African American Adolescent Mothers’ Childbirth Support From Fathers, Grandmothers, Nurses, Doctors, and Doulas

Abstract

The morning after giving birth in a large urban hospital, 121 African American adolescents participating in a community doula program identified the people who had been with them during labor and birth and narrated their birth stories. Besides medical providers, the people most likely to be present for the birth were the infants’ fathers (n = 73, 60%), the mothers’ mothers (n = 70, 58%), and their doulas (n = 100, 83%). Birth stories were coded to identify types of support provided by different people. Mothers’ mothers, infants’ fathers, and doulas were more likely to be mentioned in the stories as providers of emotional and instrumental support than were medical providers. Doulas were more likely to be mentioned as providers of information than were family members or medical providers.

Community‐Based Doulas' Roles Within the Birth Support System: Young Black Mothers’ Perspectives

“…Although previous studies have looked at the types of support doulas offer to birthing people during labor and birth, 38,42,43 this is the first study to examine how doulas interact with the entire birth support system. Using data from the birth stories of pregnant Black adolescents receiving communitybased doula services, we identified 2 broad ways in which doulas functioned within the system: working in tandem with others and filling gaps in support not being met by others.…”

“…When working in tandem with family, the doula primarily cooperated with the father and the maternal grandmother of the newborn, the 2 family members mostly likely to be present in the labor and delivery room with young mothers 38 . The many opportunities for the doula to interact with the mother and her family throughout pregnancy may have set the stage for working together during the birth.…”

“…When working in tandem with family, the doula primarily cooperated with the father and the maternal grandmother of the newborn, the 2 family members mostly likely to be present in the labor and delivery room with young mothers. 38 The many opportunities for the doula to interact with the mother and her family throughout pregnancy may have set the stage for working together during the birth. It is also important to note that trust may have been enhanced because the mothers in this study were receiving support from a program in which doulas shared race and other background experiences with the mothers.…”

“…In this secondary analysis, we expanded beyond the original research questions to explore the birth experiences of mothers from the intervention arm of the RCT. As part of the RCT assessment of mothers’ emotional well‐being and experience of labor, a semi‐structured interview guide was used to facilitate mothers’ telling of their birth stories (their experience of labor and birth) 38 . Table 1 provides examples of interview questions.…”

“…As part of the RCT assessment of mothers' emotional well-being and experience of labor, a semi-structured interview guide was used to facilitate mothers' telling of their birth stories (their experience of labor and birth). 38 Table 1 provides examples of interview questions. Interviews were usually conducted the morning after the birth and always before hospital discharge.…”