Pregnancy and the birth of a child are two of the most precious times in life. Due to all of the excitement and change, even the most prepared parents find it stressful and challenging at times. One resource for expectant mothers and fathers is a doula: a trained caregiver and labor companion who assists in prenatal to postpartum care. According to Christina Ryder, instructor of sociology at Missouri State University, “Taking care of parents goes a long way toward taking care of children.”
Faith Giedd, chief executive officer of the Doula Foundation, a local non-profit, contacted Ryder, who leads the sociology research assistant program (SOC RA), about conducting a research project to determine satisfaction with the foundation’s services. The study was funded in part by a $3,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.
Dr. Lisa Hall, assistant professor of sociology, spearheaded the research. She surveyed and interviewed past recipients of the services, which include setting families up with community resources (including health care), establishing birthing plans, teaching childcare tactics and supporting breastfeeding. Hall mentored SOC RA student Jamie Orlando throughout the process who was assigned to observe and assist. Then, Orlando conducted two interviews for the study herself.
“Mothers consistently said they learned how to calm their baby and how to calm themselves,” said Hall. In one interview, Hall spoke to a woman whose husband and mother-in-law were very involved in the pregnancy, but she felt they were critical of her. “The client’s words were, ‘if it had not been for my doula, I think I might have just left my baby with my husband and moved away.’ She had no confidence that she could be a good mom – especially in the midst of criticism – and the doula empowered her.”
Who uses the Doula Foundation?
WIC often refers expectant mothers to the Doula Foundation seeing that they are under-resourced or under-supported. Many of the expectant mothers who come to the foundation are living in poverty or homeless, single and age 21 or younger.
“We’re talking families or individuals in real need,” said Ryder. “All of those things can add up to a lot of health risks and postpartum risks. Say dad is off in Iraq and there’s no one around to help mom give birth or care for the baby – she’s at a significantly higher risk for post-partum depression and other things that can affect her health long-term, but also the long-term health of the baby.”
Assessing needs of families, communities
The Community Health Report identifies needs in early childhood education and affordable childcare (among many others). Hall noted that this research revealed that the Doula Foundation supports mothers in precarious positions to teach them basic mothering skills – putting the child and family on the right track.
“What’s better than starting the mother off right?” asked Hall. “A doula goes way beyond someone holding your hand and telling you to breathe and being a cheerleader. It’s a
major view shift for some of these women who haven’t been taken seriously or hadn’t been treated like an adult yet or hadn’t been loved like they perceived the doula to love them – unconditionally.”
The SOC RA program is an opportunity for undergraduate students to conduct community based research, present at professional or practitioner conferences and publish research.
For more information on the Doula Foundation, visit doulafoundation.org.
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