Doulas make a difference in maternal health care and can be a part of improving healthcare outcomes, and yet we know that doulas are not accessible to all families. When doulas and community organizations work together with health care payers, more parents have access to doula support. In this session doulas, Tonja Carpenter and Emilie Cunningham will discuss their experience in successfully developing and launching a community-based doula organization/community health collaborate with a managed care [Medicaid] organization. Join Tonja and Emilie as they share their real-world experience in launching their pilot program and explore how you may also look for opportunities your own local community

Tonja Carpenter, IBCLC, PCD(DONA)

Dr. Emilie Cunningham, PhD, MPH

Few people become doulas because they want to become a business expert or marketing guru. The work touches their soul and is important to families. After training, the struggle is real to not only launch a
business, but then be successful and maintain that year after year. In the session “'Bee' Successful: The Keys to Launching (and Sustaining) a Doula Business” you will discover simple and effective techniques that build your client base, book your calendar and let you focus on doing what you love - supporting families. Even if you are well established - wouldn’t it be great to fill your calendar
without much effort or hustle? Learn easy to implement steps to working smarter, not harder in this fun, interactive session.

Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE

This session will discuss the current state of maternity care and how implicit bias, racism and discrimination impact pregnancy and birth outcomes. We will discuss healthcare disparities among black, indigenous and people of color in maternity care. Cultural humility the next step in cultural competence will be explored as a potential framework for addressing implicit bias among maternity healthcare professionals. The 5R’s of cultural humility including reflection, respect, regard, relevance, and resiliency infused with mindfulness will be offered as a coaching tool that is easily accessible to anyone doing birth work.

Dr. Mechell Duran, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CDCES, BC-ADM, NBC-HWC, LCCE

We hope you had a fantastic first day of conference.  Here’s a special closing message from the 2022 DONA International President, Nikia Lawson.

Nikia Lawson, MA, BSW, BDT/CD(DONA)

It’s been an amazing two days so far of learning.  DONA Internationals President Elect, Hillary Melchiors has a few words to share with you in closing. 

Hillary Melchiors, PhD, MPH, LCCE, CD(DONA)

It’s hard to believe that DONA International has been in existence for 30 years!  The organization was founded in October of 1992 with the original goal of educating and certifying 100 doulas. WOW!

Join DONA Leaders as we share together the pearls of wisdom of things learned over the last 30 years and look excitedly and collaboratively ahead to the future of the profession.

One thing remains, that DONA International is committed to our vision of a doula for every person who wants one! 

DONA Leadership invites DONA members to our annual membership meeting!

As a not-for-profit membership organization, DONA International leaders offer a member meeting once a year.  The member meeting often takes place during our annual conference.  It is a live event, however the recordings are offered for members via our online webinar platform, Elevate. 

Live Attendees and On-Demand viewers will receive 1 DONA Contact hour for attendance at the membership meeting.

Topics Discussed:

• State of DONA International
• Reports from all areas (Membership, Education, Certification, and Financial, DEI, Advocacy etc.)
• Highlights from the past year
• Highlights of current and upcoming projects
• Ways to get involved and help your voice be heard

One of the most loved parts of a DONA conference is the opportunity to connect with other doulas!  We’ve set aside this time for members to pop into zoom rooms to connect with our leaders and one another.  Come take a breath, hang out, and meet some new colleagues…and maybe in the future…a new doula friend!

The number of doula agencies has grown exponentially in recent years. But what makes a great agency? What should birth and postpartum doulas keep in mind before signing on? Which red flags should make you run the other way? We'll explore all of these questions along with notes on potentially becoming an agency owner yourself. When's the right time? How do you get started? How much work is it really? Tune in live for all of the insider details.

Jessica English, BDT/AdvCD/PCD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE

What kind of power do doulas have to advocate with their clients in the face of obstetric violence? Using examples from my own doula practice and scholarly research, this presentation will discuss ways that we can take action with our clients and ourselves as doulas to take on obstetric violence and the trauma it can cause. If doulas want to change things, we have to understand our place within the current systems, so we can take the most effective action without causing further damage or disappointment to our clients and ourselves in the process.

