People define love in several ways. While various definitions exist about love, research shows that most of us have an underlying notion of what it looks like in action. According to a 2019 Penn State study, most Americans agreed they feel most loved by small, non-romantic gestures like when someone shows compassion toward them. 

“We realized there is a lack of care for birthing people and the folks in their ecosystem.” - Susie & Robbie Owens 

We know the moments leading to and proceeding birth are some of the most vulnerable times for birthing people and those who love them. The care they receive during this time is crucial for their overall well-being and survival. We believe love is knowing the reality of maternal health and ways to support birthing people. 

The reality of maternal health

The state of maternal health in the United States and across the globe is in crisis.

Did you know?

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 50,000 women in the U.S. suffer from pregnancy complications each year. 
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a maternal death occurred nearly every two minutes in 2020
• Maternal mortality is greater for women of color, especially Black women. Black moms are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than White moms, according to a 2023 Healthcare research article. 
• In 2022, March of Dimes reported more than 2.2 million women of reproductive age live in maternity care deserts in the U.S., and close to 5 million American women live in counties with limited maternity care access. 
• About 80% of maternal deaths are preventable according to medical experts at Yale Medicine.

Our birthing story 

Our pregnancy had its fair share of challenges. We started looking into fertility treatment after some difficulty getting pregnant. Then, our world was shaken when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020. The pandemic caused a shutdown to “nonessential” procedures which added another roadblock in our quest to grow our family. 

After about a year, we were able to conceive without medical intervention during the shutdown. Our journey didn't get any easier after conception. More unforeseen hardships came our way. My pregnancy was marked as “high risk” filled with lots of pain from unexpected fibroids, numerous ER visits, and even gestational hypertension in our last trimester. 

I felt so much anxiety, fear, and grief due to my birthing journey being vastly different than I expected. The isolation from COVID-19 didn’t help either. We had to limit visits from our friends and family. Robbie could only attend some of my doctor’s appointments because of the pandemic’s restrictions. Our family wasn’t even allowed at birth or to meet the baby at the hospital due to them. 

We finally welcomed our daughter into the world in January 2021. My gestational hypertension led to an induction and emergency c-section. Through it all, we birthed a small, but healthy baby girl. Then, it dawned on it – what if we created gifts for diverse birthing journeys so all parents can experience the joy they’re supposed to have while welcoming a new life to this world. 

A new way to demonstrate love to birthing folks 

To us, Abundant Birth signifies reinstating joy and rekindling hope amidst the trials and triumphs of birthing journeys experienced by people of color.

We created Abundant Birth for families with pregnancy stories like ours - those that are under-represented, under-supported and need some extra TLC. We believe love is demonstrated in the following ways rooted in our company’s values:

• Love is understanding the uniqueness of diverse birthing experiences.
• Love is fighting for representation and developing products to create fair and equitable outcomes to empower birthing folks and their support circles.
• Love is care at each stage of the birthing process from preconception to postpartum.
• Love is having joy - not fear - while welcoming new life.

Abundant Birth is a tangible representation of love that fills the gap for inclusive birth products for diverse people. 

Ready to show some love for birthing people in your life? Sign up for our newsletter here to learn more about Abundant Birth, our products, and the upcoming launch of our store. Also, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!