by Madison Naves | WeINSPIRE Journalist

BIRMINGHAM, AL. -- Whether in a hospital, a clinic, or the comfort of a home, each birth experience is valid and the beginning of a new story. While some births do not always go the way parents plan for them to, people are trained to make pregnancy and birth a story to remember and cherish no matter the circumstance. Many parents are choosing to hire Doulas to ensure their birth experience complies with their wishes, especially with new pandemic protocols interfering in hospitals across the country. Doulas of North America (DONA) International defines a Doula as a trained professional that provides physical, emotional, and informational support to a mother before, during, and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. Marilyn Rice is a Doula located in Atlanta, GA, and the owner of Sunshine Doula Services since 2019. Rice began her business while attending certification workshops and shadowing other doulas during births.

After working as an elementary school teacher and Media Specialist for the Clayton County Public School System for 21 years, she began her own business to combat the obstacles the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on teachers and educators. As a Doula, Rice specializes in assisting parents through births and with postpartum care and emotional support in the event of child loss. She assists other Doulas as an apprentice during births by helping mothers through labor pains, dilation, and capturing the birth with her photography skills. She mentioned that pregnancy loss was one of her inspirations to becoming a Doula. Rice herself experienced a pregnancy loss and found sharing her story with others as a way to heal.

”I had become quite upset that women with non-living children were often not acknowledged, or the topic of miscarriage and infant loss was either seen as taboo or just too sad to talk about with others,” said Rice.

Parents.com advises reaching out to others as a way to heal emotionally after pregnancy loss and journaling, exercising, or creating a remembrance item such as a plant or keepsake.

Rice took her healing a step further by using her loss to support other parents through childbirth.

”Based on some of my experiences and journey to becoming a mother, I wanted to assist those who are bereaved parents,” said Rice. “That’s a very traumatic experience to go through, and I don’t think a lot of people have the opportunity to share or talk about those experiences just because it’s so sad and difficult to deal with.”

March of Dimes reported in 2017 that 10 to 15% of all pregnancies end in miscarriages making this a widespread prevalence.

”Another thing that made me so passionate about this is being a black woman and knowing about healthcare,” said Rice. “A lot of times, we go unheard.”

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy due to structural racism, implicit bias, and inadequate healthcare. Many black parents are coming forward with their malpractice stories to raise awareness and prevent further deaths and complications. The Biden administration announced in April 2021 an initial action to address the black maternal health crisis within the US. They have pledged to invest over $6 billion in initiatives for reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. Organizations like Sister’s in Loss have banded Doulas across the country to advocate for the safety of black mothers. They do so by creating a platform for women to come together and share their stories and back initiatives in congress to make a difference for other black mothers. Until these initiatives prove beneficial, some parents choose to labor through childbirth either in their homes or pregnancy centers for safety and cost protection.

COVID-19 restrictions within hospitals have also factored into parent’s decisions on where they decide to give birth. The surge in hiring Midwives, physicians, and Doulas allows parents the option to deliver safely and in a comfortable environment of their choosing. Hiring a Doula can benefit parents even after birth with continuous postpartum care and emotional support.

”Doula’s jobs are not ending just after birth; I’ve cooked meals, I’ve helped get their other children on routine,” said Rice. ”I’d love to help with shopping or household chores; basically anything the parents would need to be successful starting their life with a new baby.”

Rice plans to continue gaining experience as a Doula as COVID-19 protocols begin to lift and allow further access to clients looking to tailor their birth experience. She is currently in the final stages of becoming certified as a Bereavement Doula with Sister’s in Loss and keeps in touch with her previous clients and the children she has helped deliver. As people begin to craft the following chapters in their lives, if pregnancy should be a story they want to explore, they may need help. Doulas like Rice are there for them and happy to make their pregnancy an epic story to embrace. Rice advises everyone to invest in themselves, especially when it comes to health and wellness.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup,” said Rice. “You have to make sure that you are doing well so that your life can be well.”

For parents looking to hire a Doula in the Atlanta, GA area, please visit https://doulamarisun.wixsite.com/doulamarisun. For more information on Doulas, pregnancy loss, and how to advocate for the safety of black mothers, visit Sisters in Loss.