“I began my journey of becoming a postpartum Doulo(a) in 2020 when I gave birth to my second child. This
The passion was ignited by the many questions I had as a father and a person supporting a birthing woman going through postpartum,” shared Jared a Postpartum Doulo(a).
When working with families, Jared’s philosophy is to be versatile and meet them where they are as their needs vary. In fact, some of his early clients reached out only after they felt overwhelmed, while others sought overnight care. The postpartum period is delicate and Jared helps his families reorganize their lives for the new addition to their family.
Doula(o)s provide a blend of emotional support, active listening, education, and evidence-based guidance to the families they support. A study in 2013 highlighted that “Doula-assisted mothers are 4x less likely to have a low birth weight baby, 2x less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or their baby,
and more likely to initiate breastfeeding.” While another highlighted that those who received Doula(o) care were 58% less likely to experience postpartum depression and anxiety. The work provided by Doula(o)s has shown improvement birth outcomesespecially for women of color who have access to these services.
In 2021, Bryonna Ward worked with a Doula after getting pregnant with her son.
“Having a doula was very helpful to me during my pregnancy. My doula provided a lot of knowledge about pregnancy, the female anatomy, and the process my body would go through during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. She shared a lot of information that I had no prior knowledge of and was very helpful in answering all the random questions I had. Which can be many during pregnancy,” Bryonna joked.
“I meant to text or call him to ask instead of scaring myself on google.” Bryonna’s doula was also a great resource for instilling the confidence to make smart and educated medical decisions for herself and her baby.
Bryonna emphasizes, “Many medical professionals pressured me into making quick decisions or made me feel like I only had one option; therefore, the most important lesson learned from my doula is that doctors and nurses work YOU and YOU ultimately make decisions that are best for you, not them.”
If you are interested in working with a Doula(o) Bryonna recommends doing research, interviewing as many providers as necessary, and working with someone who aligns with your beliefs and desires in your pregnancy and birth. Additionally, she believes it’s never too late to get a doula because she knows other people who have started working with Doulas in their 3rd trimester. Above all, Bryonna recommends, “trusting your gut and making the best decision for YOU!”
World Doula week is March 22-28 and we celebrate the selfless work doula(s) do to support birth mothers and their families. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to see additional stories from Alliance members Kimberly Polanco, SW & Doula, and JaNina Wright, Doula Alliance, and Xochitl Carlos-Mendez Alliance Programs Manager/Doula client.
Read the Reckon news article, How Doulas can help pregnant women of color with depression and anxiety which highlights the important work Doula(o)s do and mentions PMHA-POC.
