For most of my life, I've been a "push through it" person. I'm ambitious and determined. And as a Black woman, I was taught to give 110 percent in all that I do. That mindset helped me succeed in many areas of my life, but it also made it easy to ignore what my body was telling me when I was pregnant.

Here's the quick version: I had a high-risk pregnancy with twins, and my doctor warned me I would likely need bed rest. But when I learned my workplace didn't offer paid leave, "rest" felt less like a medical necessity and more like a financial risk my family couldn't afford. I pushed my body longer than I should have, trying to cobble together limited PTO and unpaid time into a maternity plan.

But ultimately, my body made the decision for me, and I landed in the hospital, faced serious complications, and delivered my babies early. Recovery--physical and emotional--demanded real time. By some miracle, we all survived, just barely.

The most important thing I can tell you is that my story isn't unique.

That's why sharing it publicly at The Yarn: Maternal Health Storytelling Event changed me. The live event brought together mothers, families, advocates, and health-care professionals as six women shared honest first-person........

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