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Black mothers who are expecting a child die at disproportionate rates, many times because doctors and nurses just won’t listen.
But doulas provide specialized support for women - in labor, during birth, and postpartum. Everything from teaching techniques and skills, to serving as advocates at the doctor’s office, to making unfamiliar medical terms and procedures easier to understand for expectant moms.
"Giving birth can be quite daunting," ob-gyn and mother of two Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, MD told Parents Magazine. “When a doula and a physician are working in sync to provide both the best care and the best experience for the patient, mothers get to experience childbirth as it was meant to be."
"Doulas are particularly important for women who have trouble questioning authority or find themselves deferring in situations even though they may not want to," Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.D., host of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast, and mother of two, shared. “A doula can be a go-between and help to make sure that a woman's needs are asserted."
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has even spoken on how doulas result in fewer C-sections and medical interventions, and better outcomes for women in labor.
We have always been communal when it comes to giving birth, and doulas are effective. Now more than ever, we need them to protect our right to happy and healthy new moms and babies.