Black Maternal Health Week: A Doula Gives Insight into the Practice and Honoring the Ritual of Childbirth

In 2018, prior to embarking on my path as a doula, I experienced the heartbreaking loss of a loved one due to complications arising from an emergency c-section. This profound event became the driving force behind my commitment to becoming a birth worker. As a result, I have remained dedicated to guiding Black women and families toward decolonizing and reclaiming their birth experiences. Doulas are trained professionals experienced in childbirth. My doula offerings include doula support for prenatal, birth and postpartum. As a doula, I get to serve as a constant presence of support and an emotional anchor for my clients, whether she is a hopeful expectant, pregnant or a new mother. My work/offerings is an ongoing and ever-evolving practice of Sankofa—an invitation to remember and go back and get the practices, knowledge and wisdom that is within each of us—ultimately aiding in our co-creating the birth experiences we desire and deserve. Image: courtesy of Lauren B. Solomon. It is important we remember that throughout history, women have received support from other women and their communities to not only survive but thrive in the sacred ritual and ceremony of childbirth. The human body is profoundly wise and intelligent, capable of...