Episode 4

full
Published on:

20th Nov 2023

Finding Doula Clients & CDC Reports Rise in Maternal Death Rates

Introduction What are you reading?

  • Memoirs, resilience, and black women's experiences. 0:00
  • Ravae Sinclair and Denise Bolds discuss books they're reading. Denise is reading "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" and "Recovering Black Storytelling and Qualitative Research."
  • Denise Bolds shares her interest in storytelling and its importance in preserving cultural heritage.
  • Ravae Sinclair shares her thoughts on Jada Pinkett Smith's memoir "Worthy," appreciating her resilience as a black woman and surviving difficult experiences.
  • Ravae found the book entertaining and thought-provoking, but lost interest in the last chapter due to its "woowoo" nature.

Doula Skills

  • Doula match.net, member directories, and networking. 9:33
  • Ravae Sinclair highlights the importance of signing up for directories to attract clients, such as DoulaMatch.net.
  • Denise Bolds shares her advocacy for discounted membership fees for BIPOC and Indigenous doulas on Doula Match, as a result of her pandemic-related efforts.
  • Denise Bolds advocated for a flag on doula match.net to identify Black birth workers, which Kim James developed and implemented.
  • Ravae Sinclair appreciates Denise's advocacy skills.
  • Ravae Sinclair suggests using member directories and platforms like Bornbir to connect with other doulas and grow your business.
  • Bornbir offers a free directory of families looking for doulas, but requires a monthly subscription to access contact information.
  • Doula directories and lead generation strategies. 14:14
  • Parents can search for birth workers on various directories, including HelloMeela, Poppy Seed (black-owned), and Boober (focused on breastfeeding).
  • Denise Bolds and Ravae Sinclair discuss directories and lead generation strategies for doulas and birth workers, including identifying providers with preferred provider lists and making deals with providers for referrals.
  • Bolds and Sinclair also discuss the importance of having business cards ready at births to receive referrals from OBs and midwives.
  • Denise Bolds suggests sending a thank-you note or small gift to front desk staff at hospitals, as they play a crucial role in connecting clients with doulas.
  • Ravae Sinclair emphasizes the importance of building relationships with complementary practice and beliefs, and getting on the list of preferred providers at hospitals to increase visibility and potential for referrals.
  • Doula business growth strategies. 20:40
  • Denise Bolds suggests including complete demographics in email footers to make it easy for others to refer businesses.
  • Ravae Sinclair agrees, emphasizing the importance of having a professional image and consistent contact information across platforms.
  • Ravae Sinclair suggests finding a platform that fits your budget and sticking with it for at least 3-4 months to get clients.
  • Ravae Sinclair suggests doulas collaborate with other professionals, such as agencies or other doulas, to build their businesses.
  • She also recommends affiliate work, where doulas refer clients to each other and receive a kickback for successful sales.
  • Certificate issues in doula training. 27:55
  • Denise Bolds and Ravae Sinclair discuss issues with obtaining certificates after completing training for Black birth workers.
  • Denise Bolds shares her experience of completing a Spinning Babies training but not receiving her certificate, despite others in the same cohort receiving theirs.
  • Ravae Sinclair and Denise Bolds discuss the challenge of obtaining certificates from a national organization, with Denise expressing frustration at the lack of transparency and timeliness in providing certificates.
  • Denise Bolds emphasizes the importance of offering contact hours or certificates for training and conferences, citing the growing need for quantifiable proof of doula work for Medicaid and other entities.

Trending Issues or Topics

  • Maternity care deserts and hospital closures in the US. 34:52
  • Ravae Sinclair discusses rising infant mortality rate and challenges in maternity care.
  • Ravae Sinclair and Denise Bolds discuss the closure of labor and delivery (L&D) departments in hospitals, particularly in Alabama, and the impact on families and workers.
  • The speakers question why hospitals are not making money despite charging insurance companies for deliveries and suggest alternative birthing options like homebirth midwives and birth centers.
  • Ravae Sinclair and Denise Bolds discuss the closure of a hospital in Atlanta, leading to stress and fear among pregnant women and their families regarding the safety and quality of care for their birth experiences.
  • The closure of the hospital, which was also the only birth center in the city, has left families scrambling to find alternative care providers, leading to concerns about the reputation and staffing of Grady Hospital, the only other option for high-risk births in the area.
  • Doula services in NYC hospitals. 41:57
  • Denise Bolds and Ravae Sinclair discuss the challenges of navigating the healthcare system in New York City, particularly for families seeking continuity of care during pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Doulas can provide a familiar face and continuity of care for families, bridging the gap between prenatal and postnatal care.
  • Ravae Sinclair highlights the importance of identifying pain points for families in the childbirth process, and how doulas can provide continuity and consistency in an otherwise fragmented experience.
  • Denise Bolds emphasizes the value of doulas in providing familiarity and enhancing the reputation of medical practices, while also serving as a problem-solver for families in need.

