Educational Media Reviews Online

A Doula Story succeeds on several levels. It succeeds at being a first-rate educational program; it succeeds at depicting the life of a doula, and bringing the concept of using a doula to a mainstream audience; it succeeds at providing a glimpse into the state of inner-city teen pregnancy today.

As an educational program, The Kindling Group, Daniel Alpert, and Fanlight are to be commended for making this film “classroom accessible” by creating discussion scenes with questions available in the accompanying DVD Discussion Guide and including the Guide on the DVD itself. With a running time of 60 minutes, the film can be too long for many instructional sessions. Dividing the film into discussion scenes helps instructors plan their class showings accordingly. The technical aspects of the film are top-notch, and together with riveting content add up to an hour film feeling like 30 minutes at most.

When first loading the DVD, the viewer has the choice of downloading the “computer version” which includes the enhanced interactive features not for use with a stand-alone DVD player. These features include the DVD Discussion Guide, Resource and Discussion Toolkit, and a short advocacy video. There are also minimal controls available such as displaying subtitles (there are both Spanish and English versions of the film on the DVD).

The concept of using a doula, or pregnancy coach, is slowly becoming more widely known, and after watching A Doula Story, the value they bring, particularly to teens in a low to lower middle class area is undisputable. Loretha Weisinger is a doula on the west side of Chicago working through Merrimack House and Project Hope. Taking a holistic approach to, as she puts it, “…nurture the girl so she can nurture the baby,” her services go far beyond coaching someone thorough labor. She gets involved with her clients lives, teaching them useful facts about nutrition, anatomy, child development, and breastfeeding. She mentors young girls that may not have proper parenting role models. She brings compassion and love to young teens going through a pivotal time in their lives, helping them face their reality and their fears. One poignant scene in particular sums up the encompassing role Loretha plays when one of her girls, Renata, goes into false labor. The bond is remarkable, and as she accompanies Renata to the hospital, Loretha’s worry and care are clearly evident.

As the program states, one in nine births in our country are to teen mothers. This is an important part of health care education, and there are few video programs out there that show the realities as well as A Doula Story. Granted, the focus of the film is the doula, but the glimpses into the lives of Loretha’s charges speak volumes.

A Doula Story is well worth the $200 price tag for library collections supporting college level health sciences programs, particularly nursing and medical school classes, and any that may focus on doula training. It would also be useful for social work programs, and classes dealing with adolescence and teen health issues.

Awards

• Best Documentary, Milwaukee International Film Festival
• Best Documentary, Director’s View, New York
• Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism
• CINE Golden Eagle

A Doula Story succeeds on several levels. It succeeds at being a first-rate educational program; it succeeds at depicting the life of a doula, and bringing the concept of using a doula to a mainstream audience; it succeeds at providing a glimpse into the state of inner-city teen pregnancy today.

As an educational program, The Kindling Group, Daniel Alpert, and Fanlight are to be commended for making this film “classroom accessible” by creating discussion scenes with questions available in the accompanying DVD Discussion Guide and including the Guide on the DVD itself. With a running time of 60 minutes, the film can be too long for many instructional sessions. Dividing the film into discussion scenes helps instructors plan their class showings accordingly. The technical aspects of the film are top-notch, and together with riveting content add up to an hour film feeling like 30 minutes at most.

When first loading the DVD, the viewer has the choice of downloading the “computer version” which includes the enhanced interactive features not for use with a stand-alone DVD player. These features include the DVD Discussion Guide, Resource and Discussion Toolkit, and a short advocacy video. There are also minimal controls available such as displaying subtitles (there are both Spanish and English versions of the film on the DVD).

The concept of using a doula, or pregnancy coach, is slowly becoming more widely known, and after watching A Doula Story, the value they bring, particularly to teens in a low to lower middle class area is undisputable. Loretha Weisinger is a doula on the west side of Chicago working through Merrimack House and Project Hope. Taking a holistic approach to, as she puts it, “…nurture the girl so she can nurture the baby,” her services go far beyond coaching someone thorough labor. She gets involved with her clients lives, teaching them useful facts about nutrition, anatomy, child development, and breastfeeding. She mentors young girls that may not have proper parenting role models. She brings compassion and love to young teens going through a pivotal time in their lives, helping them face their reality and their fears. One poignant scene in particular sums up the encompassing role Loretha plays when one of her girls, Renata, goes into false labor. The bond is remarkable, and as she accompanies Renata to the hospital, Loretha’s worry and care are clearly evident.

As the program states, one in nine births in our country are to teen mothers. This is an important part of health care education, and there are few video programs out there that show the realities as well as A Doula Story. Granted, the focus of the film is the doula, but the glimpses into the lives of Loretha’s charges speak volumes.

A Doula Story is well worth the $200 price tag for library collections supporting college level health sciences programs, particularly nursing and medical school classes, and any that may focus on doula training. It would also be useful for social work programs, and classes dealing with adolescence and teen health issues.

Awards

• Best Documentary, Milwaukee International Film Festival
• Best Documentary, Director’s View, New York
• Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism
• CINE Golden Eagle