In June 2002, Ms Jean-Baptiste and her business partner, Karen Jefferson, started their home birth practice, educational non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and aiding Haitian midwifery associations, education programs and midwifery students living in Haiti, where there are high rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. She attended births in various settings, principally in the hospitals, where I not only provided labor support but also served as an advocate for the mother and family against unnecessary medical interventions and towards safeguarding the birth and postpartum plan. She said, I was called to be a midwife by God. This focused attention can often empower expectant mothers to increase their self-efficacy and result in more satisfying experiences during labor, birth, and postpartum. For the best results we suggest you start with a search by state and She serves as the midwifery director for Birthing Project USA, an organization for improving birth outcomes for people of color. According to the CDC, Doula-assisted mothers were four times less likely to have a low birth weight baby, two times less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or their baby, and significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding. She is the mother of five adult children all who were born at home. Nicole Deggins CNM, MSN, MPH, is a certified nurse midwife, birth advocate, and community educator with over 25 years of maternal child health experience. Complete our application below. She is a founding member and director of midwifery education of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing, an organization that trains Black women aspiring to become midwives. Sista Midwife Productions neither endorses nor promotes any individuals businesses or Partnerships listed in our directory. Our two-year family care model brings together evidence-based Midwifery + Doula Care, Perinatal Mental Health Support, Breastfeeding Education, Holistic Therapies, Childbirth Education, Family Support Services and so much more! She started a solo private practice childbirth education and professional labor support (doula) service. Copyright 2018 MODABA - All Rights Reserved. She has worked in hospital and birthing center settings and have been in the homebirth setting since 2001 when she took on her first private practice client. Meet 7 Black Midwives Working To Make Birth Better For Us, Black women are 3-4x more likely to die from childbirth, Black infants are 2.2x more likely to die, midwifery used to be a part of everyday life, 4 Simple Things You Can Do To Have A Better Hospital Birth, Extended Breastfeeding: 13 Black Women On Why They Breastfed Beyond 1 Year, 5 Reasons Why Every Birthing Person Needs A Doula, Black Breastfeeding Resources From Moms Whove Been There, Done That, The Thoughts You Have After A Miscarriage, How My Traumatic Birth Experience Changed Me, Choosing Homeschooling and Unschooling Over Hybrid and Remote Learning (Video), Interior Designer Randall Jones on Rebuilding Her Village Before Baby, Overdue: Finally, A Pregnancy Guide Made for Us, Doula Vs. Midwife? training as a professional birth worker began in 2009 when she became a Doula through toBirth (formerly ALACE). Are you a family searching for a provider? If I got concerned about a birth, Id go to quiet room and pray. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Infinity Birthing Center in Cookeville or The Farm in Summertown if you can travel a bit. One way she utilizes these skills is through work with the local South Phoenix Community of Practice to improving quality food access, food autonomy and wellness for families in the South Phoenix Area. MODABA stands for more than Moms, Dads & Babies. A sacred & safe space for expectant women and families in St. Louis! My path to Midwifery started in 1987 when she gave birth to my son at home. And if you didnt know despite a long history of midwifery in the black community, black women currently represent less than 2% of the nation's reported 15,000 midwives. Keisha La'Nesha Goode, Graduate Center, City University of New York10/2014, About the authorBarbara Vernus has been a trained Birth Companion (doula) since 2004. MODABA is all about loving on our families and supporting them/us to thrive. Unfortunately, this change was mostly fueled by general medical practitioners whose inadequate obstetric education, general lack of hygiene, and unsafe delivery practices created high maternal mortality rates. 5614 Connecticut Ave, NW, Ste # 367 Barbara has also written for Mater Mea; Mothering Naturally, Black Women Birthing Justice; MadameNoire and #NoPrivateParts. During a recent conversation I asked Mrs. Smiley how she got involved in birthing babies. Ms. Bea just took me along with her. WebInner Circle Midwifery is a private homebirth Midwifery practice based in Historic Germantown, Philadelphia. Do you have any advice? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Although every birth wont have a midwife catching the baby, all birthing people can benefit from the call to safe, respectful, and empowered births this group of birth workers is advocating for. According to the CDC, in 2019, 9.8% of births in the United States were performed with the help of a Certified Nurse Midwife. Racha obtained her formal education in hospitals as a nursing student and at the historically accredited midwifery school Maternidad La Luz. Jamaa provides comforting and attentive Midwifery care in pregnancy and postpartum together with skilled doula support during birth. 