Texans for Midwifery

The Texans for Midwifery website was hacked, so I'm giving up the site, and will be using social media to post.

There’s a renewed push in Congress for Medicaid to cover doulas and midwives The Mamas First Act, introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Gwen Moore, would make the pregnancy and postpartum services from doulas and midwives reimbursable in an effort to improve access to care.

https://19thnews.org/2023/04/texas-newborn-mila-jackson-parents-reunite-foster-care/

Texas newborn is headed home after custody fight involving race, midwifery and the child welfare system Child Protective Services removed Mila Jackson from her home and placed her in foster care for 23 days after her parents chose their midwife’s care over a hospital.

"A custody case currently unfolding in Texas has separated a newborn from her parents and highlighted two systemic realities in the United States: the policing of Black families by child welfare systems and the disregard of midwifery expertise by many doctors."

A Black Texas couple chose their midwife’s care over a hospital. Now their newborn is in foster care. The case of Mila Jackson highlights the disregard of midwives’ expertise and the disproportionate impact of child welfare systems on Black families.

"Ways where you will be less stressed during and feel safer during the birth can make a difference. But at this point we don't have enough midwives or doulas or maternity-care providers at all. We have about one maternity-care provider per 15,000 births, and that's not spread evenly over the country. ... So we also have to do things that get more people trained, and trained not just as OB-GYNs but as midwives and doulas."

How poverty and racism 'weather' the body, accelerating aging and disease Public health professor Arline Geronimus explains how marginalized people suffer nearly constant stress, which damages their bodies at the cellular level. Her new book is Weathering.

Another reason why access to out-of-hospital birth and midwifery care is so important in Texas!

After a hospital stopped delivering babies, Deep East Texas faces a growing maternity care crisis Women in Deep East Texas drive over an hour to give birth after the last obstetrics unit in the area closed in 2019. But if closing the unit was hard, reopening it is proving nearly impossible.

This Texas Tribune story is concerning for birthing women in rural areas, and another reason we value access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birthing options.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/20/rural-hospital-texas-maternity-care-obstetrics/?utm_source=articleshare&utm_medium=social

Texas’ “maternity deserts” grow as staff shortages close rural labor and delivery units Only 40% of Texas’ rural hospitals offer labor and delivery services, forcing some patients to drive hundreds of miles to give birth. With nurses in short supply, more hospitals are considering cutting those services entirely.

Join us Saturday, December 4th for our second summit, Holistically Healing Black Maternal Health! Guest Speaker Jennie Joseph will kick us off in discussing the state of Black maternal healthcare today and how we can be part of the solution and not the problem. There will be testimonies from Black mamas with lived experience, panels featuring many maternal healthcare providers, vendors, food, giveaways and more! Register for this free, in person event at the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holistically-healing-black-maternal-health-tickets-200226080597?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Midwives can attend your birth anywhere! Another reason to expand access to midwives in TX.

Meet our littlest camper, born at Goose Island State Park near Rockport.

The family was camping in its RV when baby Loyal Perez decided to come a bit early and was born with the help of a midwife into his big sister’s arms.

Congratulations to the family and our newest Junior Ranger ❤️

📷 on Instagram

THANK YOU,
nurses & nurse midwives,
for your heroic work.

It’s the International Day of the Midwife! Check out https://www.unfpa.org/sowmy to see how midwives are making an impact.

TfM uses Action Alerts to let you know when we need your help to contact policy makers to protect access to midwifery care. Sign up for text or email alerts at the link below.

http://texansformidwifery.org/subscribe-to-action-alerts/

https://19thnews.org/2021/04/doulas-and-midwives-are-crucial-in-addressing-postpartum-depression-for-black-people-many-cant-afford-one/?utm_source=The+19th&utm_campaign=08f79230ba-19th-newsletters-daily-0419&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a35c3279be-08f79230ba-359835156

Doulas and midwives are crucial in addressing postpartum depression for Black people. Many can't afford one. | The 19th As postpartum depression surges in the pandemic, doulas and midwives help fill the mental health gap for Black people.

ACTION ALERT! PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR Monday and Tuesday 4/19/21 and 4/20/21.
PLEASE FORWARD to other midwifery supporters.

Phone calls are best but if you cannot call, please send an email. Senators can be emailed through their websites at https://senate.texas.gov.

We specifically need calls from constituents of the senators listed at the end of this email in support of Senate Bill 735 by Senator Paxton.

After you call or email, please let us know. Email [email protected] with your name, a brief summary of the response you received and which senate staff member you spoke to.

Start with:
Hello, My name is ___________________ and I am calling to request that Senator ________________ support SB735, a bill to ensure that midwives are able to administer key standard of care medications.

