When Families Feel Seen and Supported: The Impact of CoCo Doulas
“Once my contractions started after my water broke and I was in intense pain I felt more supported with Anna by my side.”
For one CoCo Doulas client, that support continued throughout labor. Her doula, Anna, offered breathing techniques and affirmations while she pushed, helping her reconnect with her strength during an overwhelming moment. After the baby arrived, Anna made sure she ate, stayed hydrated, rested when possible, and had the information she needed to support breastfeeding.
The client also knew she could continue reaching out through calls and text messages during the postpartum period.
“The check ins before and after baby was here. The labor & delivery support,” she shared when reflecting on what helped her feel seen and heard. “I will forever be thankful for Anna.”
Her experience reflects the many ways community-based doulas support families before, during, and after birth. A doula’s presence may be felt through a calming voice during contractions, help understanding what is happening in a hospital room, encouragement while learning to breastfeed, or a thoughtful check-in during the weeks after delivery.
For Black birthing people and families in Richmond and throughout Contra Costa County, these relationships are an essential part of creating birth experiences rooted in care, dignity, and informed choice.
Building Confidence and Supporting Self-Advocacy
Medical settings can feel difficult to navigate, especially during labor, when families are processing unfamiliar terminology, making decisions, and managing the physical and emotional intensity of birth.
In testimonials shared over the past few months, clients repeatedly described feeling more confident communicating with hospitals and doctors after working with a CoCo Doula.
One client said her doula made her feel heard throughout labor by supporting her breathing, helping her manage pain, and creating a sense of comfort as nurses moved in and out of the room. Another shared that her doula made her feel seen by simply talking her through each part of the experience.
Several clients specifically said they felt more confident navigating hospitals and medical appointments after participating in the program.
This confidence matters within a broader maternal health landscape shaped by racial inequities. California health officials report that Black birthing people are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than people from other racial and ethnic groups.
CoCo Doulas responds to these inequities by providing no-cost, community-based support for Black birthing people and families. Operated by FIERCE in partnership with Contra Costa County’s Perinatal Equity Initiative, the program connects families with doulas who bring training, cultural understanding, lived experience, and respect for each family’s needs and choices.
Helping Partners Become Part of the Support System
The testimonials also show how doulas help partners participate with greater confidence and purpose.
Clients described doulas teaching partners how to provide comfort during contractions, offer massages, give encouragement, and support recovery after delivery. One client shared that her doula “incorporated him through the whole process and always made him feel included.”
This guidance helps partners move from uncertainty into meaningful participation. When partners understand what the birthing person needs and how they can help, families enter labor and postpartum with a stronger circle of support.
Care That Continues After Birth
Support remains important after delivery, when families are recovering physically, adjusting emotionally, feeding their babies, and learning new routines.
Clients described doulas checking in consistently, answering questions, offering breastfeeding guidance, and connecting families with additional resources when they encountered barriers. Families reported a range of feeding experiences, including breastfeeding and combination feeding, with doulas responding to their individual circumstances rather than prescribing one path.
One client who had an emergency cesarean birth shared that her doula offered breastfeeding tips and recommended outside resources when additional help was needed. Another emphasized how meaningful it was that her doula remained attentive and continued reaching out before and after delivery, even when she could not be present for the birth itself.
California’s Department of Health Care Services describes doulas as trained, nonclinical professionals who provide emotional, physical, and informational support throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, and up to one year postpartum. The department also recognizes doula care as a preventive benefit that can support improved outcomes, autonomy, satisfaction, and breastfeeding success.
Growing Community-Based Birth Support
CoCo Doulas has now supported families across Contra Costa County for more than five years. By June 2026, the program had:
Trained 60 community doulas
Helped build a local network of 80 certified doulas
Supported 276 births
These numbers demonstrate the program’s reach, while client experiences show what that reach means inside delivery rooms, homes, medical appointments, and postpartum conversations.
The testimonials also identify an important opportunity for growth. One client recommended ensuring that doulas are not “spread so thin with clients.” Her feedback reflects the need for sustainable investment in the people providing this care.
Meeting growing demand requires a strong workforce, manageable caseloads, coordinated support, and resources that help doulas remain present without sacrificing their own well-being. Supporting birthworkers strengthens the care available to every family they serve.
Every Family Deserves to Feel Supported
The impact of doula care can be found in moments both large and small: a parent finding the confidence to ask a question, a partner learning how to ease a contraction, a doula offering calm during an emergency, or a new mother being reminded to eat, drink water, and rest.
Together, these moments help families feel informed, respected, and accompanied throughout one of the most significant experiences of their lives.
As one client shared:
“Thank you CoCo doulas. This is truly an amazing program and I feel blessed that someone recommended this program to me.”
