After the birth of their daughter, Janie, Joshua Jackson revealed why he and Jodie Turner-Smith decided to have a home birth during an interview with Esquire. “The American medical system has a horrendous track record with Black women,” said “The Mighty Ducks” actor. “She wanted to be in a place where she was as comfortable as possible, understandably.” And so the birth took place at their home. Additionally, the outlet noted that at the time, due to the pandemic, some hospitals weren’t allowing partners to accompany the woman giving birth, which, as a reflection of their choice, wasn’t an issue for Jackson and Turner-Smith.
Similarly, in her Vogue essay, the British actor reflected on her journey to motherhood, recalling each stage of her pregnancy and mentioning the challenges that came along with each trimester, saying that it was also a learning experience. Turner-Smith also expressed that throughout the process, Jackson was always there for her. “It made me realise how lucky and privileged I am to have a partner willing to follow me around the world, supporting me while I did my job,” she stated. Turner-Smith also voiced the statistics for Black women who face birthing complications, reaffirming that the risk of pregnancy-related death was enough to affect the couple’s decision to have a home birth. According to the model, she was in labor for several days before giving birth to her daughter at her home in Los Angeles.
