44 | Birthed From the Heart - Tara Clifton

Tara found out she was pregnant during her sophomore year of college and immediately was met with shame. Coming from a family that wasn't fond of her experience and attending a predominantly white Christian college, she spent most of her pregnancy in isolation, not talking about it and shutting herself into her dorm room.The dismissal of her journey also showed up during the birth of her daughter. Her doctor and nurses ignored her wishes and were forceful in their approach, resulting in Tara's explaining a traumatic birth experience. Feeling a sense of loss from who she was before her baby, both physically and how she could live her life, Tara is clear that she suffered from postpartum depression. After an incident, Tara knew a change needed to happen. In a Facebook mother's group, she began sharing her story, finding that she wasn't alone in her experience and that others connected with her. She shared more, hoping that by doing so, others wouldn't go through the same thing, but she also found healing in sharing. We leave every episode with lessons, and Tara's were; 1. "Don't allow your truth to be silenced because it makes other people uncomfortable." - Tara Clifton 2. The importance and value of community birth workers with similar lived experiences working under a lens of reproductive justice. As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the tighter lens of racism, the lessons learned from Tara's are even more important!