Doulas: Filling the Gap in Black Maternal Healthcare & Wellness

Because research has shown that mothers who work with doulas have better health outcomes, the Black reproductive justice movement has embraced doulas as a strategy to address the systemic conditions facing Black birthing people. Doulas have a long-standing history of providing holistic, personalized care for mothers to support their birthing journeys. They are labor and postpartum professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to women before, during and shortly after childbirth (the perinatal period) to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.

Black birth workers have historically held prominent positions in their communities, serving as healers and spiritual leaders even with the advent of medical obstetrics. Recently, Black birth workers have trained as doulas, providing mental, physical, and emotional support to mothers and their families across the U.S. Serving as advocates, they ensure that Black women are heard and seen.  

The Atlanta Doula Collective (ADC), a non-profit organization founded in 2017 by Sekesa Berry, works to help eliminate Black maternal and infant mortalities in Georgia. An example of one of many Black doula organizations across the U.S., ADC offers affordable perinatal support services and culturally-responsive community education, as well as works to strengthen the sustainability of the Black perinatal workforce.

Above all, ADC values Black women and Black families and the expertise of Black women. Here, ADC doulas celebrate teamwork and collective movements towards better birth outcomes.