Meet Angelene Love-Adams | Full-Spectrum Doula, Lactation Supporter and Birth equity advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angelene Love-Adams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelene, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
My doula partner Dera Williams and I developed the idea for our business Wrapped in Love Doula and Lactation Support by identifying the support we needed when we were entering our motherhood journey,especially as black women. We strive to uplift, advocate, and empower our birthing community. We offer full-spectrum doula support and skilled lactation services that have allowed us to identify and meet the unique needs of each birthing family we support. WIL provides care that is so comprehensive, well rounded and individualized that you and your family feel Wrapped in Love during our time together. WIL provides, full-spectrum doula care and the our signature Double doula support as well as:
Skilled lactation support
Parenting support
Postpartum wellness (accessing and monitoring on pp health concerns as scope allows)
Nutritional support
PPMD screening
Sibling care
Infant care
Housekeeping
Meal preparation in home was prepared and delivered nutritional support
Empowerment photo sessions
General check-in support
Identify community resources for support out of our scope of practice
Community connection events
The support WIL provides is unique and intentional because we are your sister, your cousin, your neighbor, your friend. We pull up on you to see how you are, offering a hot plate and no judgment. We facilitate honest conversations where families can feel safe to ask questions and for additional resources they may need. WIL provides ongoing check-ins both in person and virtual with postpartum birthing-people so that any concerns may be met with consistent care that reflects a communal commitment to their wellbeing. We are able to share trusted community resources with families that may not be aware of or have access to during the critical period of postpartum.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Like so many, I wear multiple hats and my career includes multiple occupations. However I have the privilege of doing work that I love that is intertwined. I started my birthwork journey when I was 14, as a peer educator in my HS. I was able to support friend’s with providing accurate education and support surrounding reproductive and sexual health. After graduating college I began working at Planned Parenthood as a prenatal care coordinator, this is where I began to understand the severe bias in healthcare. I worked with my colleague to try to uplift the patient voices at our office as well as provide intentional lactation support. I decided to further my education by getting my Masters in Public Health Education (finishing my theisis project now) during this time I was connected with SEMI, who offered me an internship project of Mama’s Mobile Milk. What should have been a 1 semester project two years ago, turned into a life long commitment. M3 is a human milk transport service for families whose child has been separated due to a NICU stay, CPS involvement or custodial issues. M3 also provides, lactation and advocacy support to the families that we serve. I serve as the Human milk transport coordinator and lead program manager. Currently, I have had the opportunity to work closely with MDOC to develop a program to service the incarcerated birthing people in the State of Michigan.

In 2021, I started my role at Coffective as the Project Manager for QI-TRACS. QI-TRACS aims to reduce disparities in breastfeeding for BIPOC birthing people and improve maternal infant health outcomes by cultivating true and authentic partnership with hospitals and the true community leaders. In this role I have really been able to grow on a professional level and utilize my education to support my community. I am able to connect with community partners across the state of MI and lift their needs and concerns as we are writing grants to provide funding. I am also in a position to learn more about grant writing that allows me to support my birthwork sisters’.

Additionally, in this role I have been able to coordinate trainings, birthworker connection spaces and purchase items to assist with the work folks are doing in the community. In 2023 I was invited to talk about the work our project has done by Senetor Slotkin to roundtable with DHHS Senator Beccara and attend the Black Maternal Health Caucus in DC, as well as the presenting at the MIHS, WI Perinatal Conference and the LA PQC conference. I enjoy being able to share our work on a national level. I look forward to more opportunity’s like those in the future.

In March of 2023, I was awarded a grant to complete my DONA Doula Training, I had thought about being a doula for years, and had supported births long before I knew what a Doula was. This training changed my life. I have hit the ground running as a full spectrum doula supporting families and opening my own doula business’. I am extremely proud of how I have showed up for and supported not only my doula familes but my doula sisters. I show up for my families when and how they need me and it has been a beautiful 9 months of supporting families through their birth and beyond journeys.

The journey to the place I am in today, was long but it was full of learning opportunities, lifetime connections and beautiful experiences. As I reflect back to being 16 years old when my mom was having my younger sister in our home and how I felt called to support her through that process and caring for her after, this has always been my destiny.

Equitable compensation for birthwork has been a challenge, I have put my voice in spaces to uplift those concerns by networking and looking for opportunities to do so. As a doula I fight constantly for others to see and understand the level of support I provide and understand that the state reimbursement rates and visit allocation are low and not in alignment with the support doulas offer.

I want the world to know that Angelene Love-Adams is the person who stands on her word. If I tell you I got you, I mean that full heartedly. but I think anyone who knows me or has been supported by me knows that and I am a huge believer in letting your actions speak louder than your words.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I live 5 mins away from the DTW airport in Belleville, which is a small town. I don’t spend too much of my time here since I am usually out in Detroit supporting many of my families. But we have a great black owned coffee shop and bakery called Crafted Beanery the staff is always so welcoming and the coffee and food is delicious! The owner makes mini sweet potato pies and they are sold out in hours every time. So I would recommend starting your day there. Next I would head down to Ypsilanti (about 10 mins away) and stop in Black Stone Bookstore another Black owned gem in my area. They have everything from books to apparel, it is a must stop if you are in the area. For lunch we would check out Ma Lou’s, is a asian soul food fusion spot that has theeee best chicken sandwiches and dessert biscuits. Another great local spot to check out for dinner is Pizzawala’s in canton (about 15 mins away) when my family and I discovered this family owned pizza spot we ate their once a week for a month. They specialize in pizzas that are inspired by indian cuisine. They have butter chicken pizza that is the most delicious thing I have ever had.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Whew, I owe so many for the support, education, mentorship and sisterhood along my birth worker journey. I am very appreciative to my mentor CNM Melisa Scott who has been part of my story and journey for many years. She has showed me how to advocate for patients in the hospital setting and lifted my name in spaces that have allowed me many opportunities to further my career. She has poured into me in ways that I can not describe.

I would like to shout out the organization SEMI (Southeast Michigan IBCLCS of Color) their sisterhood and mentorship has allowed me to grow authentically and elevate my voice in spaces I never could have imagined. As my big sister, Dr. Sekeita Lewis-Johnson (founding member) so eloquently states, they conceived Mama’s Mobile Milk but trusted me to birth and parent it and I am forever grateful.

My doula’s sisters! Over the past year, I have met/developed stronger relationships with the most strongest, caring, knowledgeable group of women. They have showed up and showed out for me in way’s I could never imagined. Without them lifting me up I could not do the work that I do to such a degree. Erika Millendar, Amber Adams-Jackson, Dera Williams, Brooke LaFleur and Arnetta Ford just to name a few!

Last but not least my man, my man, my man, my husband Chris Adams. Birth work is my passion, my purpose and my love but it’s hard! My husband picks up the slack from our kids, households chores and all that’s in between any time it is needed. I joke that he often doula’s me out the door so I can support families. He values and celebrates the work I do and understand how emotional and exhausting it can be. Nothing is better than being greeted at the door with smiles, a hot plate and happy kids after long birth. I can support families fully knowing that he has my back and our home on lock when I am away, it is a level of peace I didn’t understand until I got in this field and I am truly grateful to have him as my partner. He is my biggest cheerleader and inspiration!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CymftK3M9L1/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelene.love?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Other: My QI-TRACS Website https://coffective.com/about/team/angelene-loveadams/