HIGH POINT, N.C. — We began our Mothers Matter series earlier this year with the shocking number of mothers who are dying during childbirth.
The Centers For Disease Control says every year, 800 mothers do not survive childbirth, and the numbers are worse especially for black women who are three to four times more likely to die than white mothers.
Tomeka Issac almost died from pre-eclampsia. It's a curable condition her doctor failed to detect. The Issacs lost their newborn in the delivery room and offered this warning to mothers.
"Do your research," said Tomeka. "Take somebody with you or get a doula or a midwife. Get somebody who is going to be catered to you specifically to tell you what you need to know because otherwise, you can end up just like us."
The Isaacs' story was shared thousands of times on social media and people wrote in wanting to know what is a doula and how can they help?
WFMY News 2's Tracey McCain talked to a couple and their birth doula about this added protection in the delivery room.
Zar and PJ Woods learned from the birth of their first child that they wanted a different experience for the second.
"The first one was just chaos," said Zar. "We had a plan and we went in and things went completely opposite of the plan. We ended up in an emergency C-section and things got crazy."
Zar's 30-hour labor was painful and confusing and then the couple was in a panic when they heard the baby was at risk.
"A bunch of people rushed in, we need you to turn this way, we need you to turn this way, okay, baby's heart rate is dropping call the doctor," she remembered. "I was like we're going to have a C-section? What happened? Why?"
There was no time for answers. In fact, Zar and PJ felt no one ever told them what was going on.
"You could lose the mother, you could lose the child. You want someone who's going to stay in the room with you," explained PJ.
And that's where a doula can help.
"I remember the struggles we had in the delivery room, the long labor and having to get an emergency C-section. It won't hurt to have a third person in the room the whole time to support us, especially understanding the risks involved.
Jade Chiu is the birth and postpartum doula who was in the room with the Woods when they delivered their second child, Rafael.
"A birth doula is a non-medical support person who supports a family through pregnancy, birth and post-partum. The support is physical, emotional, spiritual and informational. We don't perform anything clinical. We don't catch babies. We don't do any exams. We help the family navigate and know their choices," explained Chiu.
She says having a doula in the delivery room will help keep moms safe.
"I think so, not because we are saving people but because we are helping them help themselves; preparing and advocating. In cases of people not knowing if there is too much blood and encouraging them to listen to their instincts and telling a doctor or a nurse," said Chiu.
For the Woods, having Jade in the room with them for Rafael's birth was potentially life-saving.
And they're growing in popularity; despite their fabled reputation.
"They're not just grandmas walking around with a bag of tricks," said Zar. "They're a medically knowledgeable person in the room with you."
Jade is part of The Labor Ladies. The group of doulas also brings religion into the delivery room. The Labor Ladies rely on their faith to help families get through tough deliveries.
The Lord blessed us with two kids and both of them are beautiful," said PJ.
"We had a spiritual leader in the room in Jade and we used a lot of prayers to get through the whole situation."
And there's another bonus.
"As a doula, she was like, 'oh let me get those first moments."
Jade was able to capture pictures that will last a lifetime.
"Just remembering it and reliving it is invaluable, I mean there's nothing like it," said PJ.
We asked hospitals around the Triad how doctors feel about having doulas in the delivery room and they welcome it. While they don't recommend one for every delivery, they say doulas can be extra help when mom or baby are at risk.
If you plan on bringing a doula into the delivery room, you could end up paying a bit. The cost for a certified birth doula starts around $750.