Birth Ambassadors: Doulas and the Re-Emergence of Woman-Supported Birth in America

by Christine H. Morton

Birth Ambassadors documents the social history of the emergence of doula care in the United States. What are doulas and where did they come from? Why do women become doulas? What does it mean to be a doula? Birth Ambassadors is the only book to fully answer these questions by connecting narrative accounts with critical sociological analysis of the dilemmas and issues embodied in doula history and practice. Based on historical research and interviews with currently practicing doulas and leaders in the field, Birth Ambassadors argues that the doula role is underpinned by ideological commitments to several overlapping and, at times, conflicting ideas around childbirth. These include an understanding of pregnancy and birth from the midwifery model, a belief in women's right to make informed choices regarding their health care, the need for patient/consumer advocacy and unconditional emotional support for women’s choices about their births. Birth Ambassadors explores how this constellation of beliefs within doula practice represents an innovative yet problematic response within the maternity reform movement to empower women during and after childbirth. Doulas are ambassadors to the world of birth, highlighting women’s emotional experience of birth in settings where beliefs and practices of the participants (the woman, her family, the nurses, midwives and obstetricians) are sometimes in conflict. For doulas to fulfill their goal of entering mainstream maternity care, they and their organizations face critical challenges.

Genres: Nonfiction

395 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Christine H. Morton, PhD is a medical sociologist whose research has focused on women’s reproductive experiences and maternity care roles. Since 2008, she has been at Stanford University’s California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, focusing on maternal mortality and morbidity and maternal quality improvement.

Reviews

[Maire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating read. Loved to be able to read a sociological study into doula support. Downsides for me was that it was completely uS based and of course the system in Europe is different with Midwives playing a stronger role, and that all the doula research was with DONA doulas. Would have liked to see other doulas from other trainings included (the author gives her reasons but for me it meant the book was lacking). Still overall a fascinating read for anyone interested in this topic and the author makes some very salient points on doula support That has made me think. Will def need to reread it at some point!

[Shelbi Pekas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because I saw it was on the required reading list for DONA International and I’m planning on getting my doula certification with them. I think overall this book has a lot of great information on doula care in the United States (especially considering it’s still a pretty new concept to most people thus less research has been done on the topic) and included some statistics, a brief amount of birthing information, and many first-hand accounts from the perspectives of both the doula and birthing person. There are also a lot of varying techniques for doula care and the use of those first-hand accounts to provide examples of a “good” and “bad” doula.

My complaints about this book mostly center around the language that’s used such as referring to every birthing person as mother and talking about the necessary support of the husband (even as a doula) and the fact that there was some repeated information throughout the book. This book also centers around the main clientele of the average career doula and the doula themself so it mostly focuses on research of cis, straight white married couples who had planned pregnancies (which they do address).

There are a few sections highlighting doula care for the most vulnerable groups in the United States medical care system such as non-English speaking immigrants, sexual abuse survivors, and black women which I thought was a great way to give the reader something to think about and explore further in order to further help us on our journey to provide a physically and emotionally safe birth for all birthing people.

I would say if you’re interested in being a doula then this is a really good starter book that forces you to face the (sometimes not so fun) realities of doula work while also providing a decent base in which to build your doula knowledge and help you expand into other doula-related topics. I would also recommend this to any birthing people who are considering a doula and want to learn more information about what they are and do.

[Isabella Lawlis · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who loves birth, pregnancy and most importantly encouraging mothers to make informed, safe, and healthy birth choices for them and baby I recommend this book. Whether you want to be a certified doula or not I found this book essential for anyone who finds themselves in a supportive role to mothers before, during, and after their birth!

[Joycelyn Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doula Requirement

Wish this was the second book I read after Birth Partner for DONA cert! Great at putting perspective even after 3 years into training.

[RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morton and Clift explore the unique profession of a doula. After a brief historical look, they turn to a careful study maturnity health care in the US and the place of a doula working with mothers within modern medicine.

If you are interest in the work of doulas, maturnal healt care in the US, or preparing for childbirth, you don't want to miss "Birth Ambassadors."

My copy came through Goodreads First Reads.