Hello

My name is Bryarly Parker, and I currently live in a rural community in northwestern Alberta.

My husband was originally from this community, so after finishing school, we made the decision to move north. I am from Calgary, and moving 8-hours away to a rural community was a bit of a ‘shock to the system,’ but I now love our community. We have two kiddos, a daughter and son, and a golden retriever. We own a couple of businesses and enjoy volunteering in the community, so we stay busy. I also travel to Calgary and Edmonton almost monthly with my son after his diagnosis of a rare disease completely unrelated to his prematurity. We have learned to navigate the world of disability and rare diseases and are lucky to have support from family, friends and our wonderful community.

My Role in the Research Team

Our family, mostly our son, is involved in a lot of research. Since receiving his diagnosis, we have been advocating for his needs and have been lucky enough to have been a part of some research initiatives that have helped other families navigate this diagnosis.

This specific research, however, is such an important part of the journey of motherhood. Living in a rural community and caring for my son, who has a disability, I understand the importance of being heard. Collecting information from experiences is so important in research. I look forward to working with this team and sharing my insights into pregnancy care.

My Experience with Pregnancy Care

I have had two pregnancies; my daughter was born full-term and was delivered by my regular GP. I had all the regular appointments, ultrasounds and monitoring. I did have two membrane sweeps as I was trying to avoid being induced.

My son, however, was exceptionally different in that I spent 2 weeks in Mexico under bedrest starting at 19 weeks gestation because of placental abruption (placenta detaching from the uterus). I did not get out of bed for 2 weeks and watched a lot of Grey’s Anatomy. My sugar and salt were completely cut out of my meals, and I was given medication via IV. Then, the OB in Mexico decided the stress from being there was not helpful for the baby. He had me flown back to a Northern Alberta hospital, where I was sent home the next day. I had 2 ultrasounds and a final one 3 days before my son was born, stating that the placenta looked to be reattaching itself. My son was born at 24 weeks gestation in a small rural hospital that did not usually deliver babies and was flown to Edmonton just 20 minutes after birth. I was released 6 hours after giving birth, and we drove immediately to Edmonton, where my son spent the next 3 months in the NICU. It was an experience that gave me a unique perspective regarding pregnancy care.

My Vision for the Future

The immense amount of judgment and lack of empowerment that individuals face when it comes to motherhood is something that I look forward to seeing a positive shift in. Education for all types of pregnancy care is essential. Motherhood needs to be more community-focused, and I believe that a better connection between the mother and their provider will lead to a more successful journey. Individuals need to know that they can advocate for themselves and their needs. I hope this research will be a step in a direction that advocates to support that.