Wraparound Birth Support & Childcare for Black Mamas
Program Overview
The Maternal Health Equity Collaborative is excited to offer free, short-term, culturally congruent, high quality in-home childcare, for Black Mamas in Central Texas during the perinatal period. The purpose of this program is to address barriers, such as childcare, that block access to receiving the medical and mental necessary for having a successful and safe pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience.
Types of Childcare
Respite
In-home childcare for children whose parents is placed on bedrest, immediate postpartum, or has limited, or no childcare support during the perinatal period.
Appointment Based
In-home childcare up to 3 hours for children whose parent is attending a medical or doula related appointment, such as prenatal, baby well-visit, postpartum follow-up, or doula visit.
Qualification for Childcare Recipients
Identifies as a Black birthing person and actively receiving birth support from one of the MHEC birth organizations (Black Mamas ATX, Giving Austin Labor Support, Healing Hands, Mama Sana Vibrant Woman)
Submit an online request for childcare here.
Within 3 days our Childcare Program Coordinator will contact you to complete an assessment to determine your eligibility and match you with a Childcare Specialist.
Questions?
Please email our Program Coordinator, Jai Fields at jai@givingaustinlaborsupport.org
Request Birth or Postpartum Doula Support
Learn about the MHEC birth organizations below by clicking on the image to visit their websites and request birth and/or postpartum support!
Program Staff
Erin Backus, MHEC Grant Manager
Erin is a native Texan who's social service roots have impacted youth and the underserved across the state's following major cities: DFW, Austin, El Paso, and Houston. She received her BA in African and African Diaspora Studies and BS in Athletic Training from the University of Texas at Austin. She recently graduated with her Master of Public of Health from the UT Health Science Center at Houston. Her background in healthcare and lived experience as a Black woman led her to intern twice for Black Mamas ATX. Now she has returned for a third appearance as a grant manager for BMATX and the MHEC's Safer Childbirth Cities grant! Her dream is to empower BIPOC to live their best lives through health and wellness, self-expression, and art. She believes in the power of people and advocates for the empowerment of BIPOC women everywhere. When she's not in a class or out hustling, you can find her traveling the globe, out in nature, or curled up on the couch with a good book or movie.
Jai Fields, Childcare Programs Coordinator
Jai (she/they) is a Black, queer, muva, full spectrum doula, educator, and nature enthusiast with a focus on reproductive justice. Consent and autonomy is central to the work that they do with humans of all ages - while centering BIPOC, single, and LGBTQIA+ people. Jai has worked with kids and families officially since 2010. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a major in Leadership Development, before moving to Austin and working as a pre-k teacher, then program leadership at a local youth arts + social justice non-profit. While navigating her professional work, Jai has also leaned into her passion work and built both an independent doula business, Your Journey with J, and a birthworker collective, Black Texas Birthwork. The combination of formal training, mentorship guidance, working with families in various capacities and personal lived experience allows them to provide comprehensive and culturally inclusive support. Jai is an advocate for finding pleasure through play, and their “secret” agenda is to bring wellness to the community through creating affirming and supportive spaces for families to thrive.
ARE YOU A BIRTHWORKER, ORGANIZATION, OR MIDWIFE LOOKING TO FILL OUT YOUR REQUIRED MOU FORMS?