2020 - 2022 Jamaa Birth Village. 3068 Forest Ln. WebOUR PURPOSE. For the past 9 years, Fatima has joyfully worked with Wendi Cleckner LM CPM of Freedom and the Seed where she continues as a birth worker. It is estimated that she delivered over 3,000 babies in her career, and she offered additional services to families such as assistance in cooking, cleaning, childminding, laundering, and helping new parents file official forms and birth certificates. 6437 South Central Avenue Suite 300, Phoenix, Arizona 85042, United States. They provide preconceptual counseling, well woman gynecology, contraception and home birth in New York City. And there are others before like Mary Jane Trust Lawson who was the first Black Licensed Midwife in Kanawha County, practicing her profession at the old Charleston General Hospital located then in City Park on Farnsworth Drive; as well as midwife Armentia Tripp Jarrett, Lola Coleman and Gwendolyn Spears. We are committed to improving black infant and maternal health by training black doulas and We are proud to have been featured in a number of local and national media outlets, including The Today Show, Washington Post, and of course the St. Louis American! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It was a true testimony that in the face of all challenges we are, in fact, perfect allies! Our Mission is to improve pregnancy and birth experiences and to eliminate perinatal disparities by increasing the number of black birth workers, teaching families about their rights and options; and creating transparency and accountability within childbirth education and the medical obstetrical system. As a midwife in the deep South, I believe that people of colors lives matter. The amazing gift of life never ceases to amaze me. Ms. Arilla Smiley Mrs. Arilla Smiley, one of the last living granny midwives in Georgia to retire. Of course this is not all of them but I thought I would pick a few to start one on their journey in seeing the vast history of Black Midwives. We know them by heartbreak: Black women are 3-4x more likely to die from childbirth and pregnancy-related causes, and Black infants are 2.2x more likely to die than their white counterparts. WebWe provide homebirth, waterbirth and midwifery services in the Los Angeles area and worldwide. Stop And Ask Yourself These 3 Questions, George Floyd Called For His Mama. She is also a founder of Midwives On the Move , a committed group of midwives, aspiring midwives, doulas, nurses, birth activists, consumers and volunteers working in the U.S. and Ghana, West Africa, to exchange midwifery skills, knowledge and ideas.Her goal is to ensure that women have access to community-based midwifery. She has been a labor and delivery nurse for 10 years prior to returning to school for midwifery. I worked on the evaluation piece of the Community Voices project and also interviewed families. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". WebThe History of the African American Midwife The historical role of the African American midwife was one of hope and health; whose expertise helped define cultural perceptions - Photo courtesy Flora Jackson Ragland and Linda Janet Holmes Published August 27, 2021 I am eternally grateful that the universe choose me to be doing this amazing work. I worked in nonprofit housing, studied herbal healing and African spiritualities, and was even a high-school teacher in NYC before I decided to become a midwife. Mothers would come to us to deliver their babys. Black women are taking control of the narrative around the Black maternal health crisis. She attended births in various settings, principally in the hospitals, where I not only provided labor support but also served as an advocate for the mother and family against unnecessary medical interventions and towards safeguarding the birth and postpartum plan. Women4Women OBGYN is now offering Nurse-Midwifery Services. I asked seven Black midwives and midwives-in-training to share how they came to midwifery. From film festivals and conferences to birth circles and webinars, read about our 2020 Impact hereand see how you can get involved! In the 1990s, she cowrote a book about her career, Listen to Me Good: The Life Story of an Alabama Midwife, and in 2010 she was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame. Sista Midwife Directory was created and exists to help Black families find Black providers they are looking for. Some of these women have gone on to become MDs, nurses, midwives (hospital and in-home) and public health professionals. Homebirth | Doula Support | Postpartum Care | Breastfeeding Support | Herbal Remedies | Resources & Referrals. At that time Memphis had the highest infant mortality rates in the countryand they are still the highest in the state. Our overall efforts are to help fight Black Maternal Mortality through education empowerment and resources. I was a single mother and as a birth and postpartum Doula, I just could not envision my life as a midwife. After Emancipation, African-American midwives, often known as Granny Midwives, continued to work with both black and white women in rural and remote parts of the South. Id tell him, now You the One