear of being deported, crossed the border through Tijuana in 1988...

Lydia raised four children, all citizens, and sent them to public schools in Sun Valley, a suburb north of Los Angeles. She and her husband bought a home there, paid off their mortgage and bought a second home nearby.

She was eventually ordered out of the country. But the Obama administration deprioritized deportations of people who had committed no major crimes, and it allowed her to live and work in the United States as long as she checked in with an immigration agent each year...

Now she is a candidate for deportation once again, and is anxious each time she steps out of her home.

'I am in limbo,' she said. 'I am afraid I will go out and never come back.'"

The Vast Majority of Illegal
Immigrants Are Not Criminals

From the article:

"The Migration Policy Institute has estimated that 820,000 of the 11 million unauthorized have been convicted of a crime. About 300,000, or less than 3 percent of the 11 million undocumented, have committed felonies. (The proportion of felons in the overall population was an estimated 6 percent in 2010, according to a paper presented to the Population Association of America.)

The Trump administration has said it will continue to prioritize deporting those with serious criminal records, but, in a break from the Obama administration, the new policies also take aim at immigrants whose offenses are limited to living here without permission or minor crimes that enable immigrants to work here, like driving without a license or using a fake Social Security number."

Most Illegal Immigrants Do Not
Enter the US Across the Mexican Border

From the article:

"In each year from 2007 to 2014, more people joined the ranks of the illegal by remaining in the United States after their temporary visitor permits expired than by creeping across the Mexican border, according to a report by researchers at the Center for Migration Studies.

A partial government estimate released last year said that 416,500 people whose business or tourist visas had expired in 2015 were still in the country in 2016. That does not count people who came here on student visas or temporary worker permits."

Source: The New York Times

---

My 3 Biggest Challenges as a Self-Employed Creative and How I Approach Them

There are some things about being your own boss that prove challenging. As a creative, I've tended to not want to get in the weeds. Now I have to! Here's how I approach it.

MY APPROACH
With only 24 hours in a day, I have to organize my time to stay on top of my projects. When I'm tempted to create strict schedules, I remind myself that as long as I'm intentional, there's no reason to try to fit into someone else's mold.

I work great in early morning and late night hours (huh, not typical office hours, look at that). So I plan to set aside some of those hours

every week to work on my projects. That said, I don't dawdle during the day, either. 

During the day, I tend to work better with background noise and/or non-distracting company (go figure!). I have a favorite coffee shop where I go to work sometimes, and a close friend with a similar schedule to mine who I meet up with for mutual work space other times. There's just something about having other people working around me that really keeps me grounded in the task at hand.

One way I'd like to take my time management skills to the next level this year is to plan ahead more. For example, I need to start planning blog posts. Right now I handle this in a sort of, "let's see what I think of as I think of it" way, and that's just not sustainable!

So stay tuned for more on that.

---

MY APPROACH
I have learned SO MUCH about pricing and saving money since I started my business.

First off, taxes. Oh man. I'm getting professional help with my taxes this year, and gladly! But there are still things I need to know to keep up with this cost throughout the year.

Self-employed individuals are "double-taxed." Because we work for ourselves, we are taxed as employers and as employees. I didn't realize this until late in the game. Womp womp. Now that I know, I work this cost into my pricing quotes. 

Pricing itself has come with a learning curve. On the one hand, it's important to me that my services are accessible. I want to be able to provide high-quality services to nonprofits, small businesses and individuals both young and wise, just starting and well established, tight-budgeted and big-budgeted.

I also want my clients to understand the value of the services that I provide. And I want to value my own work appropriately!

I know that the prices of my services set a tone for how I perceive the value of my work, as well as for how accessible my clients perceive my services to be for them.

So I often approach pricing by asking myself these questions:

"How much do I spend each month? What do I need to earn to pay my bills, eat, save, etc.?" 

"What do I need to be saving for? What do I want to save for to grow my business / take care of myself this year?"

