Midwives, maternal health part of discussion during Women’s History Month | Community Living

LIBERTY — Papyruses found in ancient Egypt related to midwifery included instructions for calculating the expected date of confinement and describe styles of birth chairs. Bas reliefs in royal birth rooms at Luxor and other temples also attest to the heavy presence of midwifery in the Egyptian culture.Kim Lartey, who founded the Baobab Tree Midwives & Doulas in early 2019, was part of a discussion Sunday, March 27, at William Jewell College honoring “Midwives and Maternal Health in African-American Communities: Then and Now.”

Hosted by the college nursing department and Clay County African American Legacy Inc., the almost-two hour program served multiple purposes. It honored Women’s History Month, careers in midwifery and nursing as well as the pending Liberty African American Legacy Memorial.

Dr. Cecelia Robinson, retired Jewell professor and CCAAL historian, served as mistress of ceremonies. Kim Thurston sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

The Rev. Gwendolyn Blue, chaplain and secretary of the Greater Kansas City Black History Study Group, offered the invocation. She prayed for those who use their God-given abilities that they have turned into practices to care for others. The crowd included several nursing students.

Local researchers have been turning up more than 750 names of African-Americans buried in an unmarked area of Fairview Cemetery that will be part of the legacy memorial. One name discovered is Lucy Jacobs Stewart, who was listed as a midwife.

Kansas City historical reenactor Shirley Smith Johnson took on the mantle of Stewart for a “portrait.”

“I realized that as a midwife, I was helping God do what he did,” she said. “I was an apprentice. I remember when I went with Miss Arvela. I watched her and mirrored what she did. If she washed her hands, I washed mine. She told me everything needed to be sanitized.”

Johnson, in her role as Stewart, spoke of allowing nature to take its course and understanding that the miracle of life is just that – a miracle.

After the short performance, Lartey recognized the same apprenticeship that she went through was similar to Stewart’s, just around 140 years later.

“We are bringing midwifery back to the community one person at a time,” she said.

Along with Lartey, Dr. Marvia Jones, Kansas City’s first Black woman public health director, served on a panel, answering questions about health care and race from Dr. Leesa McBroom, chair of the Jewell nursing program.

“While I am an attorney, I wasn’t seeing the grassroots changes I wanted to see,” she said. “I had a midwife with my first child, but my second child was not and I missed the lack of support. My third and fourth pregnancies were with midwives and doulas. I wanted all things natural. I went the apprentice route to honor the Black midwives who came before me.”

Jones spoke about health experiences for people of color, including contemporary data that, she said, shows the Kansas City health system overall is not working for many as percentages are almost 10% below the national average in care.

Nursing student Michaela Fraundorfer, who is part of the accelerated track, asked the two panelists, “What can we do to help within the system to bring out change?”

Lartey said “say yes” to all pregnant women.

“Make time to talk,” she said. “My appointments are 45 minutes to an hour. I am creating relationships. Many of these pregnant women are scared of dying. Break down these walls and help them unpack that fear. Also put aside that they are low-risk moms.”

Jones said for nursing students and other providers, who are not people of color, should know many Black women who come in pregnant may be scared.

“Look people in the eye,” she said. “Say hello. Don’t say, ‘Is your baby daddy here?’ or ‘Have you had an HIV test?’ We need people to stand up and use their voice for change.”

McBroom said no matter the patient being seen, remember to practice with compassion and respect.