DAVENPORT, Fla — On a May afternoon, we saw a two-week postpartum visit with Joricely Blue—she had her daughter Skylar in late April.
Her nurse-midwife, Triana Boggs, told ABC Action News that this kind of visit is part of the full spectrum of pregnancy care that is offered by her business—Motherland Birthing and Wellness.
It's work that comes with life-saving benefits.
According to the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, one in five pregnant or postpartum people struggle with maternal mental health conditions and 75 percent don't get treatment.
"In an OB practice, you may see a different person every time. In midwifery care, especially in my care, you're going to see me and we're going to talk each visit so that nothing gets missed," said Boggs.
On top of postpartum mental health concerns, CDC data shows that Black birthing people and their babies are also at a significantly higher risk of dying or nearly dying during and after birth.
And some have linked these tragedies to differences in care.
"I lost my son William because of, partly, not being heard," said Boggs.
Related: Black infant and maternal mortality rates on the rise, task force working to change that
For Boggs, her solution was to launch her practice as a certified nurse-midwife.
"I was like 'There has to be another way. There has to be something that we can do better,'" she said.
She specializes in home births and said through her training she's able to offer most of what an obstetrician can offer—except for anything surgical.
Andrea Vaughn is a doula who works with Boggs.
First and foremost, she pushes for change through advocacy. But as a doula, she also does through the physical and emotional support she offers clients throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.
"I feel like every birthing person, especially [a] Black and brown birthing person, should have support," she said.
In the end, while both women said they're proud of the change they're creating they also add that this is a systemic issue they can't fight alone.
"We're fighting systemic racism, and we don't just need more Black doulas we need more allies and accomplices," said Vaughn, "We need you to educate yourselves. And not just educate yourselves but actually take action behind it."
To learn more about becoming a doula or to find one, the women we spoke to recommended the following resources: Birthing Advocacy Doula Training, Healthy Start Coalition Pinellas, or the Doula Network.
To learn more about becoming a midwife or to find one, the women we spoke to recommended the following resources: Florida School of Traditional Midwifery and the Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery.
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