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1. On 12/6/2020 I gave birth to the cutest boy ever, Beau Jr. I felt safe, heard, and respected. The women on my left (OB-GYN and L&D RN) played a large part in why I have a testimony of a non-traumatic birth experience as a Black woman. I will tell you why. A thread : 1/10
2. From the start of my prenatal care in TN, Dr. Welch-Charles was a breath of fresh air; an answered prayer. I searched long & hard for a Black OB or midwife in Knoxville. As you might expect, I kept coming up empty.
3. I have always felt safer in the care of Black women/people. My therapist & all other providers have been Black. So as I thought about delivering my 1st child, there was nothing more I wanted than a provider who looked like me. Especially with Black maternal mortality rates.
4. When I FINALLY saw her brown skin on the practice’s website (the 7th or 8th office I researched), I stopped everything to make an appointment. Transferring care from Duke to UT seemed like forever, I offered to drive to NC from TN to ensure my paperwork went through!
5. Dr. WC didn’t disappoint. Off the bat, we connected and it was beautiful. When I experienced different episodes of concerning labs or pre-term delivery worthy issues, she always went the extra mile to learn "why" and answered any questions I had along the way.
6. She admitted when she didn’t know things and consulted high risk OB. We laughed a lot too. We talked family, career, and Knoxville. Our husbands even made a connection. We joked about the nuances of Kool Aid preparation after I likened it to the fruit punch flavored glucola.
7. I prayed HARD she would be the one on call to deliver my little one. In a practice of a nearly dozen physicians – she was. You don’t understand how much my faith in God has been strengthened that all of this lined up.
8. Further, I knew God sent his angels to surround me when Juliah the RN came in and demanded anesthesia to do a ‘formal time’ out before my epidural placement. She gave me a peanut ball to keep my pelvis open as I rested. She turned me every hour on the dot.
9. She was thorough, compassionate, and the BEST coach for pushing. A bit too good, my boy popped out during one of our practice pushes! She bathed me lovingly afterwards. I couldn't stop thanking her.
10. So yeah, although my boy Beau Moresse Charles Gaitors, Jr. is named after a host of strong men, he was brought into this world by a dynamic team of Black women who ensured his mother was well too. For this I am forever grateful.
Wow - the outpouring of love is beautiful. Thank you for all those who shared. Was not expecting this response. Praying for the day when this testimony is not the exception, but the norm. 
