The DAWA Birth with Joy Resource Guide
- Tayler Clemm
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
At DAWA, we believe birth is sacred. And healing is collective. This resource guide was created to connect mothers, birthing people, and families to people, services, and spaces rooted in love, nature, and cultural care.
Whether you’re preparing for birth, in the postpartum period, or simply seeking to deepen your village, this guide is here to hold you.
Pittsburgh-Based Wellness & Birth Resources
1. Healthy Start Pittsburgh
Community-based wellness for birthing families, including doula services, fatherhood programs, and lactation support.
2. Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle (PBBC)
A warm space offering culturally-rooted breastfeeding education and support.
3. Yoni Steam 412
Pittsburgh’s premier herbal detox spa offering womb steams and wellness for all phases of womanhood.
4. Masters of Maternity (MOM)
A Pittsburgh platform providing maternal wellness education and culturally affirming support.
5. Kangaroo Birthing & Maternity Concierge
Personalized birth and postpartum support tailored to your rhythm and needs.
6. Elephant Song Doula Services
Black doula agency offering nurturing, informed care from pregnancy through postpartum.
7. The Birthing Hut
A growing collective of Black doulas serving birthing people with ancestral and holistic support.
8. Royally Fit
Holistic wellness hub offering products, events, and retreats rooted in culture and care.
9. Steam Wellness Spa (Homestead, PA)
A full-body wellness experience offering massage, steam, facials, and healing touch.
10. DAWA
Home of this resource guide. Rooted in food as medicine, nature as healer, and sisterhood as strength.
Back to You in 5
A self-care and mom-life coaching platform founded by Brittany Elliott, dedicated to helping working mothers prioritize their well-being. Through personalized coaching, journals, and a supportive community, Brittany empowers moms to reclaim joy and balance in motherhood.
📱 Instagram: @backtoyouin5
National Black-Led Wellness & Birth Resources
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Advocating for Black maternal health and reproductive justice nationwide.
National Black Doulas Association
Directory and support network for Black doulas across the U.S.
SisterSong
Leading national voice on reproductive justice and healing-centered policy.
Mama Glow
Founded by Latham Thomas — offering doula training, lifestyle education, and birth support.
Books on Birth & Postpartum by Black Authors
1. Sacred Woman by Queen Afua
A foundational guide for womb healing, spiritual alignment, and feminine energy.
(Includes practices for before, during, and after birth.)
2. Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, and Early Motherhood by Erica Chidi
Written by a Black doula and educator, this inclusive book covers the entire birth journey with gentle, affirming guidance.
3. Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy, and Childbirth edited by Julia Chinyere Oparah & Alicia D. Bonaparte
A powerful anthology exploring systemic birth inequity and the radical reclaiming of birth for Black families.
4. Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminists Are Changing the World by Feminista Jones
While not a birth book per se, this work includes vital context on how Black women navigate and redefine health, family, and care.
5. You Got This: A Guide to Postpartum Healing for the New Mama by Doula On The Go (Mika Doyle)
A straightforward, encouraging guide written for mamas in the messy, sacred postpartum season.
6. The Big Letdown: How Medicine, Big Business, and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding by Kimberly Seals Allers
Explores the intersections of race, culture, and the systemic failures in breastfeeding advocacy.
7. Pregnant While Black by Monique Rainford, MD
A vital look at the Black maternal health crisis — with tools, solutions, and stories to navigate care more safely.
8. Own Your Glow by Latham Thomas
A spiritual, sensual guide for women navigating transitions — from pregnancy to rebirth of the self.
Know a resource we should include?
This is a living guide. Email us dawaisjoy@gmail.com to submit Black-centered birth and wellness resources.
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