About GALS

What is a Doula?

Doula refers to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support before, during and just after birth. At GALS we use the terms “doula” and “birth worker” interchangeably.

WHY A DOULA?

From 2012 to 2015, at least 382 pregnant birthing people in Texas died from perinatal complications, according to State Health Services, and 89% of these deaths were preventable. While there is no one policy change that can solve this complex maternal mortality and morbidity crisis, Doula care is an evidence-based intervention and an essential step toward advancing maternal health equity and reducing mortality and morbidity.

The Evidence for Doulas

Our Values

Respect

We believe in the inherent dignity of every person. Birthing people have a right to humane treatment and respect in birth. We meet clients where they are, honoring their choice of where and how to birth.

Support

We provide practical, accessible, & nurturing care. We provide support to all birthing people, breaking through barriers that prevent people from obtaining the support they need.

Community

We know we are stronger together. We take care of each other as we take care of the community. We strive to be a trusted and integral part of the birth team.

Empowerment

We champion others in their own power & choice. We aim to decrease poor maternal and child outcomes by holding space for families, providing informational support, and expanding choice so that they can make informed and educated decisions about their health. This increases a person’s confidence in speaking up for themselves and their needs during labor. We foster courage and strength in our birth workers as they make sacrifices to support families while providing them with high quality, ongoing training and opportunities for career advancement.

Compassion

We interact with kindness, non-judgment and heart. We cultivate compassion, and believe in showing kindness to all without judgment. We usher our birth workers through this emotional work and model self-care & kindness. We do our part to recognize and meet the needs of a laboring person, ultimately trusting their journey and holding their desires without pushing our agenda. We hold space for parents and each other to process intense experiences and to foster growth.

History of GALS

In 2008, Giving Austin Labor Support began as a grassroots organization. While working as a Labor and Delivery nurse at Brackenridge hospital, Brigid Dodson saw a need for support and set out to create a program for any one who felt alone, unsupported, or afraid during their childbirth experience. Dodson rallied a group of women involved in the birth world who shared this belief. Caroline Byrd, Jessica Atkins, Veronica Rice, and others, spent a year meeting in coffee shops and forming what is now known as Giving Austin Labor Support. Soon, the organization grew, became a certified 501©3, and developed a volunteer base of new and experienced doulas giving back to the Austin Community. GALS continues to grow and support more families in Central Texas each year.

Studies have shown that when a birthing individual feels supported during childbirth, they feel empowered and are more confident in their abilities to parent. That is what GALS is setting out to do.

Today, GALS has expanded into the community to connect birth workers with prenatal and postpartum clients, through past and present partnerships and collaborations with Any Baby Can, Pregnancy and Postpartum Health Alliance of Texas and Travis County Sheriff’s Office.

We want Austin to be a city where all birthing people and children are respected and vauled!