"What are the industry standards for this service? What are the lows and highs?" 

"How should my experience level/skill level impact my pricing?"

"What would I be able to pay, if I were in my client's shoes? Now? When I started my business?"

"How can I make this [service] cost more manageable?"

In asking myself these questions I feel like I walk this odd tightrope of confidence and humility, with a dash of self-discipline.

Direction from questions like these have led me to raise my prices since I started my business. Meanwhile my commitment to accessibility has led me to provide payment plans and offer discounted services on a case-by-case basis.

Firm personal budgeting makes a huge impact on my pricing, too. If I were a big spender (or didn't keep track of my spending), I wouldn't be able to offer my prices. As a side note, I use an app called Digit to save a little everyday and I LOVE IT! Every little bit certainly counts.

Overall, my hope is that as I continue to work, I'll cultivate a business presence and culture that people know as high-quality, high-value, people-minded and approachable.

---

MY APPROACH
Word of mouth was the name of the game for pretty much my first 9 months of being a true business entity (huh, 9 months, I guess this month is sort of my business birth month - too corny?).

When I started my LLC, I had a community of people who knew me, believed in me, and happily hired me (especially at my super low "I'm brand new" prices!). I'm truly grateful to each of them for the priceless support, and the opportunities to use and grow my skills.

Now that I'm approaching my first full year of business, word of mouth advertising isn't enough to grow my client base. So I lean on these items/practices to promote growth.

My Website. This website and blog are major ways I showcase my work and get connected to people who are interested in hiring me (maybe you're even one of them, how exciting!).

Social Media. I'm on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and e'rything. I created an official business account for Facebook, but for

everything else I mesh my business and my personal life together. This is an intentional choice that I made, because who I am is a part of my business brand. It's a package deal, people!

Paid Advertising. I don't do much, but I do some, particularly on Facebook and Instagram. This is an area in which I'm still very much learning and exploring. And I look forward to having some lessons to share this year!

Diversifying. As I'm sure you're aware, I'm not a "do just one thing" type of person. I'm a doula and a designer, and right now I nanny to make sure ends meet, too. As I look ahead, I want to narrow my scope so that doula work and designing are the only items on my plate.

That said, I've gotten some design clients out of the doula world, and some doula clients out of design clients! So having my hand in a few pots certainly hasn't hurt!

Networking. The fancy way of saying "meeting other people." This is another area in which knowing myself is really important.

I'm an introvert with a deep aversion to mingling. So I don't attend large networking events often (in fact, I usually avoid them).

However, I do reach out to other professionals in and outside of my area. Not only have I learned a lot this way, I've made some really great friends, too!

---

That's it for this week! Do you have something in your business toolbox that can help address any of these challenges? Tell me about it below!

8 Instagram Accounts I Can't Get Enough Of And Why

I confess. I love Instagram. I don't post daily, but I definitely scroll daily. And for good reason! Not only is Instagram fun to skim, it's a powerful tool for creatives and businesspeople of all kinds. 

So what makes Instagram design striking/memorable/excellent? The complicated answer is that it varies according to one's given target audience. That said, there are certain principles of design you can follow to craft a well-designed Instagram account on any topic. And I've got some awesome examples below.

Conscious Magazine
@cmagazine

Conscious Magazine is a magazine that explores how innovative ideas and creative solutions are used to create impact around the globe.

Why This Style Works: Consistent colors/tones; intentional photography; well-designed quote graphics

Rowan Made
@rowanmade

Rowan Made is a small (graphic) design studio with a knack for simplicity + story telling.

Why This Style Works: Clear focus (design); intentional photography; well-designed posts; displays expertise
 

Arianna
@anthesisarii

Arianna is a photographer and yogi. You think her yoga pictures are amazing — you're right — and you might also want to check out her other work.

