Project Teenbirth and the Importance of Unconditional Support: A Q&A With Birth Advocate Melinda Morales
December 8, 2017Melinda Morales is a Florida-based doula and the founder of lovebirth, which offers doula services for women, teens and young parents, and the LGBTQ community. What started out as a traditional doula service—only offering support in pregnancy and delivery and private childbirth classes—has grown into a business providing a full spectrum of care that not only supports people through pregnancy and delivery but abortion as well. Its newest program, Project Teenbirth, is one that Morales is especially excited about.
Rewire spoke via email with Morales to hear about her motivations for launching Project Teenbirth, how she thinks teen birth differs from non-teen birth, and what teen parents need more of from their loved ones and support systems.
Rewire: Some people might say that focusing solely on pregnant and parenting teens isn’t necessary. Tell me what motivated you to focus specifically on pregnant and parenting young people in your work?