Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cordelia Hanna. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cordelia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

I established the non-profit back in 1993. Along with two midwives, we founded Wholistic Midwifery School of Southern California (WMSSC) as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit community charity in Los Angeles. The aim was to provide an alternative to the lengthy apprenticeships for student midwives to become California Licensed Midwives and Certified Professional Midwives, as licensure for direct-entry midwives had just been codified in the California Business and Professions Code in 1994. The founders also envisioned a freestanding birth center accepting Medi-Cal and serving low-income families. This birth center would be a training site for student midwives pursuing licensure under the supervision of Licensed Midwives. They were years ahead of the trends. However, we did not end up starting a midwifery school or birth center. Instead, we developed training and certification programs for birth doulas and postpartum doulas and childbirth educators and breastfeeding peer counselors. We have trained over 350 people as perinatal supporters. Some are working as independent doulas in their own businesses. Others are working in agencies working with families. Others have gone on to become midwives, lacatation consultants and public health professionals. In addition, we have offered internships to several public health students from local colleges and universities.

EXPANDING OUR MISSION AND REACH

Happy Mama Healthy Baby Alliance, a DBA of Wholistic Midwifery School of Southern California, was established in 2020 with the same mission but a different focus.

By 2011, our mission had evolved and changed. However, we remained committed to promoting the Midwives Model of Care and integrating client-centered, wholistic maternity care into maternal health programs. We focused our outreach efforts on promoting this model in clinics, hospitals, and public health departments.

For many years, without any financial remuneration, we focused on offering Community Doula Services through a volunteer program. This program enabled new graduate doulas to fulfill their certification requirements while providing a much-needed service to low-to-moderate-income families. Until 2024, Medi-Cal doulas services were not available in California. However, we can now bill Medi-Cal for the services we have been offering pro bono for years filling the gap in doula services for low income families. We are working to reduce perinatal health inequities and disparities occurring in BIPOC communities. Black women and babies have significantly higher rates of mortality than their white counterparts in Los Angeles County and the USA as a whole.

POLICY WORK TO IMPROVE MATERNITY CARE AND BIRTH OUTCOMES

With funding received from The California Community Foundation for Nursing Education and Hospital Improvements in 2010 and 2011, we launched the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative of Los Angeles County, a policy and hospital improvement initiative based on the five principles (normalcy of birth, empowerment, autonomy, do not harm, and responsibility) and ten steps of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, developed by the Coalition to Improve Maternity Services.

From 2011 to 2015, our organization held numerous conferences that brought together healthcare professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including physicians, nurses, doulas, and midwives. The goal of these conferences was to explore opportunities for collaboration and identify procedures for providing evidence-based and respectful care for birthing persons and their infants. In recognition of our efforts, we were awarded by The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services. Our outreach efforts have helped at least one hospital in Los Angeles, a public health clinic, and several perinatal providers to achieve “mother-friendly” status. Additionally, we have raised awareness about the effectiveness of the recommendations of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative (MFCI) in improving birth outcomes.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

The Human Rights in Childbirth US Summit & Birthing Justice Forum, California Endowment Center, 2016. Sponsored by AWMNH, Human Rights in Childbirth, Black Women Birthing Justice, and others. This brought together grassroots perinatal health advocates from around the country to work together to promote birthing justice, ending obstetrical violence, and addressing provider implicit biases that contribute to maternal mortality and morbidity.

In 2010, we conducted our first course, Childbirth Education for Health and Human Service Workers for home visitors working at Maternal-Child Health Access, on the pilot project Welcome Baby! Program funded by First 5 LA.

In 2011, we launched The Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Training and Certification Program. Hired by The Center for Health Promotion at UCLA, we conducted a training Community Health Promoters working the Neighborhood Mother-Mentor Program, a program based in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles, which was part of a translational research project at UCLA directed by Dr. Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, Ph.D.

From 2015 to 2019, we were funded by Esperanza Community Housing Corporation to deliver our Perinatal Support Specialist Doula Training to their Community Health Promoters (Promatores de Salud), giving them the knowledge and skills to provide maternal care and perinatal and lactation education to pregnant women and new mothers living in South Los Angeles, California.

We are a training leader in LA County training and certifying health and hiuman services professionals in maternal and infant health. Over 350 persons have particpated in our trainings. We offer Community Birth Doula Training, Heart and Hands Postpartum Doula Training, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Training.

We also offer our original series of childbirth preparation classes to expectant parents called “Empowered Birth Choices” helping families make informed choices, cultivate trust in birth, and cope with the challenges of childbirth and early parenting.

