Ex-Prisoners Are Clearing Up Misconceptions About Serving Time, And It’s Really Interesting

13.

“Compassion. I, unfortunately, went to prison while pregnant with my second child. She was my rainbow baby; her brother died two and a half years earlier from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome at six weeks old. I was on the run when I found out I was pregnant. I turned myself in shortly after. When my daughter was born, I still had about two or three months left of my sentence. I refused pain meds that whole time I was in labor because I was in fear of falling asleep and losing a minute with my little girl, knowing I’d be leaving her there at some point. I had no idea it’d come so soon, especially after a C-section. When the inevitable came, I had to say goodbye and make my way back to the prison.”

“When I walked in, I got to experience the kindness and compassion from the friends I’d made, but even more surprising, from people who didn’t even care for me. I’d seen it, but feeling it myself was so moving. The women in the dorm all worked together every time another woman gave birth and had to walk back into that dorm alone. They had gift bags with personalized cards and goodies! Usually, there were snacks, large pads, new rags, and some food, so you weren’t stuck walking to chow after giving birth, offers of phone calls, and requests to ask their family to reach out to loved ones, etc. 

These women have nothing sometimes, at least very little. They owe you nothing but the bond formed at one of your lowest moments, hormonal, devastated, alone, and literally missing a part of your heart and soul you carried with you for months. In that moment when you walk back into that dorm, whatever problems or opinions don’t matter anymore. It’s just a small community of women who just get it, and the whole ‘tough guy’ act is pointless. It’s not needed. It was just so wholesome. 

Don’t even get me started on the fact that the prison in FL is literally lying/betraying/pressuring/encouraging pregnant inmates to put their babies up for adoption. They make the approval for family taking the baby home so difficult to obtain, because if you don’t have approval, you must give the baby up for adoption. They find the women who don’t have outside help and offer the mom money for their baby. Mom gets about $7,000 (depending on color — you heard me), but the baby sells for so much more!! Mom is given empty promises. Families tell her whatever they want to hear so they can take advantage of the situation, and the prison makes money.”

—fuckifiknowxo