Empower Alora Kissee to Support Mothers as a Doula

My name is Alora Kissee. I am a single mother of a 1-year-old little boy named Brandon. I am currently a teacher at George Washington High School, teaching 10th grade PE and Driver Education. As many educators have done recently, I am looking at a new career field in the near future. After many talks with God and my family, I have decided to take a leap of faith and join the Birth In Color Collective and become a certified Doula. I have been chosen as one of their scholarship recipients for their upcoming class next month, but the scholarship does not cover the full tuition. If you could find it in your heart to help me achieve a passion of mine so that I can be a help to others, I would greatly appreciate it!

Why a Doula? In 2022, I found out that I was expecting my first child. The past few years of my life had been filled with so much loss that this unexpected bundle of joy was the beginning of a whirlwind experience. This pregnancy came a few years after suffering a miscarriage in 2019, where I did not know that I was expecting. It is such an odd feeling to grieve something you always thought you didn't want. I didn't know how bad I wanted a child until I was losing one. Having previously suffered a miscarriage and choosing to be a single mom, continuing with this pregnancy came with a lot of anxiety. Although I had an amazing village, I felt I needed a little more support. So, I reached out to Taelor Hornick and inquired about her Doula services. It was the best decision I ever made for my son and myself.

After dealing with some on and off pains for a few days, I toughed it out until the day of my 26-week checkup. Imagine my and my doctor's surprise when she saw I was 2 cm dilated and was in full-blown active labor at 25.6 weeks. I had been in labor for 2 full days at this point. My doctor was about an hour's drive from home. I was alone because it would be a while before anyone could make it to me, except my doula. She dropped everything and almost beat me to the hospital. She was with me every step of the way, including in the operating room as I had an emergency cesarean section because my son was a footling breech. She would come and sit in the NICU when I had things to do or when I just needed a break. When we came home, she waa there...cleaning, letting me nap, encouraging me with my breast feeding journey, etc. Still to this day, I don't know what I would have done had I not had a Doula in that situation. So, now I want to be that support for as many people as I can. Not everyone is blessed with a village, a supportive partner, or even the knowledge of some of the things people deal with as they journey through pregnancy and motherhood. I was on my doula's line for what felt like 24/7. She never made me feel less than for asking questions that some might have thought was common sense. So many suffer through pregnancy assuming that things are normal. Although doctor's are there to help, some of them do not hold the same care that doctor's of the past held. Sometimes, not always, a lot of them can be dismissive of concerns. Especially those of first time moms. Generally, first time mommas of color. Becoming a doula can help bridge that gap and lower African American maternal and infant death rates one family at a time!