Evidence on obstetric violence is reported globally and is a human rights violation. They are widely reported in low and middle income countries, such as India although little is known about the characteristics and nature of disrespect and abuse in perinatal services in high resource countries, such as Canada. In this talk, Dr. Kaveri Mayra presents findings of obstetric violence research from two arts based studies in India and Canada, respectively. The study from India involved co-creation of birth mapping adapted from body mapping, with the participants to understand the embodied experience of respect, disrespect and abuse during childbirth. The body maps accurately portray women’s respectful and disrespectful births and are useful to understand women’s experience of a sensitive issue in a patriarchal culture.

Dr. Kaveri Mayra, PhD, MPH, BScN

Medicaid-funded doula work can be deeply impactful—and uniquely vulnerable to administrative overload and unpaid labor when managed care organization (MCO) billing systems are confusing. In this session, Terry Wong will simulate the process and experience in becoming a Medicaid Doula. This Live Lab has three parts: (1) participants will learn how to assess whether Medicaid work fits their business model; (2) what additional skills and compliance practices are required (enrollment, documentation, HIPAA-aware workflows); and (3) how begin servicing Medicaid clients like conducting intakes and checking eligibility. Using a practical comparison of three states coverage structures, visit types, and MCO realities; offering doulas with public health–informed workflows to deliver ethical, culturally responsive support while protecting sustainability. Through case simulations, live polls, and skills practice, attendees build a state-aligned equitable service blueprint and leave with Medicaid enrollment requirement checklists, a client tracking + billing cheat sheet, and plug-and-play scripts/templates.

Terry Wong, MPH, MCHES®, CD/PCD (DONA)

Doulas enter birth spaces with the intention to support, yet even well-meaning words and actions can unintentionally cause harm. Microaggressions, unexamined comments, and behaviors shaped by bias can erode trust, silence clients, and reinforce power imbalances, especially for Black, Indigenous, immigrant, LGBTQ+, disabled, and religiously marginalized families.

Laurice Snyder, CD

Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) is conducted by an interdisciplinary team that examines cases of fetal deaths (20 weeks gestation and beyond) and infant deaths occurring before the first birthday. At each review, the team includes physicians, midwives, nurses, social workers, EMS personnel, mental health professionals, doulas, and community members who lead local programs. The goal is to review all fetal and infant mortality cases within a county, identify contributing factors, and develop strategies to prevent future deaths.

Dr. Grace Dible, DNP, CNM, APRN

The womb holds emotional, hormonal, and ancestral memory — and doulas are often the first to witness how this history shapes a birthing person’s experience. This session explores the menstrual cycle as a somatic blueprint that reveals patterns in stress response, emotional processing, and nervous system needs throughout pregnancy and birth.

Te'zha Jones,

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is more common during the perinatal period than many pregnancy-related health conditions, yet it often goes unrecognized. Doulas are uniquely positioned to provide safety, validation, and connection during one of the most vulnerable and transformative times in a person’s life. The truth is: you are already working with survivors. You just may not know it. This interactive session explores the connection between IPV and the perinatal period, including how violence impacts pregnancy, birth outcomes, postpartum recovery, and infant health. Participants will learn how to integrate universal education into their doula practice without screening, diagnosing, or “investigating”, and how to offer trauma-informed, survivor-centered support that preserves autonomy and safety. Through real-world scenarios and practical language tools, doulas will build confidence in having supportive conversations, responding to disclosures, and making warm, effective referrals. Participants will leave with customizable universal education handouts and actionable strategies they can immediately integrate into prenatal visits, labor support, and postpartum care.

Cheree Thomas, M.L.S., C.D.M., Co-Executive Director, MCEDSV

Dr. Jessica Edel, Ph.D., Program Director, MCEDSV

Surrogacy is a unique and deeply collaborative way to build families—and doulas play a powerful role in supporting everyone involved. This session offers an engaging and accessible look at how doulas can confidently navigate the surrogacy process while providing compassionate, informed care to both gestational carriers and intended parents. Participants will explore the fundamentals of surrogacy, learn how to support clients through medical, emotional, and logistical milestones, and practice real-world scenarios that strengthen communication and advocacy skills. Whether you are new to surrogacy work or looking to expand your professional toolkit, this session will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to help make surro-births smoother, safer, and more empowering for all.

Amanda Kinnard-Fuchsgruber,

Doulas are essential to improving maternal and family outcomes — yet many doulas struggle to sustain their work long-term, limiting access for the families who need support most. This session explores how doula sustainability is not just a business issue, but an equity issue.

Ashley Gerhard, CD(DONA)

This workshop invites clinicians, therapists, and birth workers to deepen their understanding of postpartum mental health through a trauma-informed, parts-based lens. While many approaches focus on postpartum depression or anxiety as diagnostic categories, this session explores the identity fragmentation, emotional overwhelm, and somatic distress that often go unseen. Drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and somatic trauma healing, participants will learn how to identify and work with common postpartum parts—such as the Overfunctioner, the Inner Critic, and the Self-Sacrificing Caretaker. Practical tools will be shared to support clients in reconnecting with their inner world, regulating their nervous system, and reclaiming the Self after birth. This session is especially beneficial for those supporting intellectualizers and high achieving birth persons.

America Allen, MSW, LCSW

Despite advances in obstetric care, pregnancy and postpartum remain some of the most vulnerable seasons in a woman’s life. While medicine excels at managing pregnancy and delivery, it often overlooks the realities of recovery after birth. The true gap is not a lack of medical knowledge, but a lack of continuity, education, and support once a mother leaves the delivery room. Gaps between visits, dismissed concerns, fragmented follow-up, and minimal preparation for the fourth trimester leave many families navigating recovery alone. This session examines how postpartum is structurally under-designed — not because of individual providers, but because systems were never built with the fourth trimester in mind.

Dr. Phindile Chowa, MD