Doulas are non-medical professionals who give support to mothers before, during, and right after, the birth of their children. They provide a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on, and massage techniques to relieve pain during birth. They are a wonderfully kept secret in the Midwest; a resource that positively impacts women and their birth experiences. Research shows that doula services have a positive impact on the women they serve. The Doula Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides these resources to at-risk women near Springfield, MO. In 2014, the foundation asked the sociology department at Missouri State to determine the degree of impact the organization is having on their clients. This was done by analyzing the client intake data collected by the organization, surveying previous clients, and by conducting interviews with these clients.
The results from this research were outstanding. We found that breast-feeding rates of these women were much higher, C-section rates were lower, and 84% of respondents rated the Doula Foundation as an eight or higher on a ten-point scale. The testimonies from the women had a tremendous impact. A survey participant stated, “If it wasn’t for my Doula I don’t know what I would’ve done…My Doula was my life saver, my mother passed three weeks before I had my baby! She was my everything! If it wasn’t for my Doula, I can say I would’ve had my baby and given her to [her grandma and father] and left.”
Being part of this research has had an incredible impact on me. I learned how to apply practical skills outside the classroom, including interviewing, analyzing data, and report writing. I also learned the importance of doula services; knowledge I would not have acquired otherwise. However, what is even more eye-opening is working with this at-risk population. As sociologists we constantly study how an unequal society creates at-risk populations. Through this project I have been able to meet people who have really been given the short-end of the stick in our society, but whose lives have been made better by an organization who choose to care for women. It reminds me that as a society we have a long way to go, but as a community we can have lasting impacts on individuals if we so choose.