Hillary Melchiors, PhD, MPH, LCCE, CD(DONA)

Despite decades of research demonstrating improved health outcomes associated with doula support, less than 10% of birthing people in the US ever have access to this service.  Doula care is associated with lower rates of interventions, higher breastfeeding initiation, and a reduction in preterm birth and NICU admissions. More recent research has shown that community-based doula care reduces health inequities in underserved communities, especially when that care is culturally concordant and linguistically matched. Doulas also improve the experience of care, reducing reports of mistreatment and disrespectful care disproportionately experienced in Black, Indigenous, other communities of color and among gender expansive birthing people. In this presentation, I discuss findings from a multimodal ethnography designed to examine the points of friction within one such Community Doula Program (CDP) in Oregon. Specifically, our community research team aimed to center the voices of diverse doulas to better understand the experiences of providing care in a system not designed to include them. We engaged in participant-observation over a four-year period, and analyzed semi-structured, open-ended interviews, original artwork and poetry created by doulas working within the CDP, using consensus coding to identify cross-cutting themes. We identified a trajectory for doula care and professional development shaped by interactions with the larger system and in relationship to the program, other doulas, and the clients they serve. In this talk, I examine this trajectory through three, emergent temporal and visual themes: 1) “Finding the work”: personal transformation; 2) “Hitting the Brick Wall”: birth work realities; and 3) “Staying with the trouble”: building community. Doulas’ narratives and visual storytelling highlight potential pathways for systems-level integration of community doulas as universal and highly valued members of US maternity care teams.

Dr. Melissa Cheyney, PhD., LDM

As emotional supports, doulas have a unique opportunity to assist clients in not only the physical and mental aspects of birth but also in the shift in identity as they become parents (whether for the first or tenth time). Yet such support is not yet well studied in research or often discussed in doula trainings. My presentation fills this gap by providing education on the topic and tools for implementing this new knowledge. In this session, we will discuss the identity shift into parenthood – particularly motherhood – and examine four ways in which doulas can best support clients through this transition. These recommendations are based on the presenter’s original sociological research with the most comprehensive dataset in existence on the topic: a four-year study of 84 people with various fertility ideals and realities.

Dr. Abigail Jorgensen, Ph.D., CD(DONA), LCCE, HCBD

We are affected by our feelings and emotions every day. Some things we perceive as positive, happy, while others are stored in our mind and in our body as negative experience or even trauma. We go on with our lives and swipe these experiences under the carpet. But when we prepare for the birth, these old memories resurface and often became overwhelming. As birth workers we often see these memories surface during the preparation for the birth in the form of fear and anxiety of “I will never be a good parent”. Sometimes they are triggered during the birth, and the parent cannot relax. Or they surface as a postpartum depression due to the fussy or crying baby.

I invite you to join me for the session to find out how we can recognize these traumas during the preparation for birth and help parents have a smoother transition into parenthood.

Dr. Špela Peternel, AdvCD(DONA), PhD

As we continue to recover from the worldwide trauma of COVID-19 we will take a pause to assess and evaluate our current emotional, physical, and spiritual selves. This data will provide us with synergy to continue on our wellness path and redirect and restore those whose paths have left them depleted or with deprivation. Music, Movement, and Art will be incorporated as we look at cultural competencies, build community, and enhance our postpartum and breastfeeding knowledge.

Razan Rodgers, MHS., CAD

Imagine a scenario where you walk into the birth space and the provider won’t look you in the eyes. They seem cold and distant. You know how this will end. You’ll go home feeling exhausted, unseen, a lesser-than citizen of the human race, and like you’ll never be seen as an essential member of the birth team. But what if implementing just a few techniques could result in a more beautiful ending to this scenario? This session will share useful tips for creating outstanding relationships with providers to enhance the doula-client experience and increase satisfaction in our roles.

Melissa Chappell, BDT(DONA), LDEM, CPM

Research shows that early intervention can be effective for preventing up to 50% of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Doulas and other birth workers are uniquely positioned—as both providers of emotional support as well as trusted resources of information—to connect expecting and new mothers and families with a prevention-based mental health intervention. In this session, attendees will learn strategies for how to support those clients who are at an increased risk of perinatal mental illness due to a pre-existing mental health condition or other risk factors, as well as learn about the evidence-base underpinning prevention and early intervention-based mental health solutions. Also included are discussion of those experiences related to fertility treatments and miscarriages.

Dr. Alex Kelman, PhD

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as increased interest in 3rd party payment (insurance/Medicaid) for doulas, DONA Certification is more valuable than ever. The DONA certification process is designed to be a rigorous and enjoyable learning experience in and of itself and there are many tips and tricks that can help doulas succeed along the way. Join Jenn Fontaine, a member of the DONA Certification Committee, and a panel of newly certified DONA Birth Doulas as they discuss certification in a new way. This session is perfect for those working on certification and will include suggestions for new doulas working on certification, common mistakes in the process, as well as tips to be successful! Get the most out of your journey to DONA certification as you lay the foundation to the future of your doula career.

