Department of Psychiatry

The Haven Doula Program

The Haven Doula Program is the first of its kind and is recognized nationally as an official Doula replication site of the Chicago's Health Connect One model. The Doula Program pairs pregnant women from The Haven Mother’s House with successful Haven graduates who have given birth and are in recovery. A doula’s relationship with the mother begins as soon as the trained doula is matched with the mother and continues until the child is 18 months old. The doula begins regular contact with the pregnant woman by accompanying her to prenatal care visits and helping develop a birth plan. The doulas also provide a series of sessions focused on education about labor and delivery. The doula’s goals are to develop a trusting relationship with the mother, to help her advocate for herself in the health care system, to prepare for the hospital labor and delivery experience, and ultimately to prepare for her new role as a parent. When labor begins, the doula is available to the mother, helping her determine if she is actually in labor, and supporting her through labor, delivery and the initial postpartum hours at the hospital. In the immediate postpartum period, the doula reviews the events of labor and delivery, reassures the new mother about her child’s condition, provides breastfeeding support, and facilitates bonding and infant care. During the later postpartum months, the doula continues to visit the mother on a regular basis. She helps provide support and ideas for appropriate developmental play, assists with transportation to medical appointments, links the client to outside resources, and provides recovery support.