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We are beyond thrilled to share some very special news with you. L’AVANT Collective is honored to be partnering with Every Mother Counts, a nonprofit established by Christy Turlington Burns to heighten awareness of the global maternal health crisis and improve access to pregnancy care and resources in the US and abroad.
We’ve created a gorgeous logo edition of our Fresh Linen candle to celebrate EMC’s mission of creating a world where all women have the opportunity to become mothers and not only survive, but thrive. 50% of proceeds from the sale of this candle will be donated to EMC. We’re proud to support this wonderful organization financially and to contribute to spreading the word about their amazing work.
About EMC
“I became a global maternal health advocate the day I became a mother.”
Christy Turlington Burns, founder of Every Mother Counts
A postpartum hemorrhage following delivery of her first child became a revelation and ignited Christy’s passion to change the landscape of global maternity care. Christy survived because she was attended by a skilled midwife and backing physician in a well-equipped birthing center. The realization that many women in her situation do not have access to these resources and do not survive or are left with life-altering disabilities inspired Every Mother Counts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on making pregnancy and childbirth safer.
Each year, over 300,000 girls and women around the world die from pregnancy-related complications. Up to 98% of these deaths are preventable. And while the maternal mortality rate has been decreasing globally, it’s on the rise in the United States, where one in five women of reproductive age is uninsured, and women of color are three to four times more likely to die in from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. EMC provides women in under-served communities with childbirth education, prenatal checkups, and doula services through community-based programs and policy reform. Globally, EMC addresses barriers to care in transportation, education and training, and lack of adequate supplies while respecting cultural preferences and norms. “We work to achieve quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care for all by giving grants and working with partners and thought leaders to increase awareness and mobilize communities to take action.”
The health of every person impacts the health of a community. Your purchase of our Every Mother Counts Fresh Linen candle supports efforts to make the world a safer place, one mother at a time. 50% of all proceeds will go directly to Every Mother Counts.
Why EMC Means So Much To Us
At its core, the story of L’AVANT Collective is the story of two moms looking to make a healthier environment for their children. That’s why collaboration with Every Mother Counts is such a natural fit. On a more personal level, Kristi feels a particular kinship as the birth of her third child echoes Christy’s EMC origin story. We’ll let her tell you:
"I had two vaginal deliveries with no complications, so no reason to think delivery number three would be anything but smooth sailing. My water broke at the hospital, and after two hours of pushing with little progress, the doctor told me Jacob was stuck, his head turned in the birthing canal. After several attempts to get him to turn naturally, his heart rate began to plummet, and we had to transition to an emergency C-section. With virtually no time to process, I was signing the paperwork as I was wheeled into the operating room. Jacob was out within minutes of the anesthesia being administered. Two doctors and several nurses continued to work on me in silence. The only noise was Jacob crying as Eric helped the nurse get him cleaned up. What I thought would be a quick stitch up was taking much longer. I could feel them working frantically. Finally, they said we were done and wheeled me out. Post-delivery, I continued to have people working on me and taking my vitals, but no one was telling me what had happened.
Throughout the day and night I felt terrible, but, hey, I just had a C-section, what did I expect. The next morning as I went to move the bed to the upright position, I immediately felt sick and nearly passed out. I couldn’t eat or drink or sit up without getting dizzy. It wasn’t until almost 24 hours later that the on-call doctor came in and told me I looked pale and may need a blood transfusion. Only then was I told they had hit a uterine artery when pulling Jacob out, and I had lost a significant amount of blood. It took two transfusions to get my numbers back up, and six months for me to fully recover my strength and lose that light-headed feeling. During this time, I received no postpartum care from my OB.
As with Christy, I was fortunate to be in a well-supported facility with skilled professionals who were able to save me and my baby. The realization that so many women don’t have access to even rudimentary care, let alone life-saving intervention, is sobering.
Lindsay and I have three kids each and live in a major metropolitan area with access to world-class health care. Yet even we didn’t know that a midwife, nurse practitioner, or doula was an option in our birthing process. You get pregnant, go to the OB and then to the hospital to have a baby. They send you on your way within 24-48 hours with a congrats and good luck. We weren’t aware that some hospitals partner with birthing centers to provide mothers with education, options, and postpartum assistance. It’s knowledge gaps like this that make the mission of Every Mother Counts so important. The details may differ, but every mother’s story is our story."
From bringing the most basic care to developing nations to ensuring education, communication, and resources are available to mothers everywhere, EMC is making a difference. 50% of the proceeds from your purchase of our Every Mother Counts Fresh Linen candle will go directly to Every Mother Counts
