EnlightenHER Childbirth Education

Supporting birthing people in making evidence-based decisions about their reproductive health and childbirth experiences.

Childbirth is one of the most beautiful events experienced in any lifetime. The joy and excitement that comes with bringing life into this world is unmatched. Unfortunately, there can be complications during the entire childbirth process. In fact, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a whole, the rate of pregnancy-related deaths has climbed over the past two decades, making the maternal mortality rate in the United States the worst in any industrialized country. Whether you are a first-time parent-to-be or a parenting expert, pregnancy often throws up a million and one questions that forces you to consult online pregnancy resources to answer. But how do you know what's reliable? There are so many "experts" out there, and it's hard to find a credible source with proven responses for your specific situation. Well, look no further than EnlightenHER Childbirth Education. They are an organization that offers support for people experiencing childbirth by providing evidence-based materials used to make decisions about their reproductive health and childbirth experiences. They currently offer information on pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period and are actively working to include other reproductive health content in the future.

"I started EnlightenHER after spending a few years as a volunteer doula. I almost always met my clients during labor, and I noticed that I often spent time talking with them about what to expect next (based on where they were in the labor process) in between contractions. It sparked my interest in helping birthing people get this information before they were right in the moment." -- Daijah Street Davis - Founder

EnlightenHER Education was founded by Daijah Street Davis, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator who has centered her organization on evidence-based information which provides a solid knowledge base for individuals giving birth. This in turn helps them make decisions with their clinicians about their care, based on their specific situation and the facts about their options. This collaborative process, called "shared decision-making", has been proven to enhance patient safety, autonomy, and satisfaction. This is important for the Black community because it provides them the tools necessary to fight the statistics associated with Black maternal mortality. ElightenHER Education realizes that the root of the mortality crisis is bias and must be challenged at a systemic-level, so while fighting for medical providers to listen to Black women at a systemic-level, they are also committed to providing Black women with the information needed to advocate for themselves on a personal level. This puts them in the best position possible to witness the amazing miracle that is childbirth.

"I think it is really important for Black people to not only survive but thrive," said Street Davis. "I don't want Black women to walk away from my class knowing what to advocate for to "not die"; I want them to consider the birth experience that they want and know what questions to ask to find out how they can make it happen."

EnlightenHER Education is looking for registrants for their upcoming birth class series, "#TheRundown", which begins in October. This is a virtual series, so no matter where you are in your childbirth journey, you can participate and gain knowledge from these refutable sources. You can find out how to register below.

About the Founder:

Daijah Street Davis is originally from Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. She went to Michigan State University and studied health-focused social science. From there, she went on to teach middle school science in North Carolina and eventually went back to school for a Masters of Public Health, focused in Maternal and Child Health at UNC Chapel Hill. She loves staying "well-informed" on whatever is happening in Black culture, decorating her house, and drinking wine with her husband.

Final Words from the Founder:

"EnlightenHER is truly a labor of love. I'm providing a service that some people don't even realize they need! That makes it challenging, but knowing that having this information puts people giving birth in a better position to advocate for themselves and make healthcare decisions with their doctors makes it worth it!"

If you would like to find out more about EnlightenHER Education or register for a their upcoming classes, you can contact them at the below links:

Website: enlightenherchildbirthed.com

IG:@_enlightenher

FB: EnlightenHER Childbirth Education