Heart's Desire Midwifery Care

05/08/2025

TODAY - URGENT ACTION REQUESTED BY The Association of Texas Midwives

Calling all Midwife Supporters!!!

Make your calls and email right now!

HB 4553 is going up for a vote in the Public Health Committee on
May 8, 2025!!!

Call the Public Health Committee Immediately
HB 4553 Is very likely to be voted on before or during lunch.

It is imperative that you contact the representatives of the Health Committee listed below ASAP!
This is the same bill they tried to pass on April 28th.

Talking Points:

1. This new version is NOT a compromise! Our changes have not been incorporated and this bill still needs work.

2. This is all redundant reporting that midwives ALREADY do.
House Bill 4553 threatens the autonomy of our profession under the guise of data collection. While framed as a neutral reporting bill, HB 4553 lays the groundwork for invasive oversight, misrepresentation of outcomes, and the further medicalization of midwifery care without the context or nuance necessary to accurately represent our clients or our work.
We need every midwife, student, client, and supporter to contact the public health committee and urge them to oppose HB 4553.

TODAY PLEASE:

1. Call the Public Health Committee – urge them to oppose HB 4553.
Phone: 512-463-0806. NUMBERS SEEN ELSEWHERE ARE INCORRECT11
Contact Chairman VanDeaver directly – tell him to withdraw his support for this bill.
Email: gary.vandeaver@house.texas.gov
Phone: 512-463-0692
⸻
Call Script or Email Template:
Subject: Oppose HB 4553 – Protect Midwifery from over regulation and medicalization. Protect Family Choice
Dear [Chairman VanDeaver / Public Health Committee Member],
I am a [licensed midwife/client/family member/supporter] writing to strongly oppose House Bill 4553, scheduled for hearing on Monday, April 28. This bill, though presented as a neutral data reporting proposal, contains harmful and confusing language that would result in over regulation, redundant statistics collection, the medicalization of and the erosion of midwifery care in Texas.
Texas midwives are already held to high standards of safety and accountability. This bill duplicates existing reporting, imposes burdensome new rules, threatens privacy, and undermines informed choice in birth.
I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 4553 and support true solutions that protect safe birthing options across our state.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
⸻
We must act now. Please make your call today, and help us mobilize clients and supporters

04/24/2025

URGENT - PLEASE KEEP MIDWIