#2 The More You Know...
...the better Birth Justice advocate you can be. Here's CVD's monthly list of terms to help you improve your knowledge of terms used in our birthing community.
What is a Labor Support Doula?
A Labor Support Doula is a trained professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational support to a birthing person during childbirth. A Labor Support Doula is not a medical professional and does not provide medical care but instead focuses on providing comfort and support to the birthing family during labor.
Labor Support Doulas offer many services, including prenatal education, emotional support during labor, and physical comfort measures. They help the birthing person and their partner understand the process of labor and birth, provide relaxation and breathing techniques to help manage pain, and offer encouragement and reassurance throughout the process.
One of the key benefits of having a Labor Support Doula is that they can help the partners feel more empowered and in control during the birth of their baby. They can act as an advocate, assisting the birthing person in communicating their wishes and preferences to medical staff and ensuring their needs are met.
Research shows that having a Labor Support Doula can lead to shorter laboring, fewer medical interventions, and a lower likelihood of a cesarean section. It can also lead to a more positive birth experience and better outcomes.
If you're considering bringing on a Labor Support Doula for your pregnancy/birth experience, remember Chicago Volunteer Doulas provides access to trained and experienced Labor Support, Postpartum, Doulas, and more. A Labor Support Doula can be a valuable resource in your birth experience and can help you to feel more supported and empowered.
Effacement - ef·face /əˈfās,eˈfās/ verb
Effacement is the thinning and shortening of the cervix in preparation for childbirth. A pregnant person must be 100% effaced for a vaginal delivery.
Labor - la·bor /ˈlābər/ noun
Labor is a series of continuous, progressive contractions of the uterus that help the cervix dilate (open) and efface (thin). This allows the fetus to move through the birth canal. (hopkinsmedicine.org)
Nonbinary - non·bi·na·ry /ˌnänˈbīnərē,ˌnänˈbīˌnerē/ adjective
Denoting, having, or relating to a gender identity that does not conform to traditional binary beliefs about gender, which indicates that all individuals are exclusively male or female.
Lightening - light·en·ing /ˈlītəniNG,ˈlītniNG/ noun
Lightening is when the fetus's head moves deeper into the pelvis to prepare for birth. Since the baby is lower, it's not pressing on the diaphragm, and you may feel "lighter."
Transphobia - trans·pho·bi·a /ˌtranzˈfōbēə/ noun
Transphobia is when a person or group of people have unwavering negative beliefs about what it means to be nonbinary, transgender, or gender non-conforming.
Join us next month for our next set of resources. Have ideas? Let us know what you'd like to know more about; and stay on top of your learning by joining our email list!
The CDC reports more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States are preventable. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. Factors contributing to these disparities include variations in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias.
Chicago Volunteer Doulas are working to change the trend. CVD's Rebirth Plan centers around reaffirming its commitment to healing justice, organizational stability, and centering Black birthing people in its work. The CVD mission is simple, connect pregnant and birthing people to free and low-cost compassionate labor, postpartum, and pregnancy loss support and information rooted in Black feminist wisdom and healing.
We're inviting you to Be The Change in birth inequity. You can support our commitment to improving birth and reproductive justice and equity in a couple of ways.
Your one-time or monthly donation helps keep CVDoulas working to turn the tide on the disproportionate numbers surrounding Black maternal mortality and morbidity.
You can volunteer as a Doula or in other ways. We're a small organization doing considerable work. We could use all hands on deck!
Thank you in advance for helping in any way you can. We appreciate you assisting Chicago Volunteer Doulas in our efforts to end the disparities surrounding Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity.
With Kind Regards,
Lakeesha J. Harris, Executive Director
Chicago Volunteer Doulas
www.thecvd.org
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