Happy Mama Healthy Baby Community Doula Program

Happy Mamas Growing Healthy Babies

BIRTH AND POSTPARTUM DOULA SUPPORT AND CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FAMILIES

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ENROLL OR GET INFORMATION

Complete: Parent Request for Doula & Lactation Services

MEET OUR DOULAS

We are proud to be a program of Heluna Health working on maternal and child health improvement. Watch this video to learn more about what community-based Doula programs throughout California are doing to address perinatal health disparities and inequities.

 

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WHAT IS A “DOULA”?

• “Doula” (doo-LAH) is a Greek word, which means “woman servant”.
• Doulas are professional childbirth companions who provide physical comfort, education and advocacy skills to women and persons during childbirth and the postpartum period.
• Doulas are also trained to recognize problems of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and in the newborn.
• While Doulas do not do anything medical, should a complication or emergency arise during pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum, the Doula can help the family quickly get medical help, potentially saving mothers and babies lives.

 

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Meet Our Doulas

 

WANT TO BOOK A DOULA? CALL OUR DOULA PROGRAM COORDINATOR

J. Tranae, BS, CCE, CD, CPD, CLE

Call J. Tranae at: (626) 388-2191 ext. 2 | Email: J.Tranae@motherbabysupport.net

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WATCH VIDEO FROM CHICAGO’S HEALTH CONNECT ONE ABOUT COMMUNITY-BASED DOULAS

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ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

• Our organization was one of the first to take part in the Community-Based Doula movement in Los Angeles County. Since 2010, we have focused on providing community-based Doula support to low-income families of color, while also welcoming all families from diverse backgrounds.
  • Our founder established the first community-based Doula program within the Pasadena Public Health Department’s Black Infant Health Program, where she managed it from 2002 to 2012.
  • We offer our services on a sliding scale to ensure that Doula support is accessible to ALL families.
  • Individuals eligible for Medi-Cal can utilize our services through their Managed Care Plan.
  • Our dedication to providing sliding scale services reflects our belief that EVERY family deserves a Doula. We never turn anyone away based on their ability to pay.
  • If you are able to help, please consider donating extra funds so that pregnant women from underprivileged backgrounds can receive labor support, breastfeeding help, and postpartum care from a Doula.
  • Our Doulas are skilled and trained in multiple disciplines such as herbology, aromatherapy, vegan cooking, Reiki energy healing, yoga, and more. We also have training in Lactation, Postpartum Care, and Childbirth Education. Se Habla Español.
  • Our Doulas’ experience ranges from recent graduates to experienced professionals who support our higher-risk clients.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Any family in Los Angeles, Orange County, or the Inland Empire is welcome to participate. We will soon be expanding to San Diego County as well.  We serve families of all ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic levels. We accept Medi-Cal and have sliding scale fees for those who do not qualify for Medi-Cal.

ABOUT OUR DOULAS

• Our team members are comprised of Doulas of multicultural backgrounds. If you have a preference for a Doula of a particular race or ethnicity or language capability, let us know. We strive to meet your needs.
• Our ages range from 25-60+. 
• We are a diverse team: We are of Black/African-American, Latinx, Native American/Indigenous and Asian backgrounds.
• We represent the communities we serve, because we ourselves are members of these communities.
• We are mothers, grandmothers, aunties, sisters, daughters and spouses. Some of us are parents and some of us are not; yet we are dedicated to the well-being and health of pregnant women and persons, their partners, and their infants.
• We will be your Sister-Friend and hold your hand, wipe away your tears and sweat, and share your triumphs and joys during your journey to motherhood or parenthood.
• 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, midwifery, yoga, Reiki, lactation counseling, massage therapy, social work, public health, and other disciplines.

BENEFITS OF DOULA SUPPORT

• Decreased use of pain medication
• Decreased medical interventions
• Decreased rates of induction and augmentation of labor
• Decreased rates of cesarean section and repeat cesarean
• Decreased length of labor
• Decreased maternal depression
• Increased maternal satisfaction with the birth experience
• Increased VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) success
• Increased breastfeeding success

THE ROLE OF THE DOULA

The Doula cares for women during pregnancy, childbirth and immediately after the birth. The Doula provides non-medical support for childbearing women and persons. Doulas are not medical or midwifery providers and do not perform any clinical skills such as vaginal exams or fetal heartrate monitoring. They do not make any medical decisions. The Doula role is to empower, educate, nurture and protect childbearing persons so they can have satisfying maternity care experiences.