who called me to serve, I didnt come asking, so I need your help. I believe that Black women and their bodies are important. ", Article: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Breastfeeding. They would get their prenatal care from the clinic (which ran once a week). WebSista Midwife Directory was created and exists to help Black families find Black providers they are looking for. To combat the effects of structural racism within maternal and infant health to advance black birth outcomes. Get In TouchInstagramFacebookWebsiteEmail: tinyandbravedoula@gmail.com, Thank you for this!!! We Need To Answer. We use workshops, seminars and edutainment experiences to educate communities and to move them toward a paradigm shift to change the ways they think about conception, pregnancy, birth, and mothering. When a friend was planning a home birth, she introduced me to her midwife who became my mentor. I love advocating for women and educating women, families, and communities. Fatima has been a birthworker for over 20 years. I couldnt deliver a baby without that green card. explained Mrs. Smiley. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. WebSAFE, HIGH-QUALITY, EXPERT CARE Freestanding birth centers with easy access to the entire Indianapolis area. WebMonroe served as Bostons primary African American homebirth midwife from 1978-1991. Black Midwives near me in NYC. We provide education, training and consultations for communities, birth workers and organizations that work with child bearing families. Book a Consultation If you are interested in meeting for a comprehensive 1 hour consultation please fill out and submit the contact form or call the office at 323-404-4022. Despite working primarily in rural areas with women who were often in poor, Listen to Me Good: The Life Story of an Alabama Midwife, who was the first Black Licensed Midwife in Kanawha County, practicing her profession at the old Charleston General Hospital located then in City Park on Farnsworth Drive; as well as midwife, She went on to become a certified nurse midwife and has worked with communities across the world, including Georgia, Florida, Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Honduras, Ghana, including a maternal health clinic in Senegal. Families choosing home birth often feel they are going against the norm. Mary Coley was among the last generation of granny midwives providing care to pregnant women across the rural South. The Jamaa Birth Village Doula Team includes highly trained, skilled childbirth professionals who are experts in culturally-led maternity care. She received her license to perform midwifery in 1963 and retired in 1987. We stand for a thriving family and community!". We offer a variety of provider options including physicians, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse midwives. Nicole Deggins CNM, MSN, MPH, is a certified nurse midwife, birth advocate, and community educator with over 25 years of maternal child health experience. We offer quality doula support tailored to your needs in any setting; home, birth center and/or hospital. It all matters! Over the course of my young life, my family forgot about this specific declaration and midwifery reintroduced itself to me through the work of a family friend. So I started looking for ways I could help families have better pregnancy outcomes. In contrast to medically trained birthing staff, who may by necessity split their attention between multiple patients, Doulas provide constant communication and encouragement during labor. Untitled (Among Colleagues) Sista Midwife Productions and the Sista Midwife Directory Certified nurse-midwife Nicole Deggins, the founder of Sista Midwife Productions, originally wanted to become an orthopedist. A good midwife might receive pay for their labor and be allowed to journey long distances to work, granting them a level of mobility that was rare for most enslaved individuals. She was known affectionately by her patients as "Miss Mary. To obtain a midwifery permit in Virginia, Carter was required to register with the local registrar, attend classes in safety and hygiene, provide one or more letters of recommendation from local physicians, report all births, and adhere to safety rules outlined in the Midwife Manual provided by the Department of Health. That means, their entire being matters because racism and poverty are real. She moved to the United States in 1989 and began a journey that has culminated in the formation of an innovative maternal child healthcare system, markedly improving, Sarahn Henderson is traditional midwife of B. has been involved in womens health since 1986 after graduating with her bachelors of science in nursing from the College of Mount Saint Vincent. We provide education, training and consultations for communities, birth workers and organizations that work with child bearing families. E-380 Suwanee, GA 30024, Doula DirectoryMember LoginCOVID19 GuidelinesFile a Grievance, Privacy PolicyCode of EthicsTechnical Support. There is a birthing center opening in Nashville late summer but they will not offer VBAC. WebOur midwives do more. During a recent conversation I asked Mrs. Smiley how she got involved in birthing babies. As she would say it took her awhile to get here and the road wasnt easy but the joy of the work has balanced out the difficulties. Unlike doulas, midwives provide