Brad Edwards Launches “Dads To Doulas” Initiative to Equip Black Fathers With Skills to Support Childbirth Journey

Brad Edwards, founder of the “Dads to Doulas” program, is on a mission to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the Black community by empowering Black men with knowledge, emotional support, and advocacy tools for the birthing process. His journey began with tragedy—in 2017, Edwards and his partner lost twin boys due to pregnancy complications. “I held any of the emotions I had from my experience for years,” he shared. “I just held everything in.” That pain eventually led him to seek healing through open dialogue and community-building with other Black men.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards partnered with the St. Louis-based platform “Dear Fathers” to address mental health needs in Black communities. “We saw there were going to be a lot more deficiencies in the Black and brown communities,” he said. “Mental health was being talked about more than ever.” On his daughter Carielle’s birthday, May 18, 2020, Edwards officially launched a new phase of his work, offering a free six-week program to help Black fathers become active, informed participants in the birthing journey.

“Dads to Doulas” equips men with doula-level knowledge, ranging from birthing history to infant safety. The course covers hospital, home, and birthing center options; pain management; partner advocacy; and birth plan development. The goal is to prepare fathers to better support their partners and newborns, especially in communities where Black women face mortality rates three times higher than white women and Black infants die at twice the rate.

Edwards' own growth helped him prepare for the birth of his daughter, including recognizing signs of preeclampsia and supporting his partner through treatment. Now, he and doula Kyra Betts co-lead the program. “I want people to understand that our shared experience should be shared,” Edwards said. “I don’t want us to be so tight-knit with our experiences that we’re not able to use that to empower... someone else who needed to hear them.”

According to the program’s website, the mission is clear: “We strive to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates… [and] empower our families from the very start.”

Link: Because Of Them We Can