2024 Blue KC Gamechanger Honoree James Hogue – month of October
Stepping Up and Pitching In
James Hogue believes fathers have been left out of the discussion for far too long when it comes to talking about the birthing process. Unlike some people who might just complain, he’s doing something about it.
He formed “Fathers Assisting Mothers,” a non-profit organization that educates and supports couples as they prepare for the birth of their children.
A more accurate name for the organization might be “Fathers Assisting Mothers by Helping Fathers Become More Involved in the Birthing Process and in the Lives of Their Newborn Children, LLC” but that wouldn’t have fit very well on business cards.
Hogue believes that both expectant fathers and mothers can benefit from experiences that he and his wife had when they were preparing for the birth of their first child in 2020. They were planning on a natural, home birth, but medical difficulties made that impossible.
“When we had to pivot, it wasn’t a complete shock to the system,” he said. “We had been instructed on some alternative routes in case things happened.”
Hogue was able to advocate for his wife as she dealt with all the complications, and make sure she didn’t become another statistic. The United States has the worst maternal health outcomes of any industrialized country. Even worse, Black and Brown women in the United States are more than three times more likely to die than any other demographic during childbirth for a number of reasons.
So, Hogue set out to change those statistics, and he believes that equipping the partner in the birthing process is the best way to do that.
“I have a very specific lane,” Hogue said. “I pour into guys who were in similar situations that I was in to help them be better prepared. Now, is this information for everyone? Absolutely. Everyone can benefit from it.”
It started with a core group of friends who were also preparing for the birth of their first children, just a few weeks later.
“I wanted to make sure none of my friends went into this experience uninformed,” he said. “I cared about them. I cared about their spouses. I wanted to make sure that those guys were informed, so that they could advocate for their partners. It organically started as my friends and I meeting on FaceTime once a week, and they were like, ‘Let’s do this again. One week led to another, and then they began to ask questions I couldn’t answer.”
That led Hogue to get his training as a birth doula, which provided him with the knowledge to truly educate and impact.
Hogue dove in with both feet to form “Fathers Assisting Mothers”. They do one-day events where they cover specific topics. The main course is an eight-week “Dad Doula Bootcamp,” where they prepare fathers for every step of the process.
“If we’re able to get guys or partners to be fully aware of what’s happening within their spouse’s body and be fully aware of all the red tape that happens within birthing situations, then they’re able to be that first line of defense,” he said. “We provide them with the information, the resources, but more importantly, the community that is necessary for them to fully show up.”
For more information about “Fathers Assisting Mothers”, or to CLICK HERE to donate.
Because of his efforts, Hogue will receive the September “Blue KC Gamechanger” award. Launched during the 2024 season, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) and the Kansas City Current have teamed up to create this exclusive program highlighting local individuals blazing the trail for all women across the Kansas City area. A Blue KC Gamechanger inspires bold ambition in all his or her work, enriching the community around them, and enacting positive change through intentional action.
“James has stepped up in a big role to help expectant mothers and their partners be more prepared for the birthing process,” said Blue KC Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Christina Lively. “We are very thankful for people like James, and we are excited to recognize him as our September Blue KC Gamechanger!”
For more information about the “Blue KC Gamechanger” program, please click here.
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