Homecoming Podcast

Our co-host Chae Pounds just had a baby this March 2021! Chae and her husband Mensa tell us the story of Masara Mensah who was born at home. Chae is a mother of 4 and an apprentice midwife in New Orleans who also works with Birthmark Doula Collective. Mensa is a father, recording artist, school teacher, and an advocate of homebirth. Their story addresses iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy, prodromal labor, and the important role fathers play in family birth.

Isis and Chae interview Atlanta-based married couple, Talise and Arsalaan (formerly known as Deron). All 6 of their children were born at home including their surprise breech twins! Talise is a consultant who encourages women to birth their way, re-normalizes natural homebirth, and educates women about their pregnancy and birthing options. Talise is also an author. Her book, “Home is Where The Birth Is: The Stories of my 6 Homebirths and How You Can Do it Too,” is now available for purchase on Amazon.

Ellenie’s homebirth story is special because it centers her miscarriage which she frames not as a pregnancy loss but rather a gain. Through her experience, Ellenie saw the impact and importance of community and of birth work. She also recognizes that birthing people who experience miscarriage still require postpartum care! Ellenie is a New Orleans-based healer and founder of Ascencion Art, the NOLA herb gathering, and the Atabey School of Cultural Healing. Follow her @asc3nsion_art and @oshunsgarden

Isis and Chae interview Dr. Dana-Ain Davis who discusses her book Reproductive Injustice, as well as how medicalized childbirth is an extension of slavery, how racism is a risk factor for all Black birthing people, and why we need more radical birth workers.

Isis and Chae interview Nubia Martin a Black midwife based in Yonkers, NY. Nubia is the proud mother of 5. Her first 2 babies were born in the hospital. And her last 3 were born at home with midwives. Nubia serves her community by providing childbirth education, lactation support, and now midwifery care and other services through her organization Birth from the Earth, Inc.

Shayla is a wife, a mother of 4 (with 1 on the way!) and an advocate for natural birth options for Black women. Shayla has given birth naturally 4 times: Once in a hospital, twice at home with midwives and doulas, and once assisted only by her husband. Shayla believes that with the help of God, access to knowledge, and strong support systems, trauma-free birth is abundantly available to Black women.

Isis and Chae interview Nicole Deggins, who is one of the leading birth advocacy experts in the US. Nicole, a NOLA native, is a sought-after public speaker and community educator who works to eliminate perinatal disparities. Nicole knows hospital birth extensively and was a labor and delivery nurse before becoming a nurse midwife. Through Sista Midwife Productions, Nicole provides full-spectrum training to doulas hoping to help improve birth outcomes especially for Black birthing people.

This episode features Tayo Mbande--a Californian living in Chicago, homebirth mama and co-founder of Chicago Birth Works Collective. Tayo founded the collective with her mother, Toni Taylor, who supported her at the birth of her youngest daughter born who was born at home without medical assistance. Regretfully, Tayo's father passed away when she was 13 weeks pregnant. She and her husband found strength in community who helped them prepare for their (unassisted) family birth.

Isis and Chae interview Jeanine Valrie Logan, MPH, CLS. Jeanine is a Chicago-based advanced practice midwife, certified lactation education specialist, youth ally, homebirth mama, ecofeminist, podcaster, and homeschooler. In this episode, Jeanine discusses her entry into birth work in 2008. We also talk about the status of homebirth midwifery in Illinois and how there are still no Black certified professional midwives in Illinois.

After experiencing emotional ups and downs during pregnancy, including a false diagnosis, Chae had a beautiful home birth! Chae decided to birth unassisted although she did have the support of her birth team including her husband Mensa. In Season 1, Chae shared her breech birth story which started as a planned home birth but resulted in a hospital transfer. In this episode, Chae shares the power of giving birth a second time in the comfort of her home.