38 | Reimagining the Village - Tayo Mbande & Toni Taylor

The saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child" - hearing Tayo and her mother share Tayo's birth experience not only affirms this but reveals it takes a village to birth a mother.Tayo knew for her third pregnancy and birth; she was going to need to facilitate her experience with intense intention. From her previous births, birthing at a hospital was not an option, so with the support of her mother and husband, she prepared to have a family homebirth, absent of a midwife. Yet, this pregnancy was opposite from her others, and there was a point where she thought her homebirth wouldn't come to fruition. Along with balancing her children, work, being a business owner, and her relationships, she also loss her father 13 weeks into the pregnancy. This emotional rollercoaster showed up both physically and mentally for Tayo. It also brought to the forefront everything she hadn't addressed from her previous pregnancies.Before, Tayo relied heavily on her mother for support throughout her birth journey. This time around, her mother pushed for Tayo and her husband to create a stronger bond they could depend on and believe in each other as a support unit. That bond allowed Tayo's husband to show up for her. Taking the reins, he built their support. Reaching out to specific people, he assigned them roles, gave them space to select what felt right for them in showing up to support Tayo throughout her birth and postpartum.Reimagining her village, she let herself to be fully loved and cared for, throughout the pregnancy, her birth, and at the beginning of her postpartum and still currently. Everyone showing up for her makes her show up for herself.Tayo and Toni have a beautiful bond; they have now created a space to support and uplift the families in their community in that same sacred love. The Chicago Birth Collective is the village, a collective of birth workers, healers, and wellness practitioners serving and healing Black families across Chicago.Tayo and Toni laid the foundation on what it means to create a village you can depend on, and find solace. As a family and the work of Chicago Birthworks Collective, they are embodying that to the fullest.