Jhenielle Reynolds, CD (DONA)

Natalie Portman, CD(DONA)

Taylor Kriseldi, CD(DONA)

Jennifer Fontaine, CD/BDT(DONA), CPD(DONA), CLE, LCCE

Low-income people in the United States are at a higher risk of poor birth outcomes, and pregnant and birthing people of color, especially Black pregnant and birthing people, are especially vulnerable. Expanding access to doulas, who can help reduce the impacts of racism and racial bias in health care on pregnant people of color by providing individually tailored, culturally appropriate, and patient-centered care and advocacy, have been touted as among the most promising approaches to combating maternal mortality and racial disparities in maternal health. Accordingly, since 2019, a number of states have implemented, or are currently in the process of implementing, Medicaid coverage for doula care. This session will share an update on current doula Medicaid implementation efforts across the country, including sharing implementation challenges, as well as lifting up best practices.

Amy Chen, Esq.,National Health Law Program, Doula Medicaid Project

Many conversations focus solely on race, without a thorough examination of how individuals’ various other identities and experiences impact their health outcomes. Coined by Dr. Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, intersectionality has become the buzzword of our time but the framework is often misunderstood. Participants will learn about the foundations of intersectionality and its impact on equity-seeking communities of various races, genders, sexualities, belief systems, immigration statuses, and abilities as well as its common myths and misperceptions.

Diane Burkholder,

Are you a new doula struggling to get your name out there? Do you feel at a loss for where to find clients? Are you intimated and scared to talk to other professionals in your area? Then this is the session for you! Come hear a fellow new doula share how she conquered her fears to build an extensive networking community that has benefitted both her doula clients and her business! It may seem scary at first, but you've got this! Building relationships and connections with other professionals in your area is way easier than it feels! We promise!

Lexi Zuo, CD(DONA)

The early postpartum period is well-known for sleep deprivation, pain and discomfort from cesarean incision or perineal suturing, and the challenges of establishing breastfeeding. Share these 5 effective movement patterns to enhance the physical and emotional domains in your client’s life and prevent medical challenges of bedrest.

Emily Wannenburg, DNDM, CLC, HBCE, AdvCD(DONA), AFAA

Every year in the US, 22000 babies are stillborn.  The devastation for their families is difficult to describe and the impact of their lives lost is often unmeasured.  Unfortunately, many health professionals are taught that stillbirth in this setting is argely unpreventable.  Recent efforts in other high-income settings, however, have shown this to be false.  This presentation will review the status of stillbirth in the United States and how that compares to other nations.  We will review initiatives that have shown to reduce stillbirth and address the barriers to their implementation in the United States. Improvement in the US stillbirth rate is possible. The discussion will consider what is needed to realize similar results and how each health professional can play a role

Jen Hamilton, RN, BSN, CEN, RNC-OB

The research of Dr. Elaine Aron has determined that around 15-20% of the human population has Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS). People with this neutral genetic trait, also referred to as highly sensitive people (HSP), are more sensitive to environmental and internal stimuli. As a result, that can become more easily overwhelmed or overstimulated by loud environments, new experiences, strong emotions and physical sensations. 

Birth can be an overwhelming experience for all people, but it's especially true for the 1 in 5 birthing people who are highly sensitive. Public awareness of SPS has been growing in recent years. But unfortunately, many birthing people may not even be aware that they are highly sensitive, and many births, especially those happening in a hospital setting, can provide opportunities for sensory overload. Doulas are perfectly positioned to help clients self identify if they are highly sensitive and to provide support in reducing stimuli and thus the chance for stressful overwhelm during birth. In this session, we'll share foundational information about what SPS is and how doulas can help support highly sensitive clients.

Kate Kalas, CD(DONA)

Lucrezia Mangione, NCC, LPC

There are many barriers to building queer (LGBTQIA+) families. Financial, legal, emotional and practical issues often come into play. Doulas can play an important role throughout the process. Once families are on the labor and delivery floor, there are some very important ways that doulas can help hold space for the pregnant person and their family. This session will discuss the decisions many queer families must make in order to grow, how doulas can support queer families specifically, and what barriers doulas should consider to help queer families navigate the birth world.