How Doulas Help During Pregnancy

• Educates about fetal development
• Educates about healthy nutrition & exercise
• Teaches relaxation ad mindfulness methods to reduce stress and anxiety
• Gives suggestions for coping with common discomforts of pregnancy
• Discusses options for childbirth, including pain medication options
• Discusses how to avoid an unnecessary cesarean
• Teaches labor coping skills and support methods to birth partners
• Helps client to create a birth plan
• Discusses rights and responsibilities of pregnant women and persons
• Helps client prepare to breastfeed
• Describes newborn appearance and behavior
• Prepares siblings for birth of baby

How Doula Helps During Childbirth

Physical Support

• Provides Physical Comfort and Massage
• Suggests Water Immersion for Pain Relief
• Encourages Vocalization
• Suggests positions that will make labor more comfortable and make labor go faster

Provide Emotional Support

• Encouragement
• Reassurance
• Empathy
• Praise
• Affirmation

Advocate & Educate

• Help client ask for what she wants in labor
• Explain what the doctor, midwife or nurse wants to do and why
• Inform clients of risks and benefits of medical decisions
• Encourages informed decision-making
• Encourages Informed Consent and Refusal
• 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 pregnancy/labor
• Danger signs of postpartum
• Danger signs in the newborn

Postpartum Doula Support

• Encourages and offers support to mother in breastfeeding her baby
• Instructs mother on how to care for herself after birth
• Provides emotional support to new mothers and partners or fathers
• Helps with meal preparation & baby laundry
• Teaches new parents how care for baby including bathing, diapering, swaddling, slinging, soothing
• Encourages mother to rest so she can recover from childbirth
• Encourages parents to reflect on their childbirth experience
• Encourages parents to find support if they are feeling sad and blue
• Educates about risks and benefits of newborn procedures (circumcision, etc.)
• Connects families to resources they need (i.e., breastfeeding support groups, prenatal yoga, etc.)

WHAT IS OFFERED IN THE  HAPPY MAMA HEALTHY BABY COMMUNITY DOULA PROGRAM

Prenatal Visits

Three (3) one to two-hour prenatal visits will be provided during each trimester of pregnancy. Topics covered in these visits are:

• Nutrition
• Fetal Development
• Weight Gain
• Exercise Guidelines
• Information on sexuality during pregnancy
• How the body works during labor
• Pain medication options
• When to go to the hospital
• Labor coping skills for laboring mothers and support techniques for birth partners
• Emotional support and stress-relief methods
• Screening for maternal anxiety and depression will also be offered and referrals can be made if needed

Labor and Birth Support

The Doula will go “on-call” 24-hours a day for the client from 36 weeks onward. When the client goes into labor, The Doula will meet the client at her home or the hospital or birth center. The Doula will provide:

• Emotional Support (encouragement, reassurance, compassion);
• Physical Comfort (i.e., position changes, massage, breathing, relaxation techniques, etc.);
• Informational Support (i.e., information on risks and benefits of medical procedures);
• Advocacy (helping client to speak with her medical providers about what she needs and wants during birth)
• Recognition and Referral (Doulas are trained to recognize complications and emergencies in pregnancy, labor, postpartum and in the newborn and will refer client to primary care provider if needed).

Postpartum Visits

The Doula will provide three (3) one-to-two hour postpartum visits. Doulas will offer:

• Breastfeeding Support for Common Problems & Referrals if Necessary
• Instruct Parents on Newborn Care (Bathing, Swaddling, Diapering, Baby Wearing, etc.)
• Education on Newborn Appearance & Behavior
• Information on Newborn Medical Procedures and Screening Tests
• Instruction on Caring for Mother/Person and Self-Care After Childbirth
• Screening for Perinatal Depression and Referral if Needed
• Support for Father/Partners

OTHER SERVICES OFFERED

Postpartum Doula Services

Postpartum Doula Services are offered on a half day, full day, overnight, weekly or monthly rate. Postpartum Doulas will provide light housekeeping, baby laundry, meal preparation for the new mother, help with breastfeeding issues, newborn care and emotional adjustments to parenthood. This is a separate service and is not covered under Birth Doula Services. It requires a separate contract and additional fees.  Click here to learn about Postpartum Doula Services.