Why This Style Works: Consistent colors/tones (light-filled), intentional photography; utilizes white space; variety of post types; clear focus (yoga in this case)

Nakeia C. Homer
@nakeiachomer

Nakeia is a singer and inspirational writer/ speaker and oooh, her instagram has got it going on.

Why This Style Works: Consistent pattern of posts; utilizes white space; consistent colors/tones, intentional photography

Gregarious Peach
@gregariouspeach

Gregarious Peach is a photography business run by Georgia Brizuela.

Why This Works: Colorful approach; intentional photography, consistent colors/tones, variety of angles and focuses in images; displays expertise
 

Birth of a Mama
@birthofamama

Birth of a Mama describes themselves as a group with an "approach [that] offers mothers support and guidance in navigating life within a world that is largely out of accord."

Why This Style Works: Clear focus (motherhood); variety of post types; creates community by reposting others
 

Alex Elle
@alex_elle

Alex Elle is an author and creative in DC. Her writing is simple, poignant and striking.

Why This Style Works: Consistent pattern of posts; clear focus (writing); utilizes white space; consistent colors/tones; intentional photography
 

Sian Richardson
@sianricho

Sian Richardson is a truly bold and brilliant creative entrepreneur, who shares all her winning biz knowledge with the world.

Why This Works: Colorful approach; intentional photography, consistent colors/tones, variety of angles and focuses in images; displays expertise

What are some of your favorite Instagram accounts? What about them draws your attention? Tell me about it in the comments below!
 

5 Resources and Stories on Maternal Health for Black Women

Our experiences of pregnancy and birth in the United States — from quality of care to health outcomes — are deeply impacted by race and class. What does that actually mean? Below are a list of resources and stories to shed light on this issue. Whether you're a black mom, a doula or birth educator, or simply an interested human being, this list is here to equip you to know more.

What It’s Like to Be Black and Pregnant When You Know How Dangerous That Can Be
Author Dani McClain writes of her experience being pregnant and Black in the midst of the traumas that bore the Black Lives Matter movement, and then adds to her lived experience the research that supports it.

"An Institute of Medicine report found that people of color 'are less likely to receive needed services' even when their insurance and income are the same as white people’s. So I tried to leverage every bit of privilege I could to stave off any assumptions that my health-care providers might have made. I wasn’t married and rarely wore my engagement ring, but I made sure to put it on before every prenatal appointment. When I showed up to an appointment with cornrows or an Afro, I wondered if I’d be treated differently from the times I’d come with my hair flat-ironed."

How racism harms pregnant women — and what can help
Racism is making people sick — especially black women and babies, says Miriam Zoila Pérez. The doula turned journalist explores the relationship between race, class and illness and tells us about a radically compassionate prenatal care program that can buffer pregnant women from the stress that people of color face every day.

Keisha Knight Pulliam Shares Distressing Story of Racist Hospital Service
After Cosby Show actress Keisha Knight Pulliam gave birth to her daughter this January, she had a troubling experience. Her lactation consultant questioned the quality of her insurance, offered her only information on WIC programs, and refrained from touching her during the little assistance she provided.

A sobering example of how color impacts quality of care, regardless of other societal factors like class, status, and achievement. 

What’s Behind the Increased Numbers of Black Women Dying During Pregnancy and Childbirth in the United States?
The short answer: racism. The long answer: within the article linked above.

"There is not one single path to fixing this serious, ongoing problem. But what surely is paramount is ensuring space for and listening to the stories of black women—those at the center of this crisis."

Chocolate Milk: The Documentary
Chocolate Milk is a documentary about black motherhood, breastfeeding and the multi-billion dollar business of feeding black babies. It addresses the significant gap between breastfeeding rates for Black women compared to White and Latino women in the U.S, and explores how slavery, economics, and society have influenced the way Black Americans view intimacy, health and how to raise a child.

Do you have a personal experience with care during pregnancy and birth as a mother of color? Are there more sources of information on black maternal health you want to share? Tell me about it in the comments below.