WeRISE: Black Birth Workers Response to COVID-19 Project

I love knowing that I can be there for someone who genuinely needs help; I like that I’m making a difference, being someone who helps a woman feel comfortable and not scared.

– Kiara Schott, WeRISE doula, as quotes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

At a Glance

Through the WeRISE Black Birth Workers Response to COVID-19 pilot program, the African American Breastfeeding Network (AABN) partnered with Black doulas and Black birth workers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among Black/African American families across Southeastern Wisconsin, specifically in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties. The grant team sought to provide culturally-appropriate services, information, and resources to 100 pregnant African American birthing persons, reduce the incidence of the COVID-19 infection and spread, and reduce risk of maternal and infant complications.

The grant team successfully served 90 women through the WeRISE pilot program and a majority of the mothers expressed high levels of satisfaction with the services provided, doula communication and skills, COVID-19 information and resources, and the program overall. The team identified, interviewed, and recruited 25 Black women who were trained and certified as doulas and were subsequently matched with the mothers enrolled in the program. Additionally, they created and disseminated a two tier COVID-19 Emergency Tool Kit, as well as Postpartum Healing Kits to support mothers’ needs after birth.

The Challenge

New and drastic changes in maternal care practices put women and newborns at greater risk for negative birth outcomes and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, disparities related to COVID-19, as well as social, racial, and reproductive injustices all exacerbated the stress and anxiety of being Black and pregnant. Thus, additional efforts were needed to offer direct services to women who were birthing during a pandemic.

Project Goals

The overarching goal of the WeRISE pilot program was to build supportive measures so that doulas and birth workers could effectively help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among Black/African American families across Southeastern Wisconsin, specifically in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties.

Results

The grant team successfully served 90 women during the grant period, 87 of which delivered their baby during this time. These mothers were matched with 25 Black doulas who were trained through this program. Monthly “doula circles” provided pilot updates, answered questions, and prepared space for doulas to speak on birth stories.

Considerable effort was put into evaluating the activities of this project. Of the 21 mothers who completed the post-program survey, 95.2% were extremely satisfied with the WeRISE program and the services provided by their doula and strongly agreed that they would use the doula services again or recommend them to another family member. All of the responding mothers rated their experience with the WeRISE program as very good or excellent. Importantly, 76.1% of mothers indicated that participating in WeRISE helped them gain a better understanding of COVID-19 and 85.7% felt that the WeRISE program enabled their family to implement precautions to help decrease COVID-19 exposure.

Interviews gave additional insight into the benefit of the WeRISE doula program for mothers. The three participating mothers shared that the whole experience was supportive to their mental and physical health during pregnancy and after childbirth, noting how beneficial it was for them to have a reliable and caring source of support, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down period and the vulnerable process of giving birth.

The grant team invited the 25 birth workers/doulas to participate in a mid-grant survey to gauge how the project was working for them and what additional support they needed. Of the 12 Black birth workers who participated in the survey, 100% rated their overall experience working as doula on WeRISE, support from project leaders, trainings provided by project leaders and consultants, and COVID-19 education provided by project leaders and consultants as excellent or very good.

AABN successfully disseminated the story of the WeRISE program and obtained media coverage in Milwaukee Sentinel Journal and on Channel TV 58. Additionally, Dalvery Blackwell, AABN Executive Director, was the recipient of the 2021 Wisconsin Public Health Association Award for Excellence in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

Looking to the Future

AABN was awarded a new grant for the WeRISE Community Doula Program through WPP’s Black Maternal and Infant Health funding opportunity. This grant will help AABN expand WeRISE. AABN will offer its first fee-for-service doula support program with MHS Health Wisconsin that will take on 20 expectant mothers, and the prospect for approaching additional HMOs looks promising.

 

Lasting Impact

Doulas had to advocate tirelessly for their right to be in the hospital with their clients, and as the rate of positive birth outcomes with doulas increased, hospital doors began to reopen again to doulas. Now, every hospital in the area is allowing certified doulas to accompany their clients.