Are Doulas The Answer To Reducing The Black Maternal Mortality Rate?

[@RamenNoodle1985]

The fact that maternal mortality is increasing in the US is horrifying

[@Praisethesunson]

@@jimmyjohnn19 COVID made it clear. Our corporate overlords will gladly throw over a million corpses onto the pire. In glorious sacrifice to the Lord God called profits, who they worship.

[@O1OO1O1]

Predictable

[@niaedmonds3342]

Yeah, and it says to me there is a lot of negligence going on.

[@mmps18]

I did not have a birth doula but had a postpartum doula and it was an absolute LIFESAVER.

[@purpleghost106]

This is what I'm hoping for. My first birth I felt very supported by my midwife during it, but PP it was pandemic lock downs and my mental health tanked. I'm 7mo pregnant with my 2nd and I REALLY want a pp doula, someone to let me get a shower and pee and eat without judgement. (my mother stresses me out)

[@ah_libra]

These ladies and all doulas are amazing people!! Thank you all 😊

[@CapnSnackbeard]

Doulas are amazing. It's nice to have someone who knows whats happening present at the birth

[@arrynw5915]

As a doula: no. Doulas are not the answer. We are NOT supposed to put ourselves between providers and patients in any way. And we are NOT medical professionals! The fact that the providers didn't know the patient had a 9cm fibroid is a problem with the providers, and should NOT be the responsibility of the doula! I commend the doula for stepping in here, but that is not her job and it's infuriating that pieces like these misinform both parents and prospective doulas. The problem with US healthcare is private equity firms, hospital admins, and insurance companies doing what they can to cut their own costs, which often includes shutting down OB units or even entire hospitals that aren't profitable enough. These hospitals are often in rural areas or majority-black neighborhoods. Nurses, nurse-midwives, and doctors are all stretched incredibly thin as there's a shortage in the US. And you guessed it, the shortages tend to affect black and indigenous people more. Also as a doula... most doula training orgs are godawful. Birth in Color, fortunately, seems to be an exception. I chose to be uncertified because the biggest certification organizations have blatant "natural is best" agendas. The truth is, "natural" is far from ideal for everyone and many doulas who go through DCOs like DONA are poorly prepared. Many of these DCOs charge thousands of dollars for certification, a cost so high many doulas end up being well-off white women. I couldn't afford the costs myself, either. It really frustrates me to see so many doula sales pitches and natural birth propaganda in every piece on doulas. I was treated horribly unprofessionally by a doula myself because I ended up with a c-section. I was downright unwelcome in my doula classes because I DIDN'T have a happy natural birth story. The doula industry is fucked from top to bottom, and y'all think the answer is...insurance and Medicaid giving money to this toxic industry? Natural birth is NOT the answer to climbing maternal mortality rates. Funding hospitals properly, staffing hospitals properly, equipping hospitals properly, IS the answer. Universal healthcare is the answer. Not doulas. This is just more of the same doula sales pitches with absolutely no suggestions to fix the actual problems.

[@antoniolewis1016]

sorry to hear this story. As a recent healthcare graduate I share your frustrations.

[@jc5113]

This is why I want to become a nurse midwife

[@joshuaphillips755]

Capitalism doing racism? I'm shocked. Thank you for this video.

[@justusmzb7441]

Probably due to the racist prejudice that if a person is black, the are not able to pay as much...

[@Sheepdog1314]

seriously? Black women have the same right and availability to pre-natal care as anyone else

[@simplysaiige]

@@Sheepdog1314yet black women are dying more than their white counterparts when giving birth … the math is not matching. It’s negligence - nothing more or less.

[@julialerner3322]

Going into the hospital alone, as I did, increases the chances of things going badly. A doula or a family member or friend to advocate for you can make all the difference.

[@UtubeAW]

I thought health advocates would be a great business but realized that the Big Med Mafia would destroy any attempt.

[@little_tinker]

Place bets below for how long Florida continues to fund doulas

[@nicoles3166]

not really… fund healthcare period. it should be free!