In 2024, we accept Medi-Cal and reach about 200 pregnant people per year with ten doulas; we work with a federally qualified Health Clinic, Venice Family Clinic, and provide support to around 90 women per year providing them with doula support. We also offer services in Spanish. This collaboration is the first of its kind in Los Angeles County.

In 2023-2025, we received a grant from LA Care’s Generating Support for African-American Infants and Nurturers Initiative to provide African-American families with postpartum doula support which is in-home supportive services for families with infants under three months of age. Our goal is to lower maternal and infant mortality, which is significantly higher in the African-American community throughout the US and here in Los Angeles County as well.

We are a Heluna Health program that provides population-based initiatives to improve health around Califormia.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have 30+ years of experience in maternity care as a health educator, midwife, doula, birth activist, and maternal-child health advocate. I believe in natural living and the mind-body-spirit connection..

My dedication to caring for mothers and babies and commitment to empower pregnant women to have safe, respectful, and joyful birth experiences is my life’s work. Focusing on eliminating perinatal health disparities and inequities in communities of color while working to improve maternal care quality through systemic change is my vital mission. My 30+ years of dedication to this cause highlight my deep commitment and passion for addressing this human rights issue of vital importance.

Teaching and mentoring aspiring maternal-child health professionals is my way to pass on my knowledge and values, ensuring that the work I’ve started will continue to make a positive impact with future generations.

This work is essential, and I remain committed to making a difference in maternal and child health and to advocate for the human rights of all pregnant women and their babies.

Since 1991, I have attended hundreds of births in homes, hospitals and birth centers and supported families from multicultural backgrounds, in community, domiciliary, clinic, public health and hospital settings as a midwife, doula and health educator, and I will soon be adding Health Psychologist to my resume as I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Psychology from Walden University. My areas of research and interest are refugee/immigrant health, maternal and infant mental health, cross-cultural birthing and parenting practices, maternal-infant attachment, health disparities and trauma and resilience. My research perspective reflects my transformative worldview which holds that research inquiry needs to be intertwined with politics and a political change agenda to confront social oppression at whatever levels it occurs.

My Certifications and Training

I am a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) whose skills include Responsibilities such as Assessment, Planning, Evaluation, Administration, Communication, Advocacy, and more. I am a Certified Childbirth Educator with International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA), a Certified Birth Assistant accredited by The Association for Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE), a Certified Lactation Educator, accredited by Childbirth and Postpartum Provider Association (CAPPA), and a Family Planning/Reproductive Health & Sexuality Educator through California Family Health Council.

In addition, I am a direct-entry midwife, who trained through apprenticeship with Licensed Midwives/Certified Professional Midwives in Los Angeles County, CA and worked in birth centers and in private homes.

My Education

I have a BA in Theatre, Dance and Vocal Music from Indiana University, Bloomington. I have performed as an actress, singer and dancer

I earned a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) in Health Education and Promotion/ Maternal-Child Health from Loma Linda University. I love working in public health because it seeks to address social inequalities and the social determinants of health through a holistic, multidisciplinary approach.

As a Certified Health Education Specialist and Perinatal Health Educator. I have strived to make a significant positive impact on perinatal health in my community and beyond, particularly among BIPOC individuals who often face health disparities. By training and certifying health and human service professionals, empowering them with the knowledge and tools to make a difference in maternal and child health outcomes.

Many of my graduates, who have gone on to become midwives, nurses, lactation consultants, doulas, and family support providers, play essential roles in improving the overall well-being of families during the perinatal period. Their work can help bridge the gap in health disparities and provide culturally sensitive care to individuals and communities that may have unique needs and challenges. Graduates of my courses have contributed to increased awareness, access, and support for perinatal health services, which is crucial for promoting healthy pregnancies and better outcomes for both mothers and infants.

I have sought to make a significant and impactful career in the field of perinatal health, focusing on addressing disparities and inequities within the African-American/Black community. For ten years, I worked for The Black Infant Health Program in Pasadena and established the first Community-Based Doula Program in Los Angeles County an achievement I am very proud of.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Not everyone is going to like you, in fact, many will be jealous of you if you are an effective leader and take a strong stand and get recognition for your work. My advice is:. remember why you are doing the work. It is not about you; it is about making a difference with the community you serve. Forget the haters and keep on believing in yourself and your vision and mission; for me, my life is for the whole community, and it is my privilege to do whatever I can to address injustice towards mothers and children wherever it occurs.

Can you open up about how you managed the initial funding?

We had no capital when we started. It was started only with a vision and a mission; if you build it, and if it reaches people’s hearts, the money will follow.,

Contact Info:

• Website: https://motherbabysupport.net
• Instagram: @motherbabysupport and @support4birth
• Facebook: motherbabysupport