With its new location, the Birth Sisters of Charlottesville expands support for women of color and takes aim at maternal health disparities.
“I always wanted to help young mothers,” says Charlottesville resident Kamil Chambers. “I just didn’t know how I wanted to help them.”
In fact, she says, that knowledge didn’t become clear until her second pregnancy, when she was introduced to the Birth Sisters of Charlottesville as a potential resource in helping her achieve a delivery as natural and free of medical intervention as possible.
What she found at the women of color doula collective was the community and guidance she wished she’d had during her first pregnancy at age 19. Now, Chambers has become part of that community as a trained doula and Birth Sister.
“I’m here to help all women,” Chambers says, “but I’m particularly focused on young moms because I know firsthand what that experience is like. I can use what I went through as testimony and empower them to make decisions.”
That empowerment is at the heart of the Birth Sisters’ mission and array of pre-, peri-, and post-natal services — all of which take direct aim at the root causes of maternal health disparities and inequities for women of color in Charlottesville and the surrounding region.
Now, that community has a central place where they can access the care and services Birth Sisters provide. In January 2023, thanks in part to Sentara’s support, the Birth Sisters officially opened the doors of its new permanent location off Preston Avenue in Charlottesville — a space that allows not only direct services, but also doula training, workshops, support groups, and community events.
Did you know?
The Virginia Department of Health estimates that Black women in Virginia are more than twice as likely as white women to die from a pregnancy-related cause — a number that jumps to three times as likely nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The National Institutes of Health points to numerous studies conducted over the past decade that suggest access to doula care correlates to reduced medical interventions like cesarean sections, lower rates of premature deliveries, and decreased maternal anxiety and depression.
Supporting the emotional journey
According to the National Institutes of Health, the most common complications associated with childbirth fall under the umbrella of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD). Through our partners, we help ensure more women and their families have access to resources to help them navigate the emotional, not just the physical, journey of welcoming a child into the world.
Postpartum Support Virginia
Arlington, Virginia
Our partnership with Postpartum Support Virginia supports greater access to perinatal mental and behavioral health services and increases awareness
of PMADs.
The Up Center
Norfolk, Virginia
Our partnership with The Up Center has helped the organization expand its perinatal mental health counseling services for mothers and families in the Hampton Roads region.
