Stories, resources, and updates from the front lines of birth equity work in Southern Illinois and the St. Louis Metro.
The statistics are stark: Black women in the U.S. are 2–3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. But behind every data point is a family, a community, and a system that failed them. Here's how Doula Lab is working to change that.
This spring, twelve students began their journey through the Volunteer Doula Training Academy. We sat down with a few of them to hear what brought them to perinatal health work — and what they're most excited to learn.
Social determinants of health — housing, food access, transportation, income — have a profound impact on birth outcomes. Our PHW students learn to screen for these factors from day one. Here's why it matters.
The first 12 weeks after birth are often the hardest — and the most overlooked. Our doulas share what families actually need in the postpartum period, and how to ask for it.
A major win for birth equity: Illinois Medicaid now reimburses for doula services. We break down who qualifies, how to find a covered doula, and what this means for families across our region.
The C.J.B.B.E. Conference was a success, our new VDTA cohort is underway, and we're expanding our community health worker program. Read the full spring update from LaKisha.
You have rights in the delivery room. You have the right to ask questions, to refuse procedures, to have a support person present, and to be treated with dignity. Here is what every Black mother should know before she walks through those hospital doors.
The numbers are stark: Black women in the U.S. are 2–3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Here is what the data actually shows — and the concrete work Doula Lab is doing in Southern Illinois to change it.
Doula support is one of the most evidence-backed interventions for improving birth outcomes — but cost and access remain real barriers. Here is a practical guide to finding and affording a doula in our region.
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