An Inside Look at a Compassionate Austin Doula Team

Are you currently expecting or have recently given birth? Perhaps you have already considered hiring an Austin doula but are not sure where to begin or what to expect?

Then you’re in the right place!

I recently had the opportunity to interview Ciarra Morgan, a certified HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator with HypnoBirthing International. Ciarra is also the founder and owner of Empowered Beginnings, a company with a mission to help families feel supported through their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey.

Keep reading to learn more about the various benefits of working with a dedicated doula in Austin, TX.

About Ciarra Morgan: Your Austin Doula, Childbirth Educator, and Sleep Consultant

Can you share a bit about yourself and what inspired you to start Empowered Beginnings? 

I started Empowered Beginnings in April of 2019. The birth of my son is what inspired me to become a HypnoBirthing educator and birth doula. I added on sleep consulting, the podcast, and birth doula training later on, as things naturally progressed.

How has your birth and postpartum doula training, certification, or personal experience shaped the way you support families? 

HypnoBirthing has a huge impact on how I serve families because I truly believe in birth. I come to the table with a calm confidence and trust in birth which then is translated into the way I care for clients. 

What values guide Empowered Beginnings? What do you believe are the most important things for expecting/new parents to know or experience when hiring an Austin doula? 

Three pillars guide my client experience: transparency, education, and informed consent. I want my clients to know I will always give them the truth and guidance they need. However, whichever they choose to do remains totally up to them. It is their birth story and I support whatever direction they choose to go. 

About Empowered Beginnings: Comprehensive Birth and Postpartum Doula Services in Austin, TX

For someone who’s never heard of Empowered Beginnings before, how would you describe your mission and the services you offer?

Empowered Beginnings focuses on preparing families from conception through the first years after birth. We do not empower you – you empower yourself. We help families feel supported through their pregnancy and birth with childbirth classes and birth doula support. Families are guided through their postpartum period by providing postpartum doula support, postpartum prep classes, pediatric sleep consulting and lactation counseling services. Our team is consistently expanding our education to provide families with an up-to-date, comprehensive education and experience.

You provide a wide range of services in Austin — birth doulas, postpartum doulas, childbirth classes, sleep consulting, lactation support, parenting prep, etc. Could you walk us through what a family might expect from a few of those?

Our birth doulas are trained professionals. They provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support before, during and shortly after childbirth to help achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. Whether you want an unmedicated birth, an epidural the moment they offer it, a scheduled c-section, or a scheduled induction, a doula supports you through the experience. Our goal is to take the work out of it for you and your partner so you can remain in the moment.  

On the other hand, a postpartum doula is a non-medical assistant during the postpartum period. Depending on the needs of your family, our postpartum doulas may assist during the day or night, and services can last from a few days up to a few months after the baby is born.

Additionally, we offer sleep consulting or lactation counseling services. Being sleep deprived doesn’t have to be your norm after having a baby! We are here to help, whether you just brought home a newborn or you have a three-year-old who won’t seem to stay in their bed. As such, we offer personalize sleep plans meant to support you through the first couple of weeks of implementation.

What makes Empowered Beginnings different from other Austin doula or postpartum services? 

There are some companies that are similar to mine and others that are very different. I am a bit more of a boutique style agency. I don’t have a giant team and try to keep things a bit smaller and more personalized. Also, I am one of the only companies that offers HypnoBirthing Classes. 

Connection with Austin Families

What are some of the most common concerns or challenges you hear from families during pregnancy and early postpartum, and how do you help address them?

Almost everyone that comes through my company is doing so because they want someone by their side to help them with the transition into parenthood. Many people don’t have the village around them to help them through the process or they don’t WANT the advice from those close to them. Additionally, advocacy is a big part of what a lot of people are looking for. 

How do you help Austin families feel heard, supported, and empowered through the transitions of birth and early parenthood?

Informed consent! I work really hard to inform parents of their options so THEY can choose what is best for them. Ultimately, if someone doesn’t even know all of their options or the risks and benefits of those, they can’t have true informed consent. 

Closing Out: Coming Soon With Empowered Beginnings

Do you have any new doula offerings, childbirth classes, or projects coming up that families should watch for?

My podcast episodes release every Tuesday and there is a bonus episode one Friday a month. We have a new group HypnoBirthing Class series starting every 6-8 weeks (they are 5-class series). We also offfer quarterly newborn and postpartum care classes.

Currently, I am also working on an online, self-paced Birth Basics Comprehensive Childbirth Class so families that have differing schedules can still get the benefit of a really comprehensive class! That will be up for sale in the next month or so!

Lastly, our Birth and Baby Academy will offer the next in-person weekend workshop from February 27 to March 1, 2026.

About the Author: Lydia Suzanne Photography is an Austin-based newborn, maternity, and family photographer. With a light and airy style, Lydia Suzanne offers a full-service photography experience aiming to transform your photograph into timeless, tangible photo artwork you can be proud to pass on to the next generation.

Contact Lydia to discuss your next Austin photo session.