Co-Hosts:

Ravae Sinclair, JD, CLC, PBD(NBPP), PPD(NBPP)

Dr. Denise Bolds

[email protected]

Episode Summary

We’re relaunching the Doula That! Podcast with a conversation that requires depth, context, and care.

In this episode, we sit down with Black doulas Shira Lawrence and Jet’aime McKinney to begin unpacking the story behind a viral video showing their removal from a hospital birth.

This is Part 1 of a 3-part series, where we intentionally move beyond headlines and social media assumptions to center their lived experience, professional insight, and the full context of what occurred.

This episode lays the foundation—who they are, how they practice, and what led up to the hospital encounter.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

1. The intention behind this conversation: listening over speculation
2. Shira and Jet’aime’s backgrounds in education, birth work, and community care
3. What it means to serve families in a maternal health desert
4. The client’s journey navigating limited provider options in rural Georgia
5. Why the family made the decision to travel to the Atlanta area for birth
6. The behind-the-scenes realities of doula support (logistics, planning, advocacy)
7. How hospital systems operate through hierarchy, policy, and liability
8. Early signs of bias, miscommunication, and resistance in triage
9. The critical moment when a breech diagnosis shifts the course of care
10. The client’s clear request for pain management vs. provider insistence on cesarean

Key Themes

1. Patient Autonomy vs. Hospital Policy
2. Bias and Communication in Birth Spaces
3. The Role of Doulas as Advocates and Care Partners
4. Access Gaps in Rural Maternal Healthcare
5. What Happens When Systems Don’t Listen

About Our Guests

Shira Lawrence

Birth & Postpartum Doula, Trainer, and Childbirth Educator.

Founder of a nonprofit supporting vulnerable teenage girls.

Serves families in maternal health deserts, often navigating high-risk and limited-access environments.

Jet’aime McKinney

Birth & Postpartum Doula, Agency Owner, and Educator based in Metro Atlanta.

Former educator turned full-time birth worker after a personal birth experience transformed her path.

Supports families through advocacy, education, and community-centered care.

Important Context

This episode is grounded in the doulas’ firsthand account.

We are not providing legal advice or speaking on behalf of the hospital or medical team.

Our goal is to create space for clarity, understanding, and informed dialogue.

Continue the Conversation

This is Part 1 of a 3-part series.

👉 Part 2 drops soon—be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss what happens next.