Patient/Provider Dynamics: Experience from Both Sides

My name is Brianne “Brie like the cheese” Taylor and I am a mother of one and passionate about the health and wellbeing of pregnant mothers. I love supporting women in birth. I want to live in a world filled with equality and love, books that come bundled with extra dark chocolate, and a force field around my keyboard that repels trans fats and sticky-fingered toddlers. I am currently a Program Manager for University of California Preterm Birth Initiative and I have over 29 years of experience being a rock star Black woman. I am a mom who simply wants to affect change in our world.

Wilma’s Story

When I was pregnant with my last son, I wasn’t technically homeless, but I wouldn’t go home because I didn’t want to be around my mom or my daughter who was 15 at the time and my other son who was 15 months, while I was on drugs. I got mad at my son’s father, and I wouldn’t go home, so I literally walked all the way to UCSF. I got out of the car, and my water broke. That’s when I started walking.

Some People Call Me a Supermom

When I was with my husband, we got in this big fight. I pulled a knife on him and I ended up going to jail for it, even though he didn’t want me to. During that time, I decided that I wanted my IUD removed because I wanted to have a child. I did not expect to...

Where Do I Fit In?

I have been in counseling for over a year now. At first, I was very skeptical and let’s face it, defensive. No one wants to think they can’t handle the stuff in their lives on their own. I have been taking care of myself in that fashion since I was 14. I moved out at 16, had my first child at 18, the next one at 22, and from then on have been a mother.