When Tyra stepped into the delivery room earlier this year, she brought more than courage. She also carried with her the training, confidence and support system made possible through UW Tarrant County’s maternal health initiative. This was her third child, and for the first time, she didn’t feel alone.
“All of them were traumatic emergency births ... but TeamBirth helped a lot more for this birth,” said Tyra.
TeamBirth is a care model created by Ariadne Labs that helps expectant moms and their care teams close communication gaps and encourage teamwork during labor and delivery. UWTC, in partnership with Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL), was the first to bring the model to Texas, which launched in several Tarrant County birthing hospitals in January 2025 to improve maternal care and communication.
For Tyra, it was the first time her care felt coordinated and truly collaborative. She knows what it feels like when that support is missing. Her second child, born at just 28 weeks, spent months in the NICU. Tyra was there almost every day, often without anyone by her side.
That experience changed her. In 2023, she joined the first cohort of UWTC’s doula training program led by Paradigm Doulas. Offered free to local women and men, the program initially focused on improving maternal health in ZIP code 76104, a historically underserved area in Fort Worth that once ranked second in Texas for maternal mortality. Together with CPAL, UWTC's maternal health initiative aims to save lives where they are most needed.
Tyra became a certified full-spectrum doula specializing in postpartum support and was determined to offer the care she previously needed herself.
“I know moms need more support — not even just from someone in their family but from unbiased people as well,” she said.
The training equipped her with critical tools, including certification through the American Heart Association, which later helped her recognize the signs of preeclampsia during her third delivery. She trusted her instincts, sought care quickly and likely saved her own life.
“Had I not had that training, I probably wouldn’t have known what was wrong,” she said. “I’m very grateful.”
TeamBirth made the difference. With the team aligned around their goals and keeping both Tyra and her partner informed in real time, she felt safe, seen and supported, even during the scary moments.
“Even though my daughter’s heart rate was dropping, and my blood pressure was rising, I felt at ease because the team was communicating with me and supporting me,” she said.
TeamBirth is now implemented in seven Tarrant County birthing hospitals as part of UWTC’s growing maternal health initiative. UWTC and CPAL have trained 120 doulas and more than 200 hospital staff to date and are working to expand the program to reach more families across the county.
Tyra is part of that vision.
“We all experience postpartum in some way, and I feel dedicated and determined to give back to everyone who is experiencing childbirth, whether they bring that baby home or experience loss,” she said. “I feel super passionate about making sure moms are OK with themselves and with the transition they have to make.”
She plans to return to the delivery room soon, not as a patient, but as a doula trained in TeamBirth.
When we support moms, we support entire communities. Help us continue this life-changing work. Donate and learn more at unitedwaytarrant.org/maternal-health.