Indy Mom Becomes Doula To Help Others Through Childbirth

Doulas are associated with shorter labor times and fewer cesarean births.
Joslyn Cunningham holding a baby

In the hospital room, Joslyn Cunningham felt alone.

She needed a C-section to deliver her twin daughters at 35 weeks. Her OB-GYN was supportive, but he couldn’t always be in the room to provide additional support. And her mother and the father of the children, who were, didn’t always know how to help.

“I didn’t have the resources or people to ask questions,” Cunningham said of the 2017 experience.

After that day, the 31-year-old from the far east side had a mission: Help others in the delivery room who are left in the same position.

She trained to become a doula.

Doulas, or birth companions, support new moms through pregnancy. They can provide comfort and encouragement during birth. They educate people about labor and breathing techniques, and their presence is associated with shorter labor times and fewer cesarean births. They also support families with breastfeeding and postpartum resources.

Researchers at the Indiana University Public Policy Institute say doulas can help decrease Indiana’s startling maternal mortality rate — the third highest in the nation — especially among Black women, who are more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts.

That’s who Cunningham supports most often with her services.

“We all want to be poured into while going through this very heavy transition of bringing another life into the world,” she said.

Aushae Donaldson, 29, remembers how Cunningham was there for her son’s birth at IU Health North Hospital in 2020. Visitors were limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, so she couldn’t have her mother by her side during an emergency C-section.

“Joslyn gave me ice chips and held my baby,” Donaldson told Mirror Indy. “She was what I needed in that moment.”

She said having another Black woman in the room was helpful.

“There weren’t many nurses or doctors that looked like myself,” Donaldson said. “That’s why it was so important to find somebody that could advocate for me.”

Aushae Donaldson, 29, holds her son.

Evann Smith holds her newborn daughter after giving birth in July 2020.

Cunningham works with clients to create a plan that outlines where and how they want to give birth and their preferences for medical interventions.

Writing a plan for a childhood friend in 2020 was extra special. They had spent long summer days growing up together.

“When we were kids, we joked about being aunties to each other’s kids,” said far eastside resident Evann Smith, now a 30-year-old mom.

Smith went into labor on a birthing stool. Her partner was on her right side, and Cunningham was on the left, supporting her as she pushed a baby girl into the world.

“It was a beautiful moment,” she said. “They handed me my baby, and Joslyn took pictures.”

After that day, Smith decided she wanted to become a doula, too. Her goal is to become certified within the next few years.

“I want to pay the service forward,” she said.

How to get involved

Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Reach her at 317-721-7648 or email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.

This article first appeared on Mirror Indy and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.