Two months postpartum, Rudy Gibson prepares breakfast for her children before getting ready for work in Jonesboro, Ark., on Nov. 8, 2023. Days after giving birth, Gibson was shocked to discover that her Medicaid—the U.S. public health insurance offered to people who qualify as low-income—was suddenly terminated. Gibson spent her early postpartum period fighting for health insurance while caring for her four children. According to the CDC, Arkansas, where Gibson lives, has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the nation. --- Take Care: The Blood, Milk, and Tears of the American Postpartum Journey is a photographic documentary project chronicling the most ignored stage of the birthing experience. It’s not about pregnancy. It’s not about birth. It’s about the 365 days after birth: the postpartum period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Most of these deaths (65%) occur during the postpartum period. While some maternal deaths stem from mental health, 77% are from physical health complications. Despite these alarming statistics, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women receive 15 in-person medical checkups before birth, but only one after birth. Still, 40% of women receive no postpartum care at all. This project follows multiple women in America during their postpartum period, revealing the health complications that many experience but we rarely see.