About Doulas Supporting Teens

Founded in 2003, DST was created as a grassroots effort to help fill the need pregnant and parenting teens in Oregon have for prenatal education, continuous labor support, in-home early postpartum care and continued support throughout the first year of parenting. Since 2003, Doulas Supporting Teens (DST) has provided services for over 200 pregnant and parenting teens and their families, and helped teen parents negotiate critical choices during pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.

Doulas Supporting Teens' mission is to support and educate pregnant and parenting teens to bring healthy babies into healthy families to build healthy communities.

Our Purpose:

The purpose of DST is to increase awareness of, access to, and quality of education and health care for women age 18 and under and their infants. Doulas Supporting Teens:

• Connects DST doulas (labor support professionals) with pregnant teens, providing evidence based information, as well as emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor and postpartum.
• Offers free teen-focused childbirth education classes, parenting support groups, social events, and referrals to community resources.

DID YOU KNOW? In Oregon, once a teen becomes pregnant they are medically emancipated from their parents/guardians. This means they are solely responsible for all medical decisions concerning their pregnancy, birth and baby.

As doulas and educators we encourage pregnant teens to empower themselves with evidence based information so they are able to make informed decisions which best suit them and their baby. A common stereotype is that young parents are not capable of making medical decisions, either because of their age, maturity level and because they are uneducated. What we have found time and time again is that after receiving education and positive support our teen clients are very capable of making healthy choices for themselves and their children.

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Our Beliefs

We believe when pregnant and parenting teens are supported, educated, and respected rather than judged, they have the capacity to make healthy choices.

We believe teen parents should be educated about their legal right to make medical decisions during pregnancy, birth, and parenting and these rights should be upheld and respected.

We believe fathers who are actively involved, supported, and encouraged during pregnancy and birth create strong bonds with their babies.

We believe creating and supporting community among pregnant and parenting teens fosters healthy parenting practices.

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Who We Are Serving

Doulas Supporting Teens serves pregnant and parenting women age 18 and under, their support person(s) and their infants living in Eugene/Springfield and Portland Metro area in Oregon. Nearly 100% of the clients DST serves are from socially and economically disadvantaged households, compounding their challenges and putting them at-risk for negative pregnancy, birth and parenting outcomes. Ninety nine percent of DST?s clients access the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon?s state Medicaid system. DST serves clients of diverse ethnic backgrounds: 22% Hispanic, 8% Native American, 3% African-American, 3% Asian, and 3% other

DST Client Goals

• increase knowledge of pregnancy physiology, impact of prenatal nutrition on mother/baby, health benefits of breastfeeding, and community resources
• increase rates of healthy parenting
• increase cessation rates of smoking, alcohol and illicit drug use
• decrease rates of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, pregnancy induced hypertension, pre-term labor, recurring pregnancy, and low infant birth weights & low APGAR scores
• increase rates of high school completion and furthering education and/or training beyond high school.
• reduce rates of negative feelings about their childbirth experience

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We Make A Difference

Our Stats Are Proof That Our Work Is Making A Difference

Doulas Supporting Teens serves a diverse population

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