Happy Mama Healthy Baby Postpartum Doula Program
Happy Mamas Growing Healthy Babies
POSTPARTUM DOULA SUPPORT AND BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT FOR NEW FAMILIES
Our Community Partners
PARENTS, DID YOU USE ONE OF OUR DOULAS? PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO TELL US ABOUT HER SERVICES!
PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM:
Evaluation of Birth Doula or Postpartum Doula
TO ENROLL OR GET INFORMATION, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM:
Parent Request For Doula & Lactation Services
Go here to learn more about our Doulas.
ABOUT NOURISHING ROOTS POSTPARTUM DOULA PROGRAM
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
This program is funded by LA Care’s Generating Support for African-American Infants and Nurturer’s Program. This project will benefit low-income and uninsured residents of Los Angeles County. This program aims to improve survival rates and reduce medical 
complications following childbirth for African-American infants and mothers.
Pregnancy-related mortality rates among Black women are more than three times higher than the rate for White women. Infants born to Black women are more than twice as likely to die compared to those born to White women, and economic status is not a factor. Instead, the disparities are rooted in systemic racism. Today, L.A. Care is announcing that it is committing $1.225 million* to benefit ten community-based organizations, policy research agencies, and clinical providers to help close the historic and widening health disparity gap. L.A. Care Health Plan launched the Generating African American Infant and Nurturers’ Survival Initiative (GAAINS) last year, with an initial $1 million commitment for eight organizations working toward that end.
“This initiative recognizes that nurturers, which include mothers, fathers, extended family, and community, must be included as a part of the solutions to the toxic stress that triggers mortality rates,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “These grants will fund projects to provide training and support for birth workers who will help ensure that Black birthing families are provided unbiased, culturally appropriate care and access to resources that help infants survive their first year and beyond.”
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Pregnant women and new mothers in Los Angeles County who identify as African-American/Black and have Medi-Cal who are in their 3rd trimester (7 to 9 months) to 3 months postpartum.
Black fathers are eligible to join our Fatherhood Support Program and do not have to have partners enrolled in our program to participate.
WHAT IS OFFERED?
Each family may receive up to 24 hours of postpartum doula services by a Certified Postpartum Doula free of charge. Services include:
- Help with grocery shopping and meal preparation;
- Instruction on Pumping and Storage of Breastmilk;
- Assistance with grocery shopping;
- Baby laundry;
- Education on newborn appearance, behavior and growth and development;
- Nursery/baby room organization;
- Support for breastfeeding concerns and problems such as low milk supply, sore nipples and engorgement;
- Assistance with mother’s physical recovery;
- Instruction on newborn care: diapering, swaddling, sling use, bathing, massaging, and soothing techniques;
- Emotional Support and Assessment for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (Baby Blues, Postpartum Depression, etc.);
- Respite care for tired parents (in-home overnight care);
- Postpartum health and breastfeeding education
- Family Planning Education
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT POSTPARTUM DOULA SUPPORT
“I have family members who can help me after the baby comes home. What can a Postpartum Doula do that my family cannot?”
Expectant new parents sometimes find it challenging to differentiate between the support they can receive from family members during the postpartum period—like help with laundry, grocery shopping, kitchen tidy-ups, and meal prepping—and the specialized assistance that a Certified Postpartum Doula can provide. Postpartum Doulas are here to help with overnight newborn care, ensuring you get the sleep you need, along with baby laundry, grocery shopping, and meal preparation. They offer a wealth of services that go beyond those that family members can provide. With expertise that most family members might not possess, Postpartum Doulas can assist in various important ways, including:
• Evaluating any abnormal maternal physical recovery (like postpartum bleeding, breast infection, perineal infection, cesarean incision infection, etc.);
• Identifying any emotional or psychological adjustments that may need attention (such as assessment and referral for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders);
• Offering essential newborn physical care, including checks for jaundice, hemorrhagic disease, hypoglycemia, circumcision care, or care of the uncircumcised penis, and more;
• Recognizing unusual newborn behaviors, such as excessive sleepiness, and addressing any breastfeeding challenges due to medical interventions during labor or newborn separation immediately after birth, using methods to help restore these natural behaviors to support successful breastfeeding;
• Teaching soothing techniques for fussy babies, guiding parents on techniques like swaddling, baby-wearing, bathing, and safe sleeping practices;
• Providing guidance on breastfeeding management and the importance of fostering that precious infant-parent bond.
These examples illustrate just a few ways Certified Postpartum Doulas are exceptionally qualified to offer skilled care for mothers and newborns, delivering support that extends beyond what a family member can provide.
