Maya's birth did not go according to plan.
After months of planning a homebirth, creating a birth plan, attending private Child Birth Education classes, and even meeting with a Lactation Counselor prenatally, everything changed.
Maya needed an emergency C-section at 41 weeks.
You made sure that she wasn't alone.
You matched Maya with a doula who had also been a teen parent. They met many times during her pregnancy. She received empowering prenatal care from her midwife and her doula. Even though her birth did not happen in the way she had planned, it wasn’t traumatic or terrible. It was just different. She had this to say about the experience:
"It was not what I planned but super great.”
The care you provide at The Firecracker Foundation goes beyond the birth. Maya is at high risk for postpartum mood disorders so your Lead Midwife, Connie Perkins is keeping a well-trained eye on her progress. Connie and her husband with their new baby tied to his back spent time gathering herbs from the Firecracker garden to prepare an herbal sitz bath for Maya's healing body.
Enjoy the attached wholesome photos!
Even better, although she originally wanted to breastfeed for just the first day, maybe, Maya is still exclusively breastfeeding at 4 weeks postpartum!
Connie shared these reflections about Maya's progress:
"Maya is doing amazing and navigating her transition to motherhood well. She reports being “so in love with my baby, I get it now”.
Maya is just one of six pregnant people currently benefitting from trauma-informed, culturally responsive midwifery care at The Firecracker Foundation.
Thank you for all you have contributed to the growth and development of this necessary program. None of this would be possible without you.
With love,
Tashmica Torok
PS - In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Women Strong International has made our funding unrestricted. While we will continue to center the needs of BIPOC youth, we can now extend services to all pregnant and parenting teens and young adults under the age of 24.
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You are incredible. Surviving 2020 was no small task. You did it. You're here, and we are grateful.
But survive is not all you have done. Somehow, while facing challenges that were unthinkable a year ago, you did something amazing: You helped make our year-end fundraising our most successful ever. At the 2020, you:
You did that. While isolated from friends and family. While homeschooling kids. While in the midst of a nationwide mental health crisis. You invested in the holistic healing of child survivors when you have much to heal from yourself—and they will never forget it.
As we enter 2021, we are carefully plotting out services for pregnant and parenting teens. Here's what we are offering this year:
We know that no matter what comes our way, YOU are in our corner. Thank you so very much!
Best,
Tashmica Torok
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Collectively, we are witnessing great changes unfold before us. But where some feel fear and uncertainty, YOU see hope and light in future generations.
Your midwife continues to embrace new babies and parents with love, support, and a sensitivity that honors young parents and their stories. In our last update we highlighted Connie’s dedication in creating virtual childbirth education and healthy sex education classes. We are excited to announce our Childbirth Education series began October 10, 2020. Parents and babies benefit from an 8-week, virtual series that features six different local BIPOC professionals. We even have little surprises for new parents!
You create possibility and joy for young survivors and their children.
Thank you.
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These are unprecedented times and we are faced with daunting challenges:
How do we preserve healing connections during a pandemic?
How do we create lasting change and healing in a health system that consistently harms Black, brown and indigenous parents?
But YOU are undeterred.
You stepped up and ensured that we can continue the critical work of providing pregnant and parenting teens with holistic healing support. As a result, we’ve been busy...
For parents who are survivors of sexual violence, pregnancy and childbirth can be re-traumatizing. Your midwife, Connie, continues to provide telehealth support for postpartum teens, walking alongside them as survivors and new parents.
You are making healing a reality for young parents across the country. Connie regularly participates in virtual birth chat groups to offer support and guidance to parenting teens. Research demonstrates that young parents and their babies are healthier when young mothers participate in peer support groups that are facilitated by midwives.
Connie is developing a program to provide virtual childbirth education and healthy sex education classes. This will be a safe space for pregnant and parenting teens to heal, build healthy parenting skills, and disrupt intergenerational trauma.
Collectively, you are changing lives.
Thank you.
Erica Dziedzic
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YOU loved this project into reality with your big generosity.
In 2019, thirteen pregnant and parenting teens had access to reproductive health education, doula services, and labor support. YOU empowered, supported and amplified the voices of young parents.
And now, we are so excited to share that your love has been magnified by WomenStrong International.
In urban communities across the United States, black and brown people are dying in pregnancy and childbirth at rates more than three times those of their counterparts. This is compounded by the fact that survivors of sexual violence have a higher risk of experiencing re-traumatization during pregnancy.
YOU are upending these disparities by helping pregnant and parenting teen survivors access reproductive health care at The Firecracker Foundation.
You started this work by believing 13 pregnant and parenting teen survivors deserved more from their community.
Your critical support paired with funding from WomenStrong International will make it possible for more than 100 pregnant and parenting teens to have access to the services they need to have healthy pregnancies, good birthing experiences, trauma-informed care, and more!
YOU are healing generations.
Thank you.
Tashmica Torok
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