Good Birth Worker News

  • Prison doula programs and addressing issues of coercion and rape in the criminal justice system. 47:48
  • Ravae Sinclair highlights the PRISM program in Pennsylvania, a prison doula program led by Gerria Coffee that provides support to birthing people in the criminal justice system.
  • Ravae praises the program's work in creating a net for those in the underbelly of society and helping women give birth outside of prison, with the goal of reconnecting and bouncing back.
  • Ravae Sinclair discusses the prevalence of sexual assault in prisons, including coercive sex and bartering for sexual favors.
  • Ravae Sinclair discusses the issue of sexual assault and births in Alabama prisons, highlighting the need for addressing the cultural factors that contribute to these problems.
  • Prison policies and baby custody. 54:14
  • Ravae Sinclair, a prison guard, was fired after an inmate asked her to take care of her baby.
  • Despite the termination, the mother eventually regained her baby, but it was placed in foster care, because the mother needed more time to get herself together.
  • Ravae Sinclair highlights need for birth worker support in prison AND within the community for new mothers or caregivers.
  • Prison doulas and support for incarcerated women. 59:40
  • Denise Bolds shares about predatory behavior by corrections officers towards incarcerated women in New York, with some officers getting women pregnant and facing consequences.
  • Doulas and support workers discuss the need for training and support in working with incarcerated individuals, including navigating lockdowns and mental health challenges.
  • Doula work in prisons and TV shows. 1:03:08
  • Ravae Sinclair and Denise Bolds discuss the challenges of supporting new mothers in the criminal justice system.
  • Ravae Sinclair and Denise Bolds discuss the PRISM program and its impact on the community.

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How to find us:

Ravae Sinclair @birthconnections and natlbirthpostpartumpros

Denise Bolds @BoldDoula and @blackwomendovbac

Website: www.doulathatpodcast.com

IG:@doulathatpodcast

Platforms: Apple, Spotify, Stitcher & Google

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About the Podcast

Doula That!
We are experienced birth workers with diverse careers, bringing decades of expertise to the world of birth, babies, and families. Join us on this journey as we delve deep into the realms of birth, postpartum care, and the business aspects of this incredible field. Our aim is to shed light on the unfiltered realities of birth work and guide you through building a successful birthing career.

About your hosts

Ravae Sinclair

Profile picture for Ravae Sinclair
Ravae Sinclair is a highly experienced birth worker with a rich history spanning two decades, during which she has passionately served over 800 families. Holding numerous certifications including those of a birth doula, postpartum doula, certified childbirth educator, and breastfeeding professional, Ravae's multifaceted expertise has made her a prominent figure in the field. Beyond her roles in maternal and perinatal care, she also boasts a legal background as a licensed attorney.
Ravae's impact extends across the United States, where she leads three influential doula groups situated in Milwaukee, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. Her unwavering commitment to maternal health and support has been pivotal in these regions. You can learn more about her work at www.birth-connections.com.
As a trailblazer in the birth world, Ravae is the visionary founder of Birth Connections Global, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving maternal health care. She is also the driving force behind the National Birth & Postpartum Professionals group, an association uniting perinatal health professionals from various disciplines. Her dedication to creating positive change is further evident through her roles as a board member in organizations such as the National Association to Advance Black Birth (NAABB), Iowa Black Doula Collective (IBDC), and Health in the Hood.
Ravae's commitment to mentorship and support extends to fellow birth workers, acting as a mentor and coach. She facilitates essential discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations, and offers valuable family-centered legal guidance to those intentionally expanding their families. Her dedication to simplifying the work of birth workers is evident in the birth worker contract templates available on her website at www.ravaesinclair.com. Ravae Sinclair is truly a dedicated and versatile professional, making significant contributions to the field of maternal health and support.

Denise Bolds

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Biography Denise Bolds MSW, Adv.CD (DONA), CLC, CBE. www.BoldDoula.com
Black Women Do VBAC
Denise Bolds is Bold Doula, she holds a MSW degree and is a doctoral student at Saint John Fischer University. She is experienced in case managing high- risk pregnancies for managed care organizations. Ms. Bolds was one of the first MSW Social Workers hired in NYS for Medical Management in Health Management Organizations. She is a DONA International Advanced Certified Birth Doula with 281 births of experience since 2014. She is certified as an Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Instructor. Ms. Bolds is also a Certified Lactation Counselor providing breastfeeding support and breastfeeding classes. Ms. Bolds is the owner and developer of ‘Black Women Do VBAC’ She offers mentoring and training to birth doulas; and is known for her advocacy and empowerment in Black birth-work. Ms. Bolds is a noted public speaker, workshop presenter and podcast producer (Independently and formerly with Lamaze); she is MWBE certified in NYS/NYC. She is a native New Yorker born in Harlem NYC and is a successful single mom of a 33-year-old son. She loves skydiving, collecting stones, tarot decks and beaches.