Ounce Doulas Create Strong Parent-Child Bonds

Tyisha Norvell, 20, grew up on the south side of Chicago and was in college when she found out she was pregnant with her first child. She knew she loved her baby and wanted the baby to love her back. What she didn't know was exactly how to go about creating that strong, loving bond.

She joined the Ounce of Prevention Fund's doula program because she knew she had a lot to learn about motherhood.

Her doula, Tammie Haltom, educated her about pregnancy, attended prenatal doctor appointments with her, prepared her for labor, and informed her about the baby's development.

"I did everything she told me to do and I'm so glad I did," Tyisha says of Tammie. Her daughter, Imani, is now a happy and healthy 6-month-old baby.

Pregnancy and parenting are a challenge for all new mothers. Mothers in low-income communities like Tyisha's face the added complication of trying to give their children the best start in life with limited resources.

"When you are a young, low-income, expectant mother, books on pregnancy and child development can be hard to come by," Tammie says. "And pregnant women may live far away from their mothers or other family members who could provide a support network. Doulas are trained professionals who provide physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and after birth."

The Ounce partners with 23 community organizations across Illinois to provide doulas to young, low-income mothers to help their babies get off to a healthy start.

A doula's primary focus is enabling a strong parent-child attachment, which research shows is the foundation for the child's health and development, future relationships and later success in school.

Tammie taught Tyisha and her boyfriend, Daryl Herring, how skin-to-skin contact with the baby develops that bond. "That really worked because now we have trouble putting her down!" Tyisha laughs.

Tyisha is also glad that Tammie helped Daryl create a bond with his daughter. "He's a great father," she says. "He does everything a father should do, which is great because some fathers don't want to be involved with their children."

Tammie also taught Tyisha the importance of reading and singing to her baby in the womb. "Tammie told me to read with an animated voice, like I was reading to a child in front of me," Tyisha says. "Now Imani recognizes my voice and her name. And she'll listen to anything I read to her."

After Imani was born, Tammie gave Tyisha books describing the month-by-month development of babies. "The books were very helpful because they told me when Imani would start to babble and when she would start to hold things," Tyisha says. "She even caught a cold when the book said she would!"

Tammie is proud of the passion for motherhood that she sees in Tyisha. "She really applied everything I taught her and she is still practicing it," Tammie says.

Tyisha enrolled Imani in a full-day Early Head Start program run by Easter Seals. "My nieces and nephews have been in school since they were three months old and they're all smart," Tyisha says. "It's never too early to start learning."

Imani's teachers report that she's able to focus on classroom activities. Attention is one of the critical skills that children learn in their earliest years. Research shows that attention and other social-emotional skills are key ingredients to school readiness.

Thanks to Tammie's help, Tyisha is optimistic for Imani's future. "I want her to look at education as enjoyment," Tyisha says. "I'm going to be on it and make sure she stays in school." She also knows she's her baby's best role model, so she's planning to earn a degree in electrical engineering.



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