Help Michelle Become a Postpartum Doula

When I became a mother at 24 years old , I was going through what felt like the worst moment of my life. There were times where I had to pray through my pregnancy to get through a day and it caused me to seek the help of a professional. While I thought that my plan to be "recovered" from a knee-deep depression would have dissolved in Labor and Delivery , it did not. During my Fourth Trimester , I experienced a variation of emotions that were unfamiliar and at times , made me weary of my ability to be the mother that I planned to be . At my six week check up , I was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression , which came as no shock to me. In my situation , I was surrounded by an immense amount of love and support from my immediate family and friends that encouraged me to seek counsel from professionals and offered help where needed. I realize that everyone is not as fortunate to have a village as such and they do not understand the power of motherhood , because of the how over-simplified this superpower is made to feel in our communities. I am fighting to obtain this postpartum doula certification for the women without a village , the women who do not understand their power and those who seek proper knowledge and willing support during their transitions. I am passionate about mental health and educating those willing to learn about the processes of motherhood and just how important it is to be knowledgeable of the evolution the occurs to the mind,body and spirit . At this time , I only have my experience and self-taught knowledge , but I am hoping to receive this certification and leave this experience with so much more to offer to my hood and the world around me.




So , what is a doula : 

A Postpartum Doula provides evidenced based information on things such as infant feeding,
emotional and physical recovery from birth,
mother–baby bonding, infant soothing, and
basic newborn care. A postpartum doula is there to help a
new family in those first days and weeks after
bringing home a new baby.

Why do I want to be a doula: 
Since a college freshman , I have dreamed of starting my own non-profit to provide aid to teenage mothers and those who are experiencing
financial disparity during their pregnancy .
Though my angle has changed , my desire to
make a difference in the lives of mothers has
been propelled by being blessed with a child of my own.
Please
consider making a contribution . It would mean
so much to me and the communities that I am
passionate about serving.

Some numbers : 
Black women are 4x more likely to die during
childbirth than their white counterparts. They are also predicted less likely to go to a routine follow up after having a child , which is a crucial period of time . It takes a woman’s body a YEAR to heal after child birth . 

Where I will be studying : I am looking to begin my classes with the National Black Doula

Association on October 2-October 4th . This

process is very detailed  and requires atleast
three months mentorship and field training . 

I currently work in the permanency field and thisexperience has opened my eyes to things
unimaginable. I have always had a love for
advocacy and this experience is no different .
This work has no ego or pride and that is why I
am submitting one request . Please consider
making your
contribution to improving black maternal health.