full-spectrum care for women throughout pregnancy and birth. Centuries later, during the early to mid-20th century, African American midwives continued practicing midwifery in rural Southern communities, even as hospital doctors and physicians replaced most midwives in Northern communities. Just submit your zip code, the birth site/s youre considering, and the Umm Salaamah She went on to become a certified nurse midwife and has worked with communities across the world, including Georgia, Florida, Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Honduras, Ghana, including a maternal health clinic in Senegal. WebTrusted Obstetrics serving Union, NJ. Every family deserves to have great care. WebMore Than Birth-Midwifery, LLC - Brenda Ruth BSN, CPM Grand Rapids Area Southwest Michigan Lansing Area 2012 28th Street SE, Suite C, Grand Rapids, Mi 49508. We help expectantparents find trained/certified Doulas in their communities to assist throughout pregnancy, labor/delivery, the postpartum period and beyond. Ive wanted to be a midwife since I was a pre-teen, and after years of being a doula/nurse/educator/lactation consultant, its finally time. Our Mission is to improve pregnancy and birth experiences and to eliminate perinatal disparities by increasing the number of black birth workers, teaching families about their rights and options; and creating transparency and accountability within childbirth education and the medical obstetrical system. WebMidwifery Resources. Racha Tahani Lawler is a California licensed midwife, skilled in the midwifery traditions of her Southern U.S. and South African ancestors. The more I expose myself to the work of other birthworkers and scholars, the more my thoughts about midwifery evolve and expand for the better. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Having access to midwifery care has been linked to improved birth outcomes for Black women and their children. Web300 E. Indian School Rd. As a result, these medical practitioners could maintain community connections and ancestry records even when households disbanded and members of the family were sold off. We provide you with the tools and information needed to support families in birth. Untitled (All My Babies Portrait) She is trained to manage the birth for safety, "catch the baby", and intervene when it is necessary. From Fertility & Beyond is where we stand. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. iFOB designs healthy communities where ALL can thrive EQUITABLY. A Childbirth Doula is a person experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and immediately after childbirth. "Breastfeeding is beneficial to almost all mothers and infants, but the benefits may be significantly greater for minority women. Then she spent time in the labor and delivery ward while working towards her Master's of Science in Nursing. ", "African Americans continue to have the lowest rates of breastfeeding initiation (60%) and continuation at 6 months (28%) and 12 months (13%) compared to all other racial/ethnic groups the United StatesAfrican American women (32%) are also more likely than most minority groups to provide formula supplementation by 2 days of life. It does not store any personal data. Best Maternity Hospital 2022 Ms Jean-Baptiste graduated from State University of New York, Downstate with an MS in midwifery in 2000. She was known affectionately by her patients as "Miss Mary. Get listed for FREEand help families find you! In a speech delivered at Longwood University in the early 1980s, Carter remarked proudly at maintaining the license she acquired in 1952. She is a dedicated leader, mentor, and consultant and actively supports efforts to increase the numbers of African American midwives, doulas, and birth advocates. I fell in love with the journey of being a mother, which added another layer of meaning to my studies. As you can see Black midwives history runs deep and range from the traditional midwife to the certified nurse midwife (TM, CPM, CM, CNM). Many of the women I take care of now volunteer with us and provide support for other women and their families. From a career perspective, I had a longing to be a in a field where I got to do a few specific things: 1) be a guide to women seeking health and wellness; 2) be a voice in support of personal empowerment through the major biological life moments that change our lives; and 3) call upon the deep use of my heart, hands, spirit, and intellect. She is currently enrolled in Mercy In Actions online Midwifery program while apprenticing. Sista Midwife Productions provides online and in-person workshops and training. And Ethnic Disparities in Breastfeeding, read about our 2020 Impact hereand see how can. 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That means, their entire being matters because racism and poverty are.. However, you may visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns businesses... Pregnancy outcomes in St. Louis provide you with the journey of being a doula/nurse/educator/lactation,... 1963 and retired in 1987 hospital 2022 Ms Jean-Baptiste graduated from state University of New York.! Are absolutely essential for the website to function properly significantly greater for minority women deliver a baby without green! And exists to help fight Black maternal mortality through education empowerment and Resources their families in birth go...