92 | Better Than I Planned - Ashley Shepard

After about four years into their marriage, Ashley and her husband were ready to expand their family. And when they found out they were expecting, being the planner she is, Ashley began preparing for her pregnancy and birth. Understanding maternal health for black women, having a black doctor and OBGYN was essential to her. With her background as a chef, staying nourished with the right foods and diet was also at her forefront.Knowing her mother's birth stories - all of her children's birth from start to finish being 4 hours, Ashley envisioned she would have a similar experience. So when her water broke three days after her estimated due date, she arrived at the hospital ready for the journey to be swift. Settling into the hospital at 9 am, Ashley was 2cm dilated, and by the afternoon, was told had progressed to 8cm. To her surprise, once her doctor arrived and did a cervical exam, she expressed that Ashley was only 5cm. Ashley was, of course, disappointed but knew that she had to stay in a serene and positive mindset. As she labored through the day and progression remained in the same spot, Ashley, her husband, and birth team tried many options, finally deciding that her son's arrival would be a surgical birth.Leaving the hospital and returning home was tough; Ashley was managing her physical healing from a surgeryshe hadn't expected, working through nursing challenges and also the mental toll of this new transition. Creating with food had always been an outlet for Ashley; during her pregnancy, she prepared ready-made meals for postpartum that would be easy for her and her husband to make—having food in this way assisted with her body recovery and recovery mentally. But even with that, Ashley felt like she wasn't allowing a release for her thoughts or feelings from having postpartum anxiety and baby blues. Not finding what she needed, she decided to create a guided journal. A space that she could communicate her feelings with no pressure or judgments. A safe space serving as self-care, a reminder that as a birthing parent, "you are important.." and all parts of you "have a space in your baby's life."Resources:Chef Ashley Shep | simplifying meal time with tips, tricks, and ideas to make the most out of mealtimeNew Mom Thoughts | guided keepsake journalSponsors:March of Dimes | education, research, support & advocacy for moms and babiesMarch of Dimes, the leading nonprofit fighting for the health of all moms and babies, is observing World Defects Day on March 3rd. This is an annual event in which March of Dimes partners with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to generate awareness among women of childbearing age and families about actions they can take to help prevent birth defects. Join the conversation about World Defects Day by following hashtag #Best4YouBest4Baby on social media and by visiting March of Dimes at marchofdimes.org/BSiC.