Birmingham non-profit expanding doula services to uninsured expecting moms

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The City of Birmingham is investing more than $100,000 to help uninsured expectant mothers find the right care they need.

BirthWell Partners is a Birmingham non-profit that helps train doulas to provide information and support during and after pregnancy for underserved and uninsured moms.

“We provide physical and emotional support for people,” Co-Founder Dalia Abrams said. “We help people advocate for themselves when they need to. We help them find the information they need, so they can help make the best decisions for themselves.”

The city granted $121,000 to them, which means BirthWell Partners is now looking to train 30 more contract doulas and bring on five or six. These doulas will be able to go into the delivery room with moms who are uninsured or can’t afford one.

“The most at risk people are the people who don’t have the funds to pay for a doula out of pocket,” Abrams said.

Doula and Co-Founder Dalia Abrams said doulas don’t offer any medical advice, but advocate for moms during birth, makes sure moms needs are met, and makes sure they understand all of their medical options.

“As a doula, I want to raise up their voice,” Abrams said. “What you’re feeling is real. That is just as important as your blood pressure and you need to tell your doctor, medical professional, no you need to check, something is wrong. It makes a big difference in outcomes, C-section rates, morbidity, and by extension, immortality rates.”

Doulas help families physically and emotionally during pregnancy, labor, and assist them with breastfeeding and early bonding.

Abrams said they have held 31 trainings so far and trained more than 300 people. She said that has helped serve more than 1,000 people.

She said with the city’s help, they are going to be able to do more.

“This is going to help us bump up what we are doing,” she said. “The city is helping us to bring more people and train more people.”

Abrams said the next doula training is in April and they are interviewing for it now.

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