On this episode of Community Corner, Brother Love sits down with Rebeka Porter to discuss the Doulas Association of Tennessee. Rebeka is a mother of ten children, the president of the Doulas Association, and a member of Blissful Birthing. Doulas commit to helping women prepare for childbirth with education and offering support with the entirety of the birthing process. It’s important to note that doulas do not aid with an any of their clients medical needs, rather they offer support educationally and emotionally in their journey through pregnancy and birth.
Staggeringly, Tennessee is ranked the 47th worst state to give birth in. Unfortunately, women preparing to give birth don’t get the full amount of attention they may need in the medical system, and are often left without someone to stand up for them while they are taken in by the system. Oftentimes, childbirth is turbulent. In a slew of post-partum emotions and physical pain, women fend for themselves when procedures do not go as planned. Further, the medical system doesn’t have the capacity to understand the entirety of the situation a woman is experiencing. This can lead to pregnant women and couples feeling alone because of an impersonal relationship with their doctor.
This is where doulas step in to help. Doulas set out to educate women on how to effectively prepare for their birth, and mitigate the risks involved. Additionally, they aid during labor, observe during the birth, support across post-partum, and stay in contact with the woman/couple for up to a year. Doulas, like Rebeka Porter, understand the entire picture of their clients, and help every step of the journey.
Furthermore, Porter quotes Maya Angelou saying, “those who know better, do better.” Porter and the Doulas Association aim to improve Tennessee’s birthing ranking through the spread of information and creating a community of conscious couples and women embarking on parenthood.
Listen to the full episode below! For more information on the Doulas Association of Tennessee, click here.
