We have entered a time where people are much more open about their life experiences. I believe our predecessors were fearful of the judgment of others and also thought they were alone in their encounters. This shift in the way we interact is not just one that’s affecting everyday people, but celebrities as well. It is a positive occurrence, for it fosters a true sense of community among individuals.
Friends and superstars Beyoncé and Serena Williams recently divulged details regarding their pregnancies, and their lives, now that they are mothers. This honesty brought joy to Black women like myself because as stated, there was an era when these kinds of narratives were kept close to the chest.
These feelings of solidarity are absolutely necessary though, especially when you look at the facts presented in The New York Times piece centered around Black mothers and childbirth.
According to the previously mentioned article, Simone Landrum, a young Black mother, had her cries for help ignored during her third pregnancy. She noticed thather symptoms were different than they had been for her previous pregnancies, including light sensitivity and intense swelling.
Landrum was vocal about her symptoms, but she was largely ignored. She began bleeding profusely weeks before her due date and as a result, her child died and she almost died as well.
The story is heartbreaking and reminds people of the old days where childbirth was generally traumatic. With all of our scientific advancements and access to information, some Black women are still having horrible times with pregnancy and childbirth.
In a monolithic cover story for Vogue, Beyoncé (who is notoriously private) spoke about her reality while giving birth to her twins last summer.
“I was 218 pounds the day I gave birth to Rumi and Sir. I wasswollen from toxemia and had been on bed rest for over a month. My health and my babies’ health were in danger, so I had an emergency C-section. We spent many weeks in the NICU.”
Toxemia is another term for preeclampsia, meaning that Beyoncé very easily could’ve died. This news is nothing short of horrifying.
Serena Williams wrote about what giving birth was like for her, and her remarks were just as frightening.
“[A pre-existing pulmonary embolism] sparked a slew of health complications that I am lucky to have survived. First, my C-section wound popped open due to the intense coughing I endured as a result of the embolism. I returned to surgery, where the doctors found a large hematoma, a swelling of clotted blood, in my abdomen. And then I returned to the operating room for a procedure that prevents clots from traveling to my lungs. When I finally made it home to my family, I had to spend the first six weeks of motherhood in bed.”
Pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or complications period, can be difficult for mothers-to-be to handle. Since Black moms are sometimes treated differently by physicians, it falls on the mother to be forthcoming about all symptoms and to do their own research.
It should not be that way in this day and age, but it is just another way that racism or classism infiltrate people’s daily lives. It is huge that Beyoncé and Serena told their stories, because it calls attention to other individuals who may not have all the resources they do, but still deserve to be included in calls to action.
Brooklyn White is a journalist with content featured on Teen Vogue, Rookie Mag, and Bitch Media.
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