Ashley Haden-Peaches, LMSW, CD(DONA), IBCLC, CPST, CBE

Pregnancy and infant loss is one of the harder things that doulas bear witness to. While it’s not an easy subject to tackle, it is important for doulas to understand the process that our families may experience and some best practice tips for supporting families through it.  In this session we’ll discuss the different types of perinatal loss, the importance of holding space for special dates, and some tangible ways to support clients who are or have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or infant.

Nneka Hall,

This session will allow participants to gain a new business perspective on nonprofit birth and postpartum doula work, that makes an impact on birth/postpartum statistics in their community. Participants will be able to demonstrate ways in which birth and postpartum work can lead to greater cultural competence and understanding of implicit bias in their community. By the end of the session, they will be able to explain the benefits of creating a non-profit organization and the risks associated. They will understand the importance of having business support and gaining the key knowledge needed to sustain a nonprofit status.

ShLanda Burton, AdvCD(DONA)

Art, History, and Conversation.

Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey were enslaved women from plantations in and around Montgomery, Alabama. With neither consent nor anesthesia, they were experimented on by Dr. J. Marion Sims in the 1840s. After publishing the results of his ""success,"" Sims moved to New York to seek fame and fortune. Within a decade, he became known as the Father of Gynecology.  By contrast, Anarcha, Betsey, and Lucy fell into history. They changed the world, only to be forgotten by it. In this session, the artist and creator of The Mothers of Gynecology Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama will share insight into the 15-foot public monument created to honor these women, tell their story, and shine a light on ongoing racial disparities in the healthcare industry today.

Michelle Browder, CE

Postpartum is a sensitive time that is honored by traditions and rituals for healing. Rituals also provide the protective social structures to achieve culturally safe care that honors and incorporates beliefs, culture, and encourages cultural humility.   Join Debra and Robin as they share examples of postpartum healing rituals, discuss the similarities and differences across cultures and invite you to connect with and create a list of the cultural beliefs and traditions from your community. Understand the importance of a doula's role in cultural humility and cultural safety for clients and their families.

Robin Lim, CPM

Debra Pascali-Bonaro, LCCE, AdvCD/BDT/PDT(DONA)

As we seek to increase breastfeeding success rates and affect maternal and infant health in the first weeks postpartum, we sometimes have a missing link; intentional support at home! In this session, Mr. Wesley Bugg will share information about the organization ROBE (Reaching Our Brothers Everywhere, inc.) which seeks to educate, equip, and empower men to impact an increase in breastfeeding rates and a decrease in infant mortality rates within African-American communities. The session will discuss the importance of male figures and other non-lactating support people in the breastfeeding journey, the updated CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (The World Health Organization) guidelines for safe sleep, and explore the positive intergenerational impact of breastfeeding. He will also discuss the need for education and advocacy throughout society, as well as the power of listening to community members and the magnification of services that occurs through effective professional partnering. Doulas will leave this session with information and resources to help prepare families for intentional postpartum family support as they transition to parenthood.

G. Wesley Bugg, JD/LLM

From the unique perspective of an agency owner, Kathryn Keener will discuss turnover in the industry amidst increasing demand, the challenge of setting realistic expectations for aspiring doulas, and the need for various forms of mentorship and professional development that are accessible and realistic. She will share feedback from doulas who were passionate about the work but couldn’t make it fit into their lifestyle, the impact on families and the profession when doulas can't make good on their commitments, and the role of trainers and agency owners in setting new doulas up for success.

Kathryn Keener, MS

Storytelling through film and audio preserves our past and shapes our future. From the earliest moments in our lives, we are hard-wired to respond to stories. Forces deep within us resonate and vibrate to the melody of the story. But what happens when we neither know nor grasp the reservoir of collected experiences that comprise our own story? Understanding our story and knowing how to tell it may become the solution to the riddle of our lives. This session will explore the importance of documenting life through video, imagery, and audio storytelling. We’ll discuss documenting births and birth stories including triumphs and loses and how that documentation shapes the birth industry. We’ll also discuss how storytelling relates to social movement through social media (IG, TikTok, reels, storylines et.), and how film and audio storytelling can be so profound that it defines future generations. From the earliest moments in our lives, we are hard-wired to respond to stories. 

This is a hybrid session that will be presented via pre-recorded presentation with live Q/A and discussion. After the pre-recorded session with Mr. Singleton, there will be an opportunity for discussion and application to our work with DONA International President Nikia Lawson, live. 

Lindell Singleton, Storyteller