Giving Birth with Confidence, Safe & Healthy Birth, The Pregnancy Experience, Breastfeeding & Early Parenthood
Black Maternal Health Week: Finding Black Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding Professionals
Cara Terreri
This week marks the fourth annual national Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) campaign. Founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), the week aims to raise awareness, activism, and community building to:
- Deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health in the US;
- Amplify community-driven policy, research, and care solutions;
- Center the voices of Black Mamas, women, families, and stakeholders;
- Provide a national platform for Black-led entities and efforts on maternal health, birth and reproductive justice; and
- Enhance community organizing on Black maternal health.
One step toward improving health outcomes is for Black families to see Black perinatal professionals for their childbearing and family health needs. This includes Black physicians, midwives, OB/gyns, doulas, and breastfeeding support professionals. A 2020 study called “Physician-patient racial concordance and disparities in birthing mortality for newborns” (Greenwood, et. al., 2020) found that when Black families see Black physicians, there is a significant improvement in health outcomes for Black babies.
The following list of directory links provide information for Black perinatal professionals throughout the United States. If you are unable to find a provider in your area through these links, search for an organization in your area that refers and promotes Black perinatal professionals. Ask local doulas and childbirth educators. Check with local Black community organizations. And of course, talk with your friends and family for recommendations!
Directories of Black Perinatal Health Professionals
Black doulas
National Black Doulas Association
Black physicians/OBs
Black doulas or midwives
Black breastfeeding professionals/lactation consultants
National Association of Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color
Black therapists