Birth Companions:

Do you have any final thoughts to share?

Jerri says how much she would like to see other Deaf women and interpreters become doulas. Deaf women in her research study said they wished interpreters could also be trained as birth coaches so Deaf moms would have direct support. She hopes to become a trainer to help more Deaf women and interpreters become doulas. She thinks it would be very helpful to have someone there who shares the same language to support the mom and keep her informed about what’s going on around her during labor and delivery.

She has a friend who is a doula and interpreter but she does not like trying to maintain both roles. If she is providing encouragement and possibly physically supporting the pregnant woman and then the doctor or nurse comes in, she has to actually step away from the mom to interpret and that does not feel comfortable.

Jerri thinks other people may feel differently and that it’s up to each person to know what they’re comfortable with. She would like to see more discussion with interpreters who have also done birth support to see if those issues of role conflict are a problem for them. It’s an area that needs further study.

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