After experiencing several early miscarriages, Danielle was excited to finally have a sticky pregnancy and was planning a home birth. At 33 weeks, Danielle noticed excessive swelling and asked her midwife to check her blood pressure. It was uncharacteristically high and she unfortunately developed preeclampsia. She quickly had to switch her plans from a home birth to a hospital induction.
After a nearly 3 day induction, including 24 hours of Pitocin and back labor the whole time, she was able to birth her daughter vaginally. Her daughter was born just in time, because her placenta showed clear signs of deterioration and was no longer providing sufficient nutrients to her baby. Danielle discusses her daughter’s subsequent NICU stay and dealing with postpartum anxiety. She also discusses the depression and anxiety she experienced during her miscarriages and trying to conceive journey as well as issues she faced as a black pregnant woman in New York City.
Danielle Thompson Bio
Danielle is an attorney, doula, and childbirth educator. After a 7-year stint in Manhattan, she currently lives back in her hometown of Berkeley, California with her husband, Brian, 2 year old daughter, Gemma, and dog, Azula. Danielle, a biracial, black woman, has also published in the area of black maternal health and justice (link to her work below) and hopes to continue that work in the future. Connect with her on Instagram: @danielleohello or via Email: Danielle.thompson512@gmail.com
Resources
- Danielle’s journal article
- Evidence based birth
- Spinning babies
- Pregnancy podcast
- Natal podcast
- Lactmed database
- NICU app
- The Birth partner
- Mama natural’s Week by week guide to pregnancy and childbirth
- Ina May’s guide to childbirth
- The womanly art of breastfeeding
- Expecting Better and Cribsheet by Emily Oster
- The First Forty Days
- Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (Penny Simpkin)
- Natural childbirth the Bradley way
- Instagram accounts: @Healthy.highriskpregnancy, @Manhattanbirth, @Smallthingsgrowhomebirth, @birthingjustice, and @badassmotherbirther
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