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

Hi Donna, what matters most to you?
At RAGGz DOULA we pride ourselves in establishing and maintaining values that equate to not just the survival of Mothers and Babies during their most vulnerable time of birth, we also ensure that Mothers and their baby have the exposure to options. Giving a Mother the ability to choose what she wants to do regarding the birth of her baby and the care of herself and baby exposes her to a side of prenatal, birthing and postpartum that she did not even know existed.

What should our readers know about your business?
RAGGz DOULA is an extended part of the vision at RAGGz Body Boutique that God is birthing deep down inside of me. Social Work is my background as a MSW Mental Health Provider, so I guess you can say I’m in the social justice business. My vision is related to the need for the nurturing of women, Black women specifically because I am, but all women. I initially questioned my qualifications to nurture women as I am not a mother myself but do intent to be one day. Nonetheless, being a doula will forever be a guided skill and reference for me because it affirms my purpose and lets me know that what I provide as a doula is so important.

The statistics do show that Black women are 3-4 times more likely to die during pregnancy. Fortunately when a mother decides she wants to hire a doula before, during, and after her birth, she acquires skills of choice, advocacy, and discovering her wants, needs, and desires; which therefore reduces the likelihood of succumbing to that statistic. Doulas serve as a safe space for mothers and birthing people to explore their fears and worries associated with birthing, while also equipping them with knowledge and information regarding their birthing experience, which in turn empowers individuals in their ability to decide what is intuitively best for them and their babies.

RAGGz DOULA provides holistic services to mamas and babies from the initial stages of prenatal and throughout. As your holistic Doula, I guarantee intrinsic support for mind, body, and soul utilizing a therapeutic approach to stabilize your mental health, during and after pregnancy. Let’s face it, we cannot ignore the detrimental effects that postpartum anxiety and depression can have on the relationship of mothers, partners, and babies.

I’m most proud that I’ve been able to incorporate my experience as a yoga and meditation teacher and mental health therapist for the benefit of mothers, babies and families. With over 10 years of experience working with families, I’d say RAGGz Doula is a soft place to land. I truly believe that the more information, preparation, and compassion we have around the pregnancy, birthing and postpartum process, the more natural and realistic the process will return to and the better the outcomes.

Are you currently in search of more fulfilling options for planning, navigating or processing your experiences related to pregnancy or birthing? Are you hoping to gain applicable skills to explore medical systems and birthing spaces to ensure that what you desire for your ideal birth is considered and respected? Contacting RAGGz DOULA is a great place to start! There are resources available for mothers who are interested in receiving doula services. Feel free to reach out today.
Contact Donna: raggzboutique@gmail.com

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shoutout to Healthy Mothers, Healthy Baby Coalition of Georgia (HMHBGA) and all the amazing people who do this birth justice work. RAGGz Doula is a partner company with HMHBGA and we together support Mothers during prenatal, birthing, and postpartum. If you live in Georgia, especially in rural areas with limited resources, head over to their website, where there’s so many resources. I will also encourage Moms who are engaged in their birthing process, to connect for support, because like here at RAGGz Doula, we love to support you! HMHBGA Safety Net program makes it possible for so many Mamas to receive free full spectrum Doula services throughout and after pregnancy. Website: https://www.hmhbga.org

Instagram: @douladonnamaria | @raggzdoula

Facebook: @douladonnamaria

Other: https://www.hmhbga.org

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