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT NURTURING ROOTS POSTPARTUM DOULAS
Taiye Adeagbo, CPD
I am extremely satisfied with this service. My Postpartum Doula Taiye exceeded my expectations. She supported me in many ways, by answering my questions on baby feeding information and medical questions concerning my baby, and emotional support with adjusting to returning home with the baby. She also helped with organizing, meal preparation, and gave spiritual and nutritional guidance and was patient, compassionate and knowledgeable. My doula’s strengths were her knowledge about baby needs and habits and growth stages, and my healing process and related symptoms. She was willing to be flexible about scheduling, and she assisted me with detailed tasks I needed done. She was always pleasant and patient. I would highly recommend Miss Taiye as a postpartum doula and I am very likely to recommend Happy Mama Healthy Baby Community Doula Program to my friends!” – T.C.
Talitha Cumi, CPD
Talitha was an amazing Postpartum Doula. I have two babies under two years of age, and it has been a challenge to balance all entailed in this new chapter of my life. She helped with simple household chores and watched my older kids. I was then able to get much-needed rest and care for my newborn. Talitha was always eager to do everything. I truly appreciate her time, support, and the effort she gives to her job. This service is invaluable for all families with a new baby and I recommend Happy Mama Healthy Baby Community Doula Program highly”. – J.C..
Click on the Photos to Read Doula’s Bio’s and Contact Them
FATHERHOOD SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED
TeDese Ross, MA
Through this program, African-American fathers-to-be or new dads can receive one-on-one mentorship and life coaching, support for educational goals like GED completion, job training, and employment. Services areoffered by TeDese Ross, MA, our Fatherhood Support Coordinator.
For mothers enrolled in our Nurturing Roots Postpartum Doula Program, Your partner is automatically enrolled in this program, allowing him to access a wealth of resources, guidance, and assistance tailored to his role as a supportive partner and new father. This dual-focused approach not only empowers fathers-to-be with the knowledge they need but also fosters a deeper sense of involvement and shared responsibility.
MEET OUR FATHERHOOD PROGRAM COORDINATOR
TeDese Ross, MA, Fatherhood Program Coordinator, is an experienced special education public school teacher, middle school principal, Adult Education and Technical Career Instructor, husband and father of four sons. He is here to address any questions and concerns fathers may have and provide the necessary assistance to make their journey as smooth and enriching as possible
To learn more, visit our Fatherhood Support Services page. Click on his photo to read his bio.
MEET THE NURTURING ROOTS PROGRAM COORDINATOR/POSTPARTUM DOULA SUPERVISOR
Tai Carson, BA, CPSS, CPD, CMA
Email: Tai.Carson@motherbabysupport.net Phone: (626) 388-2191 ext. 3
Tai is a retired midwife with over 35 years experience who has attended over 700 births. She is the Coordinator of Happy Mama Healthy Baby’s Nurturing Roots Postpartum Doula Service for Black Families. Born and raised in Los Angeles she comes from a mixed heritage of African, Asian, and European backgrounds. Tai has over three decades of experience in maternity and newborn care, as well as general healthcare. She currently focuses on postpartum doula support and palliative care. Ms. Carson has a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Services from California State University, Los Angeles, along with an Associate’s Certificate in Counseling Psychology. Additionally, she is a Registered Medical Assistant in Washington State, where she worked at a rural primary health clinic.Tai is a Certified Postpartum Doula, Certified Perinatal Support Specialist, and Certified Childbirth Educator. From 1999 to 2005, she was the owner/midwife at The Hollywood Birth Center in Los Angeles, where she trained several apprentices and doulas. She has worked in home birth and birth center midwifery practices in Washington, Los Angeles, and Mt. Shasta, California. As a perinatal health educator, Tai served as a trainer for Birth Emergency Skills Training (B.E.S.T.) and co-conducted Happy Mama Healthy Baby Alliance’s Perinatal Support Specialist Training at Esperanza Community Housing Corporation’s Promotora de Salud Program from 2013 to 2015. “As a woman of color, postpartum doula, health educator, midwife and a maternal-infant health advocate, I am dedicated to eradicating health disparities among childbearing women of color in my community. I am thrilled to work on programs aimed at improving perinatal health inequities,” says Ms. Carson.
WHAT IS THE USUAL AND CUSTOMARY COST OF POSTPARTUM CARE (FOR THOSE PAYING OUT-OF-POCKET)?
Professional Postpartum Doula services are available for half-day, full-day, overnight and weekly and monthly rates.
Postpartum Doula Support Rates
Postpartum Doula Support is offered on an half-day, full-day, weekly, or monthly rate. Postpartum Doula support can begin as early as 72-hours after the birth through 8-weeks postpartum.
- Half-Day Rate (4 hours): $200
- Full-Day Rate (8 hours): $400
- Overnight Rate (8 hours): $500 (10:00 pm to 6:00 am OR 11:00 pm to 7:00 am)
- Weekly Rate: $1,800 (8 hours per day for 7 days)
- Monthly Rate (24/7): $9,500 (7 days/week, 24 hours/day for 30 days)
Choose your own price from the dropdown menu!
