Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center (NFMMC) has formed a partnership with Calming Nature Doula Service & Center to broaden the availability of birth and postpartum doula support for its patients. The collaboration aims to offer families personalized assistance, education, and emotional support from pregnancy through the postpartum period.
Doulas provide non-medical support throughout the childbirth process, which has been linked to lower stress levels and improved outcomes for mothers and infants. Their role includes offering education, advocacy, and emotional reassurance to families during the transition to parenthood.
AmyLynn Bryniarski, Vice President for Service Line Operations at NFMMC, stated, “This partnership is a testament to our dedication to maternal health. Together with Calming Nature Doulas, we are standing beside the women of Niagara County, not just during birth but through every step of their journey to motherhood. Through this partnership, we are offering comprehensive birth and postpartum doula support to NFMMC patients, providing personalized guidance, education, and emotional care from pregnancy through recovery. This is more than a program; it is a commitment to safety, dignity, and the deep belief that every woman deserves to feel supported, seen, and empowered. This is how we begin to transform maternal health in our community, one mother, one birth, one life at a time.”
Shannon Johns, CEO of Calming Nature Doula Service & Center, said, “We are proud to partner with Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center to expand access to quality doula services for families. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to improving maternal and infant health outcomes, promoting dignified birth experiences, and ensuring that every parent feels supported, heard, and cared for during one of the most important times in their lives. Together, we are changing expectations, reshaping reputations, and building healthier beginnings for parents and babies right here in the community we call home.”
NFMMC was established in 1895 and provides various inpatient services including cardiac/stroke care, medical-surgical care, intensive care, labor and delivery services, as well as mental health services. The medical center operates several primary care centers and outpatient clinics throughout Niagara County.
Calming Nature Doula Service & Center is a nonprofit organization offering certified birth and postpartum doulas along with childbirth education across Western New York. It has contributed to initiatives such as securing Medicaid coverage for doula services in New York State.
The new partnership aims to integrate doula services into hospital care at NFMMC so that families in Niagara County have increased access to continuous support during pregnancy and after birth.
