Birthing Beautiful Communities

Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC) is Northeast Ohio’s only community-based doula program dedicated to improving the quality of life for Black mothers, babies and families. Since 2014, BBC has worked to address and improve systemic and community structures that contribute to poor birth outcomes through culture, education, advocacy, support and engagement. BBC offers free services to over 700 new and expectant mothers and families annually in Cuyahoga and Summit Counties, including perinatal doula services, childbirth and parenting workshops, life goal planning, transportation, healthy eating, lactation consultation, postpartum support, and classes addressing self-care, anxiety, and depression. Post-COVID-19, BBC expanded behavioral health services to include grief recovery workshops, one-on-one in-house crisis counseling, and a benevolence fund for unanticipated emergent assistance. BBC is unique in that 99% of BBC doulas and staff identify as Black which allows our team to possess a unique understanding and lived experiences which creates culturally appropriate and supportive networks in the face of systemic racism that affects unborn Black babies. Doulas help address social determinants of health that underlie differences in infant and maternal health outcomes. BBC's services have been proven to save lives, improve equity, empower mothers, and ensure ongoing family success through improved prenatal care; increased breastfeeding rates; fewer medical interventions; more positive birth experiences; and improved parenting skills. Birthing Beautiful Communities demonstrates the operationalization of a Black perspective, lifts up the power of communities to lead in their own care, and offers a blueprint for action to improve inequities and maternal-infant health in Black communities.