[@Merlincat007]

Might that not reduce overall maternal mortality but not reduce the gap between black and white women's mortality? Healthcare absolutely should be free! But that might not be the whole solution

[@nicoles3166]

@@Merlincat007 certainly. mothers need more support before and after birth and we also need more funding in black neighbourhoods to close the gap and reduce mortality overall and apologies for any class reductionism i didn’t mean to imply that black women don’t deserve immediate support!

[@arrynw5915]

As a doula I completely agree with you.

[@up-uw4op]

even when its free they are still dying from incompetent doctors

[@nicoles3166]

@@up-uw4op i agree but most of the time incompetency is caused by privatized schooling relegating doctor status for only the rich and very lucky and not for the most skilled. we also have a shortage of nurses pretty much everywhere in the west because of the austerity measures we have placed on the healthcare system which has only exacerbated the pre existing problems laden in our medicare system.

[@TrogdorBurnin8or]

The solution to poor healthcare provision to pregnant minority women is "Just skip the healthcare part"? Doulas are a way to do home births, a long ambulance ride away from any system that can help with maternal or infant mortality.

[@boombot934]

Thank you❤🌹🙏 beautiful citizens of the🌎 🌍planet 🌏!

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

you'd think on one hand its because of difference in income, but when you hear from wealthy WOC...

[@up-uw4op]

both incomes are going to the same incompetent doctors and hospitals. those that can afford a midwife have a lower death rate.

[@garvice8068]

Keep it up!🎉

[@JorgeLausell]

I Love You! I always wanted to be a Doula. Now I'd like to be a photographing Doula!

[@Crazychris-tel]

Okay that's it right there I wasn't being insensitive when I say they might be more scared what I was saying simply was this, if you have someone of the same race or Creed representing you they might understand your language better or your culture or your upbringing so if a white doctor might see a certain action of a certain race as old man if they're acting like this they'll never be able to push the baby out let's just cut it out I saw it with my own family

[@HOHLfmly]

According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of maternal death in the developed world, with Louisiana possessing some of the highest rates of any American state.

[@werbnaright5012]

22:37. I'm not happy with the way it was presented. She's contradicting herself.

[@JaredBurdick]

Yes.

[@antoniolewis1016]

I wish they wouldn't use the term "birthing people". This is a wonderful program but trans and NB people account for less than 2% of pregnancies.

[@par3me]

Thanks for using all the key words in our society today. Without saying anything of actual substance. Hell of a segment. 👍🏼

[@RextheRebel]

No. The answer is to change your diet, stop smoking, stop having children out of wedlock and exercise more.

[@up-uw4op]

being married has no effect on the death rate

[@chrish564]

😆😆😆😆 that's damn ignorant to think it only happens to women who don't do everything "right". This stuff happens to athletes too.

[@simplysaiige]

I believe the ignorance you just spewed is only proving the point of this video 😂

[@grouchomarx4000]

"birthing people"

[@julialerner3322]

Why can't they say women or mothers anymore?

[@uaplab]

Democratic Underground sent me

[@brandtgill2601]

Death is the absence of sensation (neutrality) And birth/ life is an imposed event composed of much unnecessary suffering and pleasure that was never needed/ asked for.

[@TomSawyersLeftNut]

Idk I'm pretty happy to be here. If you feel your existence is unnecessary: you can take that upon yourself and... go to therapy :) instead of telling everyone else that they aren't needed here in an attempt to make them feel burdened by life or like they themselves are a burden just because you're upset about one thing or another.

[@brandtgill2601]

@@TomSawyersLeftNut my existence is unfortunately necessary to prevent net suffering. Based on your response I think its fair to assume you also are one of the many blights upon this earth. How much suffering do you inflict of other sentient beings? What are you doing that justifies that? Their pain is just as valuable as your own yet you are so confident that your "happiness" is producing enough value, if any, to warrant the pain you inflict of things just to live yet alone be "happy".

[@TomSawyersLeftNut]

@@brandtgill2601 Your assumptions are not only wrong but also completely and utterly baseless, you're just looking for reasons to be mad and misanthropic. I don't do anything, I don't even like animal products so I don't buy or consume them if that's what you're implying. I garden, in fact. All I'm saying is keep in mind that your words may be someone else's last straw, someone might read them and think, "This is it." And that will be the end of them. You absolutely inflict suffering and do nothing to curb the pain and agony you claim other commit unto others. You're not some Jesus figure like you paint yourself to be, you're just a narcissist, and you're not even good at it.

