‘Zoom doulas’ are a pandemic trend for pregnant women TODAY 3 hrs ago Rachel Sokol
Long before she got pregnant or became a mom, Safiya Barclay knew she wanted the support of a doula, a nonmedical professional who coaches parents through pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period.
“Being an African American woman, I was always frightened of the thought of not getting the proper attention and care at the hospital,” recalled Barclay, 36, of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Barclay got her wish: she relied heavily on the support of a local doula named Averjill Rookwood when she delivered a preemie daughter in the summer of 2020. That support had an unexpected plot twist, though.