Share 1-3 sentences about your experience with midwives (no details about birth). Say why you support SENATE BILL 735, which is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. You may use 2-3 of the talking points below.
· The bill would allow Licensed Midwives to carry specific life-saving medications including anti-hemorrhagics, IV fluids, Vitamin K for newborns, and Rhogam for pregnant people without orders from a physician
· The bill would require approved pharmaceutical training. Midwives are already trained in using standard of care medications, but this bill would standardize pharmaceutical training.
· The bill will NOT grant any prescriptive authority but simply remove the standing order requirement for a small number of necessary medications
· Midwives can currently carry these medications under orders of a physician, but it is difficult for many midwives, especially in rural areas, to find a willing physician. The bill removes the burden from physicians. This is especially important with the medical system already stressed by Covid-19
· Midwives are key to expanding access to maternity care, especially in rural areas. This bill removes barriers to increased access to midwifery care in rural communities. This is especially important with the additional burden Covid-19 has placed on the healthcare system.
· Covid-19 has created increased demand for community birth with midwives.
· If you are a midwife, you can talk about being a small business owner and the challenges of finding standing orders

Do’s and Don’t(s):
DO share your personal experience with midwives and the excellent care they provide
DO share why having a midwife is important to you
DON’T share details of your birth story
DON’T use insider language or too many details about midwifery
DON’T say negative things about doctors or hospitals
DON’T say that midwives are currently unsafe because they cannot carry these medications without physician supervision - speak positively instead.
DON’T attack or use partisan language. If you are a supporter of the Senator’s party, it is fine to state that, but otherwise avoid partisan politics.

Example: I have had 2 births with midwives and my midwife empowered me with information to have a safe birth. I believe midwives should be able to carry necessary medications.
Example: I had an amazing home birth with a midwife. When a complication arose after my baby was born, my midwife took immediate action to keep me safe.
Example: Maternity care is very difficult to find in my county. My midwife provided safe care for me and my baby.

If you aren’t sure who represents you/which district you are in, look it up here: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home
District 18 – Senator Lois Kolkhorst – Republican - (512) 463-0118 – District offices in Brenham, Victoria, and Katy
District 28 – Senator Charles Perry – Republican (512) 463-0128 – District offices in Lubbock, San Angelo, and Childress
District 29 – Senator César Blanco - Democrat - (512) 463-0129 – El Paso area – no district office listed
District 24 – Senator Dawn Buckingham – Republican - (512) 463-0124 – District office in Abiline, Belton, Kerrville
District 25 – Senator Donna Campbell – Republican - (512) 463-0125 – District office in New Braunfels
District 2 – Senator Bob Hall – Republican - (512) 463-0102 – District offices in Rockwall, Greenville, and Canton
District 13 – Senator Borris Miles – Democrat - (512) 463-0113 – Two district offices in Houston and one in Missouri City
District 10 – Senator Beverly Powell – Democrat - (512) 463-0110 District office in Ft. Worth
District 31 – Senator Kel Seliger - Republican - (512) 463-0131 District offices in Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, and Big Spring

Immediate Action Alert: Please support SB735 to allow midwives to carry essential medications without physician supervision. Calls needed to Senators from constituents in Districts districts 18, 28, 29, 24, 25, 2, 13, 10, 31, and 28 this Monday and Tuesday. Details and talking points at http://texasmidwives.com, scroll down to Legislative Update on home page.

From our friends The Big Push for Midwives Campaign comes a new PODCAST about midwives, the families who love them, and in support of the movement to increase access to midwifery care in the United States. Listen to the first 3 episodes of "Where's my midwife" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and more.
about midwives, the families who love them, and in comes a new PODCAST about midwives, the families who love them, and in support of the movement to increase access to midwifery care in the United States. Listen to the first 3 episodes of "Where's my midwife" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and

Where's My Midwife? - YouTube Longtime midwives activists and producers Kirsti Kreutzer + Steff Hedenkamp have teamed up to create a podcast about midwives, the families who love them, an...

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/06/texas-maternal-medicaid/?utm_campaign=trib-social&utm_content=1617817086&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Republican state House speaker backs expanding Medicaid to cover mothers for a year after they give birth The number of reported maternal deaths has increased nationwide in recent decades. Health experts and advocates say giving low-income moms Medicaid coverage for a year after delivery, rather than two months, could save lives.

Over-regulation discourages CNMs from practicing in our state. Fewer CNMs means LOWER breastfeeding rates & fewer CNMs in rural hospitals, and HIGHER rates of C-sections, preterm birth, babies born underweight, and health disparities for women of color.
- President of Texas Consortium for Nurse Midwives Erin Sing tesitfying FOR before the House Committee on Public Health

31 states have removed barriers to health care access. Zero have reversed their decision. Urging to pass and provide to Texas families. 1st hearing is Wednesday (3/24) in House Public Health Committee!

URGENT: Texans, please share! Urge to pass & , cutting red tape so that Certified Nurse Midwives and other APRNs can provide to more Texas families in primary care shortage areas. 1st hearing is Wednesday (3/24) in House Public Health Committee!

We need!
+ for mothers to feel safe and supported during childbirth,
+ for a "local system of care that's well oiled to deal with those times when transfer and transport is necessary," and
+ for much lower rates of maternal mortality among Black mothers.

Why Black Women Are Rejecting Hospitals in Search of Better Births Some mothers are seeking alternatives, worried about Covid-19 and racial inequities in health care.

Just one example of how midwives are stepping up amid the COVID-19 crisis.

http://krcgtv.com/news/local/demand-for-midwives-increases

Midwives meet increased demand amid pandemic with shortage of gloves, masks, PPE Hospitals across the country are restricting visitor access, leaving some pregnant women with a big decision to make. Midwife Cheryl Gates said the thought of giving birth alone surrounded by strangers in personal protective equipment can be a scary thought, but it's becoming a reality. Gates said h...

Happy International Women’s Day!

Many of us have stories from “before we knew about midwives.”

What was your turning point for wanting the ?