Baby Dove is teaming up with a Brooklyn-based doula service to provide Black mothers with the best healthcare during pregnancy. On Sept. 12, the company announced the launch of their new doula campaign, spearheaded by Ancient Song Doula Services co-founder, Chanel Porchia-Albert.
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“Partnering with Baby Dove allows me to have a broader range and answer people’s questions,” Porchia-Albert toldEssenceduring an interview. “And the Black Equity Fund is another way to help make doula services even more accessible to everyone.
Ancient Song is a national birth justice organization that has been working to eliminate maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among Black and Latinx people since 2008.
Porchia-Albert, who left her corporate job to become a full-time doula in 2008, said that providing Black mothers with doula care will give them a voice during the pregnancy process.
The maternal health care crisis continues to impact Black mothers. Studies show that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications due to underlying chronic health conditions, bias and inadequate healthcare. Black women are often recommended to undergo c-sections to prevent complications from vaginal delivery but bleeding and haemorrhaging can also lead to fatal health risks. According to Open Democracy, Black women receive c-sections at a 35.9 percent higher rate than white women. Fortunately, Black mammas can drastically reduce the need for c-sections and epidurals by including a doula in their delivery plan.
During an interview withEvery Mother Countsin 2014, the mother of six,
“I wanted a more personable approach where I didn’t feel like a number,” Porchia-Albert said. The doula expert hired a midwife and doula, who she said helped her to have a “wonderful” delivery experience at home. Now, the women’s reproductive advocate wants to educate other mothers who may benefit from doula services…..CONTINUE READING