[@Crazychris-tel]

By the way just to be fair it's not only black women the the rate might be higher for them for some reason, maybe the reason for them getting a little bit worried or frightened and whenever a woman shows any type of beer the doctors jump on it nowadays and I'm not saying that black women might do that more I just know that this is happening to every race and I don't understand why you guys are focusing on black it is outrageous To Me the Way It Is outrageous to me the way that they are treating women in the hospital's nowadays like you're a blubbering idiot and they tell you basically you're going to kill your baby if you don't listen to them and they are the ones that are killing people

[@Sheepdog1314]

she lost me at "birthing people"

[@purpleghost106]

Then you were lost in your own stigma to begin with. She's being kind and inclusive, just because it's only like 1-2% of the population who might not ID with their assigned at birth sex doesn't mean none of them are gonna get pregnant. I know a trans guy who is doing the seahorse thing right now, and frankly more power to him for knowing what he's comfortable with and not. She mentioned women specifically, no one was erased, she just included folks like my aqautaince.

[@streetMind_Body_Business_816]

How about being in a loving and committed relationship while pregnant? See If that helps.

[@up-uw4op]

being married actually increases the likelyhood of the women being murdered by husband during pregnancy. and it makes no difference in maternal death rates during birth.

[@Cindy99765]

Let's say you are. What would that do if hospital staff are unwilling to give you the proper care you need while having your genitals split open?

[@chrish564]

Are you suggesting that none of these birthing mothers are in committed relationships? Are you invalidating all the fathers who had to say goodbye to their wife the day they welcomed their child?

[@purpleghost106]

It will not. Doulas are more effective advocates than even the most comitted and present partner. Having been present for many, many births, and also being trained in support, they're gonna have specialized knowledge not just anyone on their first birth is gonna have. Your partner can be a great emotional support for you if you're very tender with each other (my SO was for me and I didn't have a doula, just him and me as a team) but I *needed* my midwives who had experience helping me out to navigate the hospital. They were trying to railroad me into an unnecessary c-section, but my midwife didn't let them check me early, so I got an epidural when I asked for it, then she said I wasn't as dialated as I was so I got an hours rest, where as otherwise they would have forced me to push immediately while I was exhausted from 2 days of early labour and no sleep. My kid was born healthy without issue, never had her heart-rate drop, there was no reason not to do what my midwife did scientifically speaking it was the best path to an uncomplicated labour. They didn't care, the hospital staff has a policy of push when you're at a 10 whether you have the urge to bear down or not, and no epidural if you're fully dialeted because it's push time. Those aren't scientifically supoorted things to expect.

[@simplysaiige]

@@chrish564Yup. They assume that all black birthing people are single parents lol. Sad.

[@RobertStoll]

I mean that sounds like a great service for any expectant mother. Why just frame it as for african americans?

[@machedari]

If you dont know why then you didnt take time to watch and understand the video.

[@nicoles3166]

it’s both! they are simply calling attention to a crisis that is affecting black woman at higher rates. don’t be so reactionary! i have zero clue how you could frame the message like this…

[@dorinpopa6962]

@@machedari I watched the video, and I understand the point of wanting to address a problem that certain groups are more affected by. I completely support it. I would have appreciated more explanations about the reasons why care to those groups is sub par right now. This would actually strengthen the message. About the part where they mentioned that class and wealth didn't affect the statistic, again, I would like some citation to reinforce it. What are the reasons? Otherwise it is kind of weak argumentation that relies just on these words. I also kind of doubt that wealth doesn't affect outcomes. Pretty sure that in America's for profit healthcare sector money can buy much better care than what working people of color can get vs their more wealthy counterparts. I don't question that racism or historical racism affect people of color of all walks of life, but pretty sure wealth is still a strong factor.

[@angellover02171]

@@dorinpopa6962 Have you heard of racism? Doctors like other people have biases.

[@dorinpopa6962]

@@angellover02171 I don't question that part. I just noted parts that could have strengthened the message. I am also not sure about the point about wealth. It is always an important factor. Pretty sure Obama doesn't suffer or risk the same racism problems when he receives his healthcare services vs an ordinary working black person.