We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That in-depth, out-of-hospital childbirth classes provide a comfortable space for acquiring research based information and for solidifying personal goals and values.  And that a doula helps you exercise your self-determination during labor and birth. 
 

There are many things that can make a pregnancy risky. Multiple births, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and maternal weight are just a few of the things that can be risk factors. Doctors are trained intensively on how to recognize risks and help mothers manage their risk.

But what do you do when your race makes your pregnancy high risk?

It's a distressing fact that babies of African-American mothers are more likely to be born too soon, too small and sometimes too sick to survive!!! But Why? And what can you do about it???

A 2017 article in Medscape suggested it's important for you to know hospital c-section rates as you choose where to have your baby.
Here's a quote from the article, and you can go here to read the whole thing:
'Cesarean delivery rates can vary widely even among hospitals located near one another. ...
"This variation is a critical point in our analysis because there is a big, important take-away for moms. You cannot afford not to know the track record of the hospital where you're delivering," Doris Peter, PhD, director, Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, said in a statement.'

So we have pulled together some rates for area hospitals to help you find the best place for your birth.

So you have a Birth Plan signed by your carefully chosen care provider: All set, right? Well… maybe not… because: Who’s on call?

Here are some thoughts about what Birth Plans DO and what they DON’T DO:

Having your baby at Princeton? Awesome! We love going to births there!

Here’s some information we’ve gleaned while working at Princeton as doulas. We hope these tips will help make your birthing experience as wonderful as possible:

Last weekend, BirthWise in Birmingham Doulas joined with other doulas from across Alabama and Mississippi at the 3rd Annual Alabama Doula Retreat!  Hosted by BirthWell Partners Community Doula Project, the retreat was a great way to network with others in our profession and also continue our education to better help our moms and their families. 
 
Huntsville area doula Hannah Ellis shared her strategies for having a more home like setting during a hospital birth, a topic that is so important for women in Alabama due to the very limited choices available here.  She gave some great tips, and we look forward to trying them out with our clients!
 
Dr. Joshua Johannson and CNM Sara Hellwege of Cheaha Women’s Health and Wellness in Anniston joined us for a panel discussion on Saturday evening, and it was great to have their input on topics facing birthing women in Alabama today.  They are great supporters of doulas and are amazing support to women…they were excellent company to have.  It is so exciting what they are doing for women’s care in this state!
 
Glenda Dickerson, RN, IBCLC, and Women’s Support Services Manager at Brookwood Hospital, spoke with us about the importance of communication and some strategies to maximize effective communication with hospital staff.  Brookwood is such a welcoming environment for doulas because of the support of the staff, such as Mrs. Dickerson.  Communication in any relationship - between clients and doulas, clients and hospital staff, or hospital staff and doulas - is so important, and the information she gave will definitely aid us in better serving our clients. 
 
The retreat was great fun, but more than that, it was an opportunity to learn and improve our skills as doulas.  We love helping the moms who choose us for this amazing time of their lives, and we are dedicated to doing the best we can for each and every one.  This retreat was a great reminder of how much we love our work!  We would like to thank all those who made it possible! We look forward to another weekend of learning next year!!

"Only with trust, faith, and support can a woman allow the birth experience to enlighten and empower her." ~ Penny Simkin

UPDATE July 2019. Although we still feel strongly that UABs so called "Doula Partnership Agreement" interferes with the doula/client relationship and is a detriment to providing the best doula care, BirthWise has started to accept clients going to UAB on a limited basis. Please contact us if you need a doula. And still read this blog.    
in service   ~ BirthWise Doulas

BirthWise in Birmingham, as a group of doulas serving mothers in Birmingham, Anniston and Tuscaloosa, have decided to stop providing labor support at UAB hospital. We would like to explain why:
 
BirthWise doulas pledge to uphold the DONA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice governing a doula’s behavior, ethics and scope of practice. DONA is the oldest and most recognized doula certifying organization nationally, and has developed this code and these standards to assure doulas behave in a professional manner and provide the best services possible. If a client, OB, nurse or hospital should have a complaint about a doula’s actions, DONA has a grievance procedure in place.
As doulas, we believe a woman has the right and competence to choose the members of her labor support team.  This includes the right to hire the doula of her choice, based on her personal priorities and preferences. It also includes the right to bring her doula with her to the hospital to provide continuous labor support. 
Furthermore, BirthWise doulas enter into a contractual agreement (here's our contract) with our clients. We are not employed by a hospital or particular provider.  Research has shown that the benefits of doula support on maternal/fetal outcomes and satisfaction are greatest when doulas work independently of hospitals (Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth and see more research about doulas here).  We believe that we are able to establish trust and provide the best support for our clients when we work independently.
 
UAB has recently instituted a policy requiring doulas and doula clients to sign UAB documents that were drafted without doula input. All patients are now being asked to sign “Information for Patients and Families Regarding Doulas”, and all doulas must sign a “Doula Partnership Agreement". The “Doula Partnership Agreement” is essentially a contract between the doula and the hospital that was created without the input of doulas or doula clients. Being required to sign this agreement conflicts with our doula-client contract, infringes on our ability to practice our profession according to the full scope of our practice, and therefore prevents us from providing the best care possible for our clients.
 
We believe these documents come between ourselves and our doula clients. They create an environment of distrust, rather than one of mutual respect and collaboration between doulas and hospital staff.
 
Therefore, regretfully, as long as UAB’s regulatory policy remains in place, we cannot, in good conscience, provide labor support at UAB hospital.
 
Birmingham is fortunate to have many options for pregnancy and birth. Among these there are many who recognize the positive emotional and clinical impact a doula can have before, during, and after birth. We would be happy to point you to a provider or facility that recognizes the patient's right to choose her own birth team without interfering in the contractual relationship with the doula she chooses. 

Planning your birth?
One of your most important decisions will be WHERE you choose to have your baby.
If you choose a hospital, you have SEVEN different options here in Birmingham.

So how to decide?

Well, what are you looking for?
Do you want to labor in the tub or in the shower? Do you want your hospital to supply you with a birth ball or peanut ball? Do you want to have the option to push using a squat bar? Do you want access to wireless monitoring so you can have freedom to move around the room, and even down the halls, while you labor?

To help you make this important decision we have created a chart comparing available options. We hope this will be an EASY way for you to compare hospitals and use this information to inform your decision.

Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us, we would be happy to help!