Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition
Doula Support
Discover the Difference a Doula Makes
I'm thrilled to welcome you to our Community Doula Program, an exciting initiative driven by our shared belief that every person deserves a supported and empowering birth experience. We are currently in the building phase of this program, fueled by your interest and the growing awareness of the transformative impact doulas can have. Our vision is ambitious - to ensure that every individual who chooses a doula in our community has access to compassionate and skilled support.
We believe that by welcoming doulas into our birthing community, we create a stronger, more supportive village for families.
-Arianna Nesbitt, CEO and Certified Labor Doula
What is a doula?
A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous, compassionate, emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy and childbirth. They do not provide medical care or deliver babies.
Their role is to:
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Offer companionship and advocacy throughout the pregnancy, labor, and early postpartum period.
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Provide evidence-based information about birth options and help to make informed decisions.
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Offer comfort measures like massage and breathing techniques for coping with labor discomfort.
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Help create a calm and positive birthing environment.
Doulas empower individuals to have positive birth experiences and smooth transitions into parenthood.
March of Dimes supports increased access to doula care as one tool to help improve birth outcomes and drive change in communities. Benefits of having a doula include:
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fewer c-sections (cesarean sections)
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Less anxiety and depression for pregnant people
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Less pain-relief medication during labor
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Shorter time in labor
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Fewer negative childbirth experiences
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Better communication between pregnant people and their health care providers
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Lower healthcare costs
We believe every person on our island deserves a positive, empowering birth experience, which is why we are currently able to offer this service on a donation basis. Our doulas offer personalized, culturally sensitive care, tailored to the unique needs of the family. We're here to help you achieve your desired birth experience with confidence and joy.
FAQ
What are the fees for a doula? We believe every family deserves a joyful and supported birth experience, regardless of their financial situation. We are currently able to offer these services on a donation-based basis thanks to generous grant funding. Your contributions will help us sustain this model and ensure long-term accessibility for all families in our community. When you join our program, we ask for a one-time initial donation that is meaningful to you to help sustain our mission. This initial donation helps us cover program operation costs like training, supplies, and administrative support. Your generosity, whatever the amount, makes a difference. Donations allow us to continue providing high-quality doula care and reach more families in our community.
What is a community doula model? Our Community Doula Program goes beyond offering birth support. In addition to being skilled professionals, our doulas are trusted neighbors, friends, and advocates. We understand the unique challenges and strengths of our families. We strive to develop a program that is accessible, culturally attuned, collaborative, and supportive. For this reason, we pair each family with a primary and a back-up doula to ensure continuous support even when emergencies arise. At a minimum, your doula team will meet with you twice during pregnancy, provide continuous support in the labor and delivery room, and one postpartum visit. Each doula has their own style, and they may adjust this to fit your needs.
This program is supported by the Florida Blue Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, and the Health Foundation of South Florida.
New Client Portal Now Live!
Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition has big news. To better serve our clients, we have added a client portal feature. Here you will be able to add your dependents, update your profile, request items and services, sign waivers, and so much more! Our goal is to streamline how you interact with us and make it easier to help you with the most up-to-date information.
Anyone who uses our services must create a new profile. You will not be able to use our services until this is done. Please follow these steps for easy sign-up!
If you have any questions, please call 305-293-8424.