Labor Support
The most essential role of the Perinatal Support Professional is to provide continuous labor support to the birthing client. Our PSPs are extensively trained to be able to do this in a manner that honors the birth wish/plan of the clients we serve. During labor, the assigned doula will serve in the capacity of a support person, labor coach, instructor, peer counselor and peer advisor. BBC’s perinatal support team are not clinicians, physicians, nurses, or any other licensed provider. PSP’s are insured for their work as birth and/or postpartum support.
The Childbirth Education Series is offered within the Labor Support. Classes offered are culturally centered and include Birth Planning 101, which teaches clients the importance of a birth plan, how to create a birth plan, and the choices mothers have during labor, what to expect during labor, and relaxation for natural labor.
Life Goal Planning
Offering classes to promote health in wellness, Life Goal Planning offers nutrition education classes, financial classes, GED assistance and Yoga classes. Nutrition Education offers a guide for beneficial foods during pregnancy and development. It also helps clients to establish a healthy relationship with food and being mindful of consumption.
These classes are included to aid BBC clients in developing healthy habits and promoting longevity.
Lactation Support
Prenatal Breastfeeding Class Series
The lactation support team holds a series of classes that all mothers are expected to attend to learn about the benefits of breastfeeding, for us to dispel any myths, acknowledge any anxieties or fears, and to answer any questions.
Regular visits with mother
To ensure that we are helping mom and baby reach each breastfeeding milestone, the lactation support team and perinatal support make regular visits. There is only so much you can learn from reading about breastfeeding or talking to others – sometimes the best help is hands-on with the assistance of an experienced lactation support person. When working with a breastfeeding client, we can see the situation in person and being able to aid in the moment – even through tiny adjustments – makes a huge difference.
Breastfeeding Celebration
After completion of the prenatal breastfeeding class series, BBC hosts a party honoring the mothers who completed the series and made a commitment to initiate breastfeeding.
Postpartum Breastfeeding Class Series
The lactation team facilitates regular in-person and virtual classes for families throughout the postpartum period.
Postpartum (After Birth) Plan
The lactation support team works with a PSP and our client to help create a breastfeeding plan that is integrated with their overall birth plan.
Consultation
Lactation or breastfeeding consultation are available for all clients to assist with client questions or concerns around breastfeeding or to assist families as they begin their breastfeeding journey.
Visits Mother within 48 Hours
The lactation support team visits the mother within 48-hours of delivery to answer any questions she or her family may have about breastfeeding, offer hands-on support if needed and provide encouragement.
Our goal is to increase breastfeeding initiation rates of our clients to 100%. To do so, we need the support of the entire perinatal support team, the community, the lactation team, and family and friends of clients.
Grocery Shopping
BBC values quality nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum for breastfeeding mothers. We support grocery store shopping on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays to establishments that provide fresh produce and perishable items at the minimum. This includes supermarkets, farmer’s markets, food drives and Cleveland Foodbank associated food pantries. Clients may travel to grocery stores within an 8-mile radius of their home.
Transportation Services
BBC continually works to eliminate barriers to receive optimal health care and support for their clients. For those who have attended or are actively working toward Essence of a Woman, we’ve eliminated the barrier of transportation. Uber transportation is available for clients:
- To travel to and from approved classes
- Client prenatal and postpartum appointments
- Baby well-check appointments
- Approved task completion including grocery shopping
Clients can request Uber to attend our Childbirth Series classes, workshops, and hosted events. Uber can also be used for doctor appointments that insurance transportation can’t accommodate, Women Infants and Children (WIC) appointments related to pregnancy, or Centering Pregnancy.
POSTPARTUM OVERNIGHT CARE
At night, the role of the doula is baby care and mom support. Clients who are returning to work, having a difficult time adjusting, need help with night care schedule or simply need rest can request overnight care for a total of 8 hours maximum. Night care can be split between 24-hour shifts or an 8-hour shift.
Overnight care is available to families who need assistance transitioning with a new baby overnight. some families need a good night while baby is figuring out their own sleep rhythm. Postpartum PSPs can stay up overnight with baby, sleeping only when baby sleeps, to make sure baby is safe, fed, and changed. this can allow new families a clear mind when they are feeling foggy.
If the mother is bottle feeding, the PSP cares for the baby throughout the night – feeding, burping, changing, settling and putting the baby down after feeding.
Cutting down her “up” time, overnight care allows the mom to get more sleep, even if she is nursing. Resting with overnight care helps new moms recover and heal from pregnancy and delivery sooner than she might have with less sleep because healing happens while sleeping. Lessening the exhaustion common in the early weeks after delivery, PSP overnight helps the entire family aby giving the new mom and dad a reprieve from disrupted sleep.
