Meet Aaliyah Boler | Holistic Doula & Childbirth Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaliyah Boler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaliyah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I initially started Yeye’s Gift Doula Services as a means to shift the narrative for pregnant black women and their families here in Atlanta. I have found my niche in serving this specific group of people and wanted to create a spiritual-based, holistic form of prenatal care for pregnant women of color. My passion for this line of work became deeply personal when I gave birth to my first child in 2020, when I was only 5 months pregnant.

My initiation into motherhood did not go at all like I had envisioned for myself or my husband. Like many other women of color in this city, and across the U.S., our pregnancies and birth stories are often overshadowed with trauma, fear and other birth complications. In fact, the statistics show that black women and their babies are almost 3-4x more likely than any other group of people to experience maternal morbidity or even birth related death. It is a National crisis.

Yeye’s Gift Doula Services is exactly that – a gift for new and expecting mothers. My experience as a mother, my testimony of surviving an extremely emergent and premature birth, all have inspired me to create culturally sensitive prenatal care, childbirth education, and postpartum mentorship for other women out there. It’s the mission of Yeye’s Gift to provide safe, healthy and empowered birth experiences for women and families of color.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work as a birth and postpartum doula is entirely set around supporting other women during one of the most vulnerable, difficult, and yet empowering, experiences in life. There are so many doulas and midwives who are also doing this amazing work. I’m most proud of myself for taking the risks of becoming self-employed and staying the course, even when I didn’t have consistent clients.

I am most excited for my new postpartum cookbook called Mama’s Milk and Honey Postpartum Cookbook (available on my website!) It’s a recipe book for new mother’s that provides warmth, nourishment and promotes healing of the body after birth via healthy foods.

I like to think that I am constantly in an upward trajectory toward long term success. I am always looking at ways to improve my services and products. It hasn’t always been easy, but the lesson of remaining consistent, asking for help when needed, and stepping out of my comfort zone have been instrumental in my success thus far.

I want the world to know that healing the mother, holding space for her, taking care of our mothers are responsibilities that we all have. Yeye’s Gift Doula Services is more than just a birth business – it’s a lifestyle. A lifestyle dedicated to teaching women and families about the power that lies in birth and parenthood. I believe that we can continue to foster new generations of healthy mothers and healthy babies by caring for the bodies and spirits of our mothers.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am secretly a foodie! I’m fairly new to Atlanta, I moved here from Virginia in March 2020. But, my absolute favorite restaurants are Cafe Intermezzo in Dunwoody, Aprés Diem in midtown, Lure in midtown (the Rockefeller Oysters are to die for!!). If you’re in the mood for GREAT soul food, try Augie’s Cafe on the westside!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First, I must honor my husband, DeVonne, who has supported me and my entrepreneurial vision with so much grace and compassion. I would not be able to serve other families if it had not been for his sacrifices for our own family.

I would also love to give a shout-out to Nicole Deggins of Sista Midwife Productions and Sierra McClain-Henry of Sankofa Mama Birth Services for their dedication to the longevity of birth work and the health of black families. It is through these two women that I had been introduced to birth work and continue to be inspired by their service.

Website: www.yeyesgift.com

Instagram: @yeyesgift

Facebook: @yeyesgiftofficial

Image Credits
Erica J. Simmons Photography Jay the Vision Photography