Make checks payable to “HMHBA”. Send checks to:
Happy Mama Healthy Baby Alliance
600 Lincoln Ave., Unit #92495
Pasadena, CA 91109
Low-income families and those who have Medi-Cal are eligible for free/reduced rate services by Volunteer Doulas. We do not turn anyone away for inability to pay; because every family deserves a Postpartum Doula.
PAY FOR BIRTH DOULA SERVICES HERE
PAPA JOSEPH’S EXPERIENCE WITH HAPPY MAMA HEALTHY BABY ALLIANCE’S POSTPARTUM DOULAS
THE ROLE OF THE POSTPARTUM DOULA
Postpartum Doulas care for new mothers and newborns immediately after birth up to 8 weeks postpartum. They provide non-medical support for newborns and mothers and provide emotional support, household assistance, newborn care, breastfeeding support, and promote newborn and parental attachment and bonding.
The Postpartum Doula may also help with meal preparation and household duties such as baby laundry.
Doulas are not medical or midwifery providers and do not perform any clinical skills such as newborn or maternal medical exams. They do not make any medical decisions.
The Postpartum Doula’s role is to empower, educate, nurture and protect new mothers and babies so they can bond and rest after childbirth and adjust to parenthood during the first two months.
ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
- Our organization has been providing free and low-cost Doula support in Los Angeles County since 2010.
- Our founder established the very first community-based Doula program in Los Angeles County at Pasadena Public Health Department Black Infant Health Program which she ran from 2002-2012.
- We provide new graduate Doulas with the opportunity to gain birth and postpartum experiences that are required for certification while serving low-income families.
- Through funding received by LA Care, Generating African American Infant and Nurturers’ Survival Initiative (GAAINS) expands our Postpartum Doula Program to give low-income African-American families Postpartum Doula in-home supportive services, up to 24 hours per family, free of charge.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
- Any family in Los Angeles County is welcome to participate.
- We serve families of all ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic levels.
- We have a special program for low-income African-American families who can receive up to 24-hours of postpartum in-home doula services free of charge by an African-American Certified Postpartum Doula, if they are currently living in Los Angeles County, receiving Medi-Cal or are living 100% below the federal poverty line.
- We work on a sliding scale or provide volunteer services because we believe EVERY family deserves a Doula.
- Families who are low-income or have Medi-Cal are eligible for volunteer Postpartum Doula Support or reduced fees.
ABOUT OUR DOULAS
- We are a diverse team of Doulas who come from varied cultural backgrounds. We are Black, Latinx, Caucasian, Immigrants and LBGTQIA+ we serve people from the communities we come from. Our ages range from 20-62. We speak Spanish, French, Arabic and African Languages.
- We are here to help all families have stress-free and joyous postpartum experiences and to promote bonding with the newborn.
- Our doulas’ experience levels range from new grads to seasoned Doulas.
- In addition, our Doulas have a variety of educational backgrounds and certifications in childbirth education, lactation counseling, yoga, placenta encapsulation, Reiki energy healing, massage therapy, social work, public health, and other disciplines.
WHAT POSTPARTUM DOULAS OFFER
Emotional Support
- Encouragement
- Reassurance
- Empathy
- Praise
- Affirmation
Physical Comfort
- Suggest methods for healing of perineum
- Suggest comfort measures for postpartum Afterpains, sweating, breast soreness, etc.
- Provide mother with support for breastfeeding baby
- Massage mother and/or teach infant massage
- Utilize aromatherapy for relaxation
Advocacy & Education
- Help client communicate with doctors and nurses
- Educates about risks and benefits of newborn procedures (circumcision, Newborn Screen Test, etc.)
- Teach how to manage breastfeeding
- Teach how to diaper, swaddle, soothe, and bathe newborn
- Educate on how to know if baby is getting enough breastmilk
- Explain what the doctor, midwife or nurse wants to do and why
- Inform clients of risks and benefits of newborn medical decisions
- Encourages informed decision-making regarding their baby’s care
- Encourages Informed Consent and Refusal when making medical decisions
- Help the client and her partner decide what they want to do
- Provides language interpretation if needed
- Encourages Client’s Religious/Spiritual Practices
- Advocates for Respect of Client’s Cultural Traditions
- Protects Client Privacy and Intimacy
- Ensure each mamababy is treated with kindness, dignity and respect
Recognize & Refer
Doula will educate client and refer to primary medical provider if there are:
- Danger signs of postpartum woman
- Danger signs in the newborn
OTHER SERVICES OFFERED
Placenta Encapsulation Services
Thinking about placentophagy (eating your placenta)? We offer placenta encapsulation services. Pick up and delivery are available. Learn more about Placentophagy here.