Multi-tasking community-based bilingual doulas are bridging gaps-Despite standing on fragile ground. A qualitative study of doulas' experiences in Sweden

Lindgren Helena; Eltayb Amani; Wahlberg Anna; Tsekhmestruk Nataliia; Small Rhonda; Schytt Erica

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2021.103231

Multi-tasking community-based bilingual doulas are bridging gaps-Despite standing on fragile ground. A qualitative study of doulas' experiences in Sweden

Midwifery. 2022 Feb:105:103231. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103231. Epub 2021 Dec 25.

Authors

Lindgren Helena¹, Eltayb Amani², Wahlberg Anna², Tsekhmestruk Nataliia², Small Rhonda³, Schytt Erica⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of Reproductive Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: helena.lindgren@ki.se.
² Division of Reproductive Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
³ Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne Victoria 3086, Australia.
⁴ Division of Reproductive Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Clinical Research Dalarna - Uppsala University, Nissers väg 3, 791 82 Falun, Sweden; Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Møllendalsveien 6, Postboks 7030, 5020 Bergen, Norway.

PMID: 34979361
DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103231

Abstract

Introduction: Community-based Bilingual Doulas (CBDs) are women from migrant communities trained to support and comfort migrant women during labour and birth, and to facilitate linguistic and cultural communication between women, their partners and staff. The aim of the study was to describe CBDs' experiences of supporting migrant women during labour and birth, working alongside caregivers, and to explore CBDs perceptions of their work situation in a Swedish setting.

Methods: As part of an ongoing randomised trial of CBD support in XX, Sweden, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with nine of the 35 participating CBDs. The interviews were conducted in each CBD's first language (Arabic, Somali, Tigrinya, Russian, Polish) or in Swedish, and were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Thematic analysis of data identified, analysed, interpreted and reported patterns and themes across the data.

Results: The overarching theme which emerged was "Multi-tasking bilingual doulas bridging gaps - despite standing on fragile ground". To reach out a helping hand and receive appreciation from the women when their needs were met, motivated the CBDs to continue despite the constraints related to roles, working conditions and boundaries. The CBDs felt proud of being acknowledged, although they did also feel a need for more supervision and education.

Conclusions: The CBDs experienced their doula tasks as meaningful and emotionally rewarding, which mostly outweighed the challenges of their work which they saw as insecure, exhausting and underpaid. If CBDs are implemented on a larger scale, the scope of their role (including boundaries), education, access to supervision and working conditions all need to be better addressed.

Keywords: Bilingual doula; Labour and birth; Migrant women; Qualitative; Support.

MeSH terms

Doulas*
Female
Humans
Labor, Obstetric*
Parturition
Pregnancy
Qualitative Research
Sweden