Journey from addiction in prison to advocating for mothers behind bars

Tabatha Trammel persevered through teenage pregnancy while struggling with drug addiction and incarceration. Now, she finds purpose in advocating for expecting mothers behind bars. 

When Trammel became pregnant at age 15, her family’s religious beliefs led them to disown her. She also lost the support of friends in the process, according to The Marshall Project. 

After her second pregnancy, Trammel ended up in an Atlanta City jail for selling drugs to feed her addiction. She told a jail official that she had just given birth and was still bleeding. Instead of receiving medical care, Trammel had to use torn bed sheets in order to cope. 

“I cried and slept all day. I didn’t even want to deal with the reality of getting up and taking a shower,” Trammel said. “I was suffering postpartum [post birth] depression, I had been on drugs, and I was locked in a room all day.”

Since her incarceration, Trammel has been clean and sober for 14 years. She shifted her focus to her own mental health. She founded Woman with a Plan, an organization designed to connect pregnant girls and women with resources as they reenter society, stated the article.

Trammel goes into the State of Georgia’s women’s prisons and jails, understanding that she has to gain the women’s trust. To do so, she uses her own personal story as a testament to relate to them, according to the article. 

“I am here to support you as a person,” Trammel tells the women. “To make sure you are doing alright, and you are being treated right.” 

Trammel is a certified doula, which is a companion who works with pregnant women in need of emotional and physical support. 

She said that expecting incarcerated women do not have a voice, and Trammel wants to be that voice. Her efforts are to support these women through pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, she supports those who want to give up their newborns.

As part of the program, a doula nurtures incarcerated women during pregnancy. A companion develops healthy relationships with the women, supporting the women’s outlook as they are separated from their newborns. Doulas aspire to keep the women connected with their babies after birth, according to the Ostara Initiative.

This connection is pivotal to the wellbeing and healthy development of the newborn— data has shown lower Caesarean section rates and lower preterm delivery rates when companions accompany expecting mothers. The women are encouraged to take part in a nutritious diet, such as fruits, vegetables, proteins, calcium, iron, and Omega-3s.

Trammel believes that jails and prisons are a safer place for some pregnant women, compared to being on the streets and struggling with substance abuse. Jail may be the only place where the women can actually afford and receive medical care, according to The Marshall Project. 

After their children’s birth, the mothers only have two days to bond with their babies. While the mothers are dealing with separation anxiety, Trammel shows them a different way to cope. 

If a jail authority allows it, the women can cuddle or sleep with a blanket that has their babies’ scent on it, as a way to bond. 

“When I look back, my experience being in and out of jail while pregnant chipped away at my inner core,” Trammel said. “It was hard on my spirit. I try to remind women that this is just a situation—it is not their destination in life.”