The pregnancy test read positive as soon as I wet it. This was my second one. I burst into tears. Initially, my mind pressed fast forward to my future. My thoughts were filled with how my life goals would change dramatically. The fact that my weight and race might ultimately affect my experience as a pregnant woman didn’t come to mind. That changed after my first doctor’s appointment. The mix of being plus–sized, pregnant, and Black seemed to shake even the most experienced OB/GYN to their core. During my first visit to the OB/GYN as a pregnant woman, one of the first things my doctor told me was that I needed to focus on keeping my weight down. She prefaced this with saying that I did need to eat, but to focus on keeping my weight down and immediately after getting birth, work to lose weight. I wasn’t surprised, being plus-sized, but this visit already put a damper was put on what was supposed to be a joyful time. Some of the health and weight issues women of color face are cultural too. The food that is unique to our community, known as soul food, is mainly seasoned with animal fat and salt. Our ancestors designed this cuisine from the inexpensive food stuffs they had access to. Of course, today, we aren’t obligated to eat those foods, and the current generation of Black moms didn’t necessarily grow up on those foods, but a lot of us did. This possibly contributes to the high blood pressure, diabetes and heart issues that many like to attribute to the Black community more than others. If you’re an expecting mom, and you’ve gone through any of the emotions or experiences I’ve mentioned above, don’t lose heart! Your precious little one is coming soon, and even the slightest complications during pregnancy don’t mean that you won’t have a long and happy future in front of you. The fact that you are actually aware of the odds stacked against you now, can help you to be proactive and get in front of any challenges you might face. Enjoy your pregnancy, get lots of sleep and open lots of baby shower gifts! Although pregnancy and birth can be a scary time, it’s also one of the most beautiful experiences a woman can ever have. If I could, I would do it a million times over.