ATTENTION AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES: YOU CAN RECEIVE A POSTPARTUM DOULA FREE OF CHARGE!

We are excited to announce that we have obtained a grant by LA Care, Generating African American Infant and Nurturers’ Survival Initiative (GAAINS) to expand our Postpartum Doula Program.

To learn more, contact Tai Carson, BA, Program Coordinator at  Tai.Carson@motherbabysupport.net or Call her at (626) 388-2191 ext. 3.

Breast Is Best Breastfeeding Education Classes

Join our 3-week series of breastfeeding classes. Learn how to get breastfeeding off to a good start. Offered on Zoom.

Empowered Birth Choices Childbirth Group Preparation Classes

Pregnant women and persons and their partners are invited to attend  Empowered Birth Choices Childbirth Preparation Classes.

The classes meet for 4 sessions, 3-1/2 hours each session once per week.  The cost is $350 per couple. Classes are free for Medi-Cal eligible.

Empowered Birth Choices Private Childbirth Preparation Classes

We also offer private childbirth education classes customized to suit families’ budgets and schedules.  Classes are held on Zoom.re.

WHAT IS THE COST OF OUR SERVICE?

Pay for Parent Support Services

Our Doulas work on a sliding scale because we believe EVERY family deserves a Doula. Low-income persons and those with Medi-Cal may receive our services under their Medi-Cal plan. For those who cannot qualify for Medi-Cal, we offer sliding-scale Doula Support. Income verification may be required.

 If you have the ability to pay a little (or a lot) more, this will enable our Doulas to continue to reach underserved and hard-to-reach pregnant teenagers and women to provide them with pregnancy care, labor support, breastfeeding support, and postpartum care. Donate Now!

Our Full Fees for Doula Support are $2000-$2500 and include:

Three Prenatal Visits, one each trimester (1-2 hours per visit).

• Includes childbirth education one-on-one health education sessions (in-person and/or virtual support), birth plan preparation, emotional support and advocacy. 

Labor and Delivery Support (hospital, home or birthing center, up to 24-hours)

• In-person and/or virtual support Services include physical comfort, emotional support, physical comfort, childbirth education, breastfeeding support, and advocacy. The service is for 24-hours of labor support. We advise our clients to call their Doula when in active labor; by asking your doula to come to you in early labor, you risk using up the 24-hours before you get to active labor, when your doula’s support will be most needed.

Three (1 to 2-hour) Postpartum Visits for up to 8 weeks postpartum ( Visit One: 1-3 days,  Visit Two: 1-2 weeks, Visit Three: 4-8 weeks).

• Includes care physical and emotional care of mother, breastfeeding support, assessment for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, newborn assessment and referrals as needed. The visits are one hour to two hours in length and do not include meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, babysitting, etc. If you require full Postpartum Doula Services, that is a separate fee and contract. Click here to learn about Postpartum Doula Support.

For $2500, you can add on one of the following services: group childbirth education classes, private childbirth preparation classes, placenta encapsulation, prenatal yoga sessions or prenatal massage.

Our Doulas are trained in pre- and postpartum massage therapy, prenatal and postpartum yoga, placenta encapsulation, etc. You can add on any of these services by paying at the $2500 level.

Pay By Check

Make check payable to “HMHBA”. Send check to:

Happy Mama Healthy Baby Alliance
600 Lincoln Ave., #92495
Pasadena, CA 91109

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RESOURCES FOR DOWNLOAD

For more information on the Community Health Promoter Model, please download this article from Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, on the Promoter Model for Building Healthy Communities.

Download PDF: Summary of Literature Community-Based Doulas

Download PDF:
Health Connect One’s White Paper on the Role of Community-Based Doulas