Perinatal Doula Programs
Everyone deserves a joyful, dignified birth experience.
GALS is known in Central Texas for our on call birth Support program. We are dedicated to ensuring no one births alone if they don’t want to, and have birthworkers who are available 24/7 to provide emergent doula care to families who need it.
We also believe that outcomes improve when families have a trusted support person and advocate with them to guide them through the transition to parenthood. Our Prenatal and Postpartum programs exit for this very reason.
All programs are provided at no cost to eligible families. We center Black and Brown families, families who are low income, facing homelessness or incarceration. We collaborate with health clinics, social service organizations, and partner organizations. We are funded through private foundations, Value Added Contracts with Medicaid MCO Dell Children’s Health Plan, and individual donors. Learn more…
On Call Birth Support
We go to anyone who needs support in labor and birth in any setting at any time. Our dispatch phone rings 24/7/365 and can send a birthworker to support someone in less than three hours. Most of the time, our wonderful nurses at local hospitals give us a call when they are working with a patient that may need extra support. But, ANYONE can call this line and request GALS.
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If you know you are going to call GALS while in labor for doula support, you can fill out our request form in advance. This gives us all the information we need to find you a doula quickly.
Once matched with a birthworker, we will come to you and stay with you through labor and immediate postpartum. Don’t forget to get your doula’s contact information- our support doesn’t end at birth!
The birthworker will provide at least one postpartum visit with you, either in the hospital or at your home. During this visit we can order you and your family food, help you locate any resources such as lactation support, baby clothes, mental health support, and more. We will also help you process through your birth.
After services have ended, you will complete a brief evaluation of our support, and of your overall birth experience.
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Want an epidural? Having a cesarean? Call us. We will support you in YOUR birth! After all, you know you better than anyone else does.
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Awesome! We support the whole family- whoever is in the room with you- to make sure you can just focus on the work of birthing a baby. There may be times that they need to step out or answer a phone call or whatever else.. we can make sure you won’t be alone through that.
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We may be on the other line. Just leave a message about who you are and how to reach you and we will call you back ASAP! You can also text us during business hours.
Some people worry about calling us for birth support because we are strangers. Yep, we are strangers, but we are all trained to support you in ANY birth you choose.
AVAILABILITY
24 hours / 7 days a week
365 days of the year
LOCATION
We come to you!
Prenatal Doula Program
Through our Prenatal Doula Program, our Birth workers provide encouragement and support throughout pregnancy and birth to the birthing individuals, helping you stay comfortable with non-medical comfort measures, and help you have an empowering birth experience. GALS doulas do not take the place of medical providers and they do not make decisions for you, but instead provide a strong, stable relationship foundation in which your family is able to make the best decisions for yourself. This program is now in partnership with Birth Comadres - supporting our Spanish Speaking and Lantine` moms with Culturally specific doula and holistic perinatal care.
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People on Dell Children’s Health Plan’s Medicaid Program have access to GALS services through your insurance.
We serve those with the most need first, but can provide services for those under 200% FPL.
If you are able to make a donation for the services we provide, we greatly appreciate it, as that will allow us to continue to provide doulas a small payment to cover basic needs while at your birth, and keep GALS up and running!
Submit a request anytime, but preferably at least one month before your due date.
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We match you with a birth worker based on what you have written in your request, your due date and birth location.
All Birth workers in the Prenatal Doula Program are trained doulas. Some have been doing this work for many years, others are just starting out- but all of them have access to resources and support through the GALS network.
GALS will reach out to you within 1-4 weeks following your request to schedule an intake call, and begin the matching process.
If you don’t feel like it is a good match, we will make it right!
Spanish Speaking parents my be matched with a Birth Comadres doula, a partnership GALS has to provide the best care to folks who are latine.
An evaluation of services follows the last visit to ensure GALS offers quality care, as well as to learn more about how we can improve.
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Two prenatal visits to get to know each other, discuss birth preferences and answer all your questions
Access to a no-cost online childbirth preparation course. We also connect families with other education and resources that Austin has to offer
Continuous labor support with your GALS Birthworker, including back up support
Two postpartum visits at your home to support your new family
Educational information to prepare for labor and birth and to enhance breastfeeding and parenting
An evaluation of services to ensure quality care for you (and the person who receives support after you)
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You can still have support! give us a call on our on-call support hotline and we can send a birth worker your way!
Postpartum Support
GALS provides postpartum doula support to families who need extra help after the birth of their baby. Postpartum doula care typically begins around 2 weeks weeks postpartum and can continue through the first 3-6 months. The goal of postpartum doula care is to take care of you so you can take care of your baby! This work helps you become the parents you want to be, and supports you around crucial information in postpartum. We also connect you with other community resources and physical donations to better your postpartum experience. After you apply for care, you will be matched with a postpartum doula within 2-6 weeks. If you can apply while still pregnant, you can expect to be matched and ready for support quickly after baby arrives!
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The birth worker assesses what support you and your family are, needing most and offers care ranging from:
Emotional processing
Light housework or meal prep
Education around typical baby care and development
Support for partners or other family members
Care for the baby while parents sleep, shower or take care of other basic needs
Support around lactation
Provide referrals to other providers as needed.
A survey is provided at the beginning and end of services. This is required, and allows GALS to ensure our support is improving your experience postpartum.
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This program prioritizes families with low income, single parents, and those with little support.
All our services are services are at no cost for families.
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All enrolled families have access to 24 hours of postpartum care to start with. If there are continued needs, we can provide more support on a case by case basis.
Jail Support Program
GALS has worked in partnership with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office and the Travis County Correctional Complex to provide programming and doula support for pregnant and postpartum individuals since 2013. We’ve supported over 100 families with weekly support groups, fresh fruits and vegetables, and education, as well as providing birth, breastfeeding, and emotional support.
Programs at Travis County Correctional Complex
Weekly support groups in the Travis County Correctional Facility
Prenatal support groups create a comfortable and empathetic environment for people who are pregnant and incarcerated to openly discuss their fears and questions about pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are provided at every group.
Resources spanning the body, the normal discomforts of pregnancy, how birth differs for someone who is incarcerated, breastfeeding, as well as informations on community wide programs that offer wrap around support once the families are released.
Continuous labor support at the hospital
Birthworkers are notified when labor signs begin so they can meet the birthing person at the hospital.
GALS provides continuous emotional, physical and informational support throughout their labor, birth and postpartum.
Expanded support
GALS is continuing to advocate and support families access to programs that support the parent-baby bond.
This includes advocacy around increased resources, education and support during pregnancy, supporting programs that encourage lactation, and encourage physical closeness of the parent and baby.