This week is Black Maternal Week and it is celebrated to amplify the voices of Black mothers and their stories.
National speaker, mentor, “Corporate America Dropout" and author Candace Doby just released her upcoming illustration and journaling quote book A Cool Girls Guide to Courage on April 5th. With this book being created for mainly young girls, her own story of courage with becoming a mother at the age of 40, despite worries, fears and stereotypes is a personal testimony of hers that she would love to tell.
I had this chance to re-post her essay below.
Today marks the beginning of Black Maternal Health Week.
Three hours after this photo was taken, I was laid out on a hospital bed. I was extremely out of breath. tired. thirsty. nauseous.
I thought I had COVID.
It turns out I had diabetic ketoacidosis — a complication of diabetes. My blood sugar on that day was 553. For perspective, a normal blood sugar level ranges from 60-180.
I remember doctors asking me, "how did you not know you were diabetic?" They told me what I had was different than gestational diabetes ... that I was Type 1.
I spent five days in the hospital, and I took insulin four times a day from 27 weeks (a week before my scheduled glucose test) until I gave birth at 39 weeks.
I'm a virgo. Type A. Overachiever. By the book (sort of). Kind of girl. When I put all of that together with my pregnancy in 2021, I was what you would call ... prepared. I found an OB who is a woman of color AND gave birth to her first kid at 40. Carlton Hargro and I took 12 weeks of birthing classes. I worked out 3 days a week and did pregnancy-specific exercises more regularly than that. I hired an amazing doula, read a hundred articles about pregnancy (except the ones about diabetes, apparently) and sought advice from my sister/nurse Christina Johnson Doby.
What I learned is that a good team is critical. Preparation is non-negotiable. But ... you cannot plan for every pregnancy-related eventuality. A lot happens within a pregnant body.
This makes ASKING QUESTIONS one of the most important things a Black, pregnant woman can do. Ask about everything. Ask about the small things, the big things and everything in between. Ask about why your big toe hurts to why you lose your breath after talking for 30 seconds. Ask, ask, ask. Stand in your power and ASK.
Baby Zuri is 4 1/2 months old now. And, as God would have it, I'm no longer on insulin. My panels are all normal (and back to non-diabetic levels).
I did a lot of things right before and during my pregnancy. Though, if I could change anything, it would be to ask. more. questions.
See her essay on 5 everyday habits for young women to build courage on MSNBC here: https://www.msnbc.com/know-
ABOUT CANDACE DOBY
Candace Doby is a speaker, author and coach whose mission is to make courage fun to talk about, easy to digest and practical to activate. She works with universities and organizations across the U.S. to help young leaders build courage in themselves. She has spent a decade researching courage and combines that research with her experiences launching her own business, leading marketing teams at a global brand, and traveling the world solo. When she’s not speaking, she’s hosting her podcast, The Courage Hotline, or designing her line of Pep Talker greeting cards, sold online at pep-talker.com and in select stores. Candace is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
About "A Cool Girls Guide to Courage"
Inspired by courageous stories from the likes of Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, as well as her own courage journey (more below), the 258 page book is loaded with 125 confidence booster quotes, sassy visuals and ample space for journaling; allowing anyone who picks it up an opportunity for a written record of their progress in their courage journey. The book follows her February 2020 debut release If Courage Could Talk.
In the book, you will find clever anecdotes like:
"It's hard to secure the bag with baggage"
"Fear is a lot like an engagement ring on Facebook, it looks bigger than it is."
"Settling isn't so bad, when you're settling into discomfort"
Additional assets available online at www.candacedoby.com/media
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