The Childbirth Doula Program started with seed monies from Mississippi Action For Progress, Incorporated and was later funded by March of Dimes and Delta Futures: A Healthy Start Initiative. Presently the Childbirth Doula Program has become a part of the Early Head Start Program in Leflore County.
The purpose of the program is to provide prenatal, postnatal, and postpartum counseling to forty (40) pregnant women and/or newly delivered mothers in Leflore County. The counseling began during, just after labor and delivery. Additionally, the program encourages and assists new mothers in continuing their education and delaying or preventing repeat pregnancies.
Our objective is to improve or better the birth outcomes for pregnant women by identifying and/or coordinating comprehensive health care services, social services, and educational services to women and teens who are most likely to be eligible for Early Head Start and Preschool Head Start services. The services will enhance the family's ability to break the cycle of unplanned pregnancies and economic dependency.
The pregnant women attend workshops on money management, self-esteem building, maternal and postpartum depression, breast-feeding, and medical interventions. Lectures on parenting skills and nutrition, comfort measures for labor and delivery, anatomy and physiology, labor and delivery.