NJ nonprofit celebrates passage of bill guaranteeing moms right to doula in hospital
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - A maternal health bill that passed in New Jersey this year ensures pregnant mothers have access to doulas in hospitals and birthing centers.
Uzo Achebe at the Children's Home Society of New Jersey oversees the nonprofit's Safer Childbirth Cities program.
She's a doula and also advocates for multi-cultural doulas.
"One of my first clients was a Nigerian family, same tribe, same language," Achebe said. "I think it's so beautiful to have that cultural representation. Having someone who is trained in making sure you are safe and advocated for in the birthing room and the birthing space is so important."
Children's Home Society of New Jersey in Trenton is making it their mission to train bilingual doulas to help mothers navigate pregnancy - and make sure they can effectively communicate with doctors and other health professionals.
Silvia Corado, a doula and doula supervisor at CHSNJ, has been assisting mothers throughout their pregnancies including Stefhany Mendez, who is the mother of two. Corado was there for the birth of Mendez's second child, 2-year-old Isabella.
"My husband, he doesn't understand that much English, so he felt safer having her there," Mendez said.
Children's Home Society is a nonprofit that provides family support services to our most vulnerable population. At the top of their list is now a bilingual doula training program funded partly by The Burke Foundation.
The Burke Foundation invested around $500,000 in the first bilingual doula program in Trenton.
"So they can hire even more doulas that are Hispanic, that are black that are Arabic, Middle Eastern that really matches the diversity of this rich community," Atiya Weiss, executive director of The Burke Foundation, said.