CDI created a safe space for doulas to come together and learn mutually and collectively about each other’s work, the issues facing neighborhoods, entrepreneurial skills, among other topics.
– Dalvery Blackwell, Executive Director and Co-Founder of African American Breastfeeding Network
At a Glance
Experts in childbirth education and doula births have gathered decades worth of data that supports doula-assisted birth as a promising model to address maternal infant mortality. However, increasing education on the benefits of utilizing doula services as well as gathering feedback on the best way to provide these services is crucial before doula programming can be enhanced in America. This project aimed to improve the experience of Black women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum by building the capability and collaboration of the existing Black doulas in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and increasing the understanding of community needs around doula-assisted births.
African American Breastfeeding Network successfully increased community awareness of the health benefits of doula-assisted births among stakeholders, politicians, birthing families, healthcare administrators, policymakers and the general public. They held meetings and collaborated with eight different community-based organizations to hold multiple virtual community conversations. This initiative also increased effective and efficient collaboration between Black doulas in Milwaukee County by providing space to build community.
The Challenge
Leaders, advocates and researchers in childbirth education and doula births have gathered an abundance of data pointing to doula-assisted birth as a promising model to address maternal infant mortality in the United States. However, communities need to be educated on the benefits of birthing with a doula and feedback needs to be gathered on the best way to provide doula services before the country can enhance and create community-based doula programming. In response, the African American Breastfeeding Network created the Community Doula Initiative (CDI) to start conversations within the community that focused on why moms should choose doula services.
Project Goals
The overarching goal of this project was to increase awareness of doula care and services in an effort to build community capacity and enhance the support of birth work in Milwaukee County. The grant team aimed to improve the experience of Black women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum by building off of existing collaboration between Black doulas in Milwaukee. They also sought to increase the understanding of community needs around doula-assisted births.
Results
The grant team was successful in achieving several impactful outcomes. CDI increased effective and efficient collaboration between eight Black doulas in Milwaukee County by providing space to build community. The grant team increased community awareness of the health benefits of doula-assisted births among stakeholders, politicians, birthing families, health care administrators, policy makers, and the general public, by having individual meetings and collaborating with eight different community-based organizations to hold eight Virtual Community Conversations entitled “Black Doulas Saving Black Lives”. They cultivated and created a Black Doula Roundtable to bring doulas together to learn mutually and collectively about each other’s work, and developed and implemented a Doula Ambassador Program for eight doulas that focused on training topics such as group facilitation, popular education, community organizing and health inequities. Two of the Doula Ambassadors compiled a 10-page current directory of doula services and birth workers practicing in South-eastern Wisconsin.
This initiative received additional grants from Greater Milwaukee Foundation and Bader Foundation. The grant team presented at the UW–Madison Equity Summit Poster 2019, as well as appeared in media features in March 2021.
Looking to the Future
The Community Doula Initiative transformed into the Wisconsin Partnership Program-funded initiative called the WeRISE program to serve the needs of Black doulas and expectant mothers during the pandemic. The African American Breastfeeding Network is seeking funding to continue and expand WeRISE.
Lasting Impact
The intentions of this project were to build community and create a movement of a community of doulas working together collectively. This project brought forth the importance of discussing community assets for community building so that focus could be on positive aspects of neighborhood environments. The grant team learned that it takes a lot of time to build and foster healthy relationships, as well as good-will and collective work and responsibility. Community mediation, clear lines of communication and partnership building are imperative to the success of projects such as this one.