There is a new benefit available for the spouses of active duty and reserve Servicemembers. It is a program that provides a trained volunteer to assist pregnant women whose partners or husbands have lost their lives, or been severely insured while on duty.
This service is also available for Servicemembers spouses or partners who will be deployed when the pregnancy comes to term. Operation Special Delivery is a brand new service that provides a specially trained volunteer, or doula, for women who face pregnancy without their partner or husband for the reasons listed above. A Doula is a person who has special training to assist with emotional and information for the pregnant woman. A doula is not a medical professional, and they do not perform medical tasks but they give support and uninterrupted emotional and physical support during labor and childbirth.
What target military moms? This program began because the OSD program identified that no person should be alone during childbirth and labor, not to mention giving birth while these men are bravely serving their country. How did this program begin? A woman named Patricia Newton was a specially trained doula in South New Jersey. She became involved because of what she viewed in the tragedy of September 11th. She was and is a professional geared toward support and assistance to women facing childbirth, and identified a need of families and U.S. Servicemembers for child birth services and support.
Using the Internet, Ms. Newton asked other Doulas for donations of time and their services to pregnant women who could benefit from childbirth support. It was especially aimed to providing for women who had either lost their partners during September 11th, or whose husbands or partners were serving on active duty and deployed overseas. The combined response was overwhelming. East Coast doula’s jumped on the program with enthusiasm, and doulas from over twenty states wanted to participate in the program as well.
After some reflection, Patrica Newton gave the OSD program to the CAPPA organization. CAPPA is Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association. The doula program had grown into a huge program, which was too large for a single person to maintain. CAPPA is known for its quality of care and services in lactation, childbirth, postpartum care and training and also various certificate programs.
CAPPA is dedicated to serving the Servicemember wives and partner population. It’s a small way to give back to the brave members of our US Armed forces who serve each day.
