Wednesday, Nov 19

Welcome to Your Daily Dot where Dot will share tips, advice, and stories on how we can make our world better.

Dear Reader,

We sometimes joke that Eldest Dot Child arrived in our lives like a hurricane, but fortunately, that’s just a metaphor. What do pregnant moms do when a legit storm or natural disaster comes their way? If they’re in Florida, they just might turn to a climate doula. 

A pilot program in Florida aims to incorporate climate considerations into a doula program, citing research that environmental threats like wildfires and extreme heat can lead to stillbirth, premature deliveries, and lower birth weights. Studies have also linked climate disasters with a greater incidence of maternal health issues, including post-partum depression. The Doula C-Hot program teaches doulas how to assess their clients’ climate risk in order to help them better prepare. The pilot could serve as a blueprint for how to train doulas across the country to be climate educators. 

It’s the brainchild of doula Esther Louis, who partnered with Dr. Cheryl Holder, cofounder of Florida Clinicians for Climate Action, a nonprofit that seeks to teach health professionals how to incorporate climate change into their work. Together, they won a grant that has allowed them to develop the program. 

According to a story in The 19th, doulas were already seeing the impacts of climate change on their clients, and many were already taking action in their communities. “In New Orleans, doulas have shown up at emergency shelters to figure out what people need to safely feed their infants when access to sterile water needed for infant formula isn’t always available,” the story tells us. In Philadelphia, doulas are educating patients on exposures to contaminants like lead or air pollution. The story goes on to note that “some doulas, like Houston-based Sierra Sankofa, have even developed disaster planning workshops aimed at pregnant people and families with young children that can help them better prepare for staying warm in the winter and cool in the summer. She’s covered topics like how to know if breast milk is still safe if the power has gone out and how to sanitize bottles with no electricity.” 

Our changing climate spares no one, including those in utero. So Dot is grateful for climate doulas, doing what they can to ensure that everyone has the best shot in life, no matter the storms that might be swirling around their birth. 

Gestationally,

Dot

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For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.

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