Doulas are nonclinical birth workers who are trained to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to pregnant people in the prenatal, birth, and postpartum periods.

Doulas may help create birth plans, teach how to self-advocate during prenatal appointments, and provide support such as breath work and massage during labor.

During postpartum, doulas support with feeding your baby (breastfeeding/chestfeeding and formula feeding), assisting with newborn care, preparing nutritious meals, and offering emotional support and guidance. They can also provide education on topics such as infant sleep, postpartum recovery, and self-care for the entire family.

Doula's are essential for anyone who wants one.

We Dream of Baby was created to strengthen families through our values and practices.

We are about forging a world that is sensitized to the sacred transitions of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

We provide support through advocacy, education, and empowerment which is demonstrated through our professional delivery of service.

Who we are

Mission

• To enhance the experience of childbirth and postpartum through hands-on physical, emotional, and educational support.

• To provide a compassionate experience to families who want access to doula services.

• To promote the availability of skilled doula care to families located on the Southside of Chicago.

Values

• Judgement-Free Support: You can expect to be treated with compassion and empathy regardless of your circumstances. Our primary goal is to promote a stress-free and enjoyable experience.

• Family's have autonomy and the right to self-determination in their decisions about their family and care.

• All methods (whether vaginal, cesarean, with pain medication, at home, etc.) are all legitimate birthing experiences.

• Preferences for medication are at the decision of the person giving birth.

• Evidence shows that breastfeeding provides optimum nutrition for infants, and is encouraged, though not all parents will choose this. Parents have the right to know the benefits of each (bottle feeding, nursing, donor milk, or formula feeding), and decide what method works best for their family.

• Anyone who wants the support of a doula should have the access to one.

• Client’s opinions and beliefs are valid and important to them. While education stands to provide context and support, it is not expected to negate a client's decisions.

The vision of providing doula care is centered around birth-justice and equality for all people who will become pregnant. This extends to those who determine that they would terminate their pregnancies due to poor health outcomes.

The state of Illinois depends on the work of professionals such as doula to: “...interrupt harm…from exploitation, exclusion, discrimination, and a loss of autonomy in the medical system” (source).

Doula’s provide a unique impact during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. The Illinois Department of Public Health created the Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report, noting that 75 women in Illinois die during one year of giving birth. Additionally, non-white Hispanic women are two times, and Black women are three times more likely to die within one year of childbirth.

Of all women in Illinois, some of the highlighted causes of pregnancy-related deaths are due to chronic disease and poor medical outcomes. A section in this report highlighting the recommendation that birthing people should seek the support of a doula in the postpartum period for home visits and continuous support.

A Call for Birthworkers

Our Dream to Impact Stats

By providing evidence based comprehensive doula services, WDOB promotes self-advocacy, education, and PMD screening to promote parent safety and improve maternal outcomes. While data is not available, this section will be updated on a quarterly basis.