Midwives and Doulas in Alabama partner wit h expectant parents to assist them in advocating for themselves during pre gnancy and birth. Having an educated advocate by one's side during birth c an not only safeguard against trauma but\, quite literally be the differen ce between life and death\, notably for BIPOC birthing parents. \;Foll owing an ensemble cast of doulas and birthing parents\, the feature-length film\, Bloom\, \;encompasses a breadth of experiences and ch allenges of giving birth at this moment. Director Allison Rieff\, along wi th \;BirthWell \;founder Dalia Abrams and a panel of experts will discuss the film and birthing in Alabama:
\nDanielle Gershon \, MD is an obstetrician-gynecologist working in Birmingham. She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology\, as well as Complex Famil y Planning and is passionate about ensuring access to the full scope of re productive healthcare. Before moving to Birmingham\, she worked in the pub lic hospital system in New York City in collaborative \;practice with midwives. She completed her undergraduate degree at Brandeis University\, medical school at the State University of New York Downstate and residency at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School.
\nArletha Thomas is a full-time doula on a mission to transform the birthing experienc e. With over 2 and a half years of experience in this profoundly rewarding role\, she is driven by a deep passion for supporting mothers and their b abies. After facing harsh treatment and disrespect from medical providers as a teen mother\, Arletha is committed to ensuring every individual feels respected\, cared for\, and empowered throughout their birth journey. As a doula\, she draws on her personal experiences to provide the compassiona te\, personalized support that all mothers deserve.
\nDalia Abrams MA\, MPH\, is a DONA Intl. Certified Birth Doula and a DON A Intl. approved Doula Trainer. She started working with families in 1998 teaching parenting and preparation for childbirth classes. In 2008 she beg an working as a birth doula and started training new doulas in 2012. Dalia helped co-found BirthWell Partners in 2011 and acted as Executive Directo r of Programming until the summer of 2024. In 2006\, Dalia received her Ma ster&rsquo\;s in Public Health from UAB School of Public Health\, focusing on Maternal and Child Health. Dalia served as Mental Health Coordinator f or UAB's Early Head Start Program for 7 years starting in 2006. Dalia&rsqu o\;s passion is to make respectful and safe maternity care widespread in o ur community.
\nHope Hamilton \;began reproduct ive rights advocacy work over a decade ago where she became involved in th e community-organized efforts to re-legalize midwifery in Alabama. Hope wo rked as a childbirth educator\, birth assistant\, and birth/postpartum dou la while on the twisty\, winding journey to become a Midwife. In 2021\, Ho pe completed a graduate degree in Midwifery \;at Bastyr University\, r eceived the CPM credential\, and was licensed to practice Midwifery in the State of Alabama. For Birth Givers Midwifery officially launched in Janua ry 2022 and provides affirming fertility and preconception counseling\, at -home IUI\, comprehensive prenatal\, labor and birth\, and after birth car e\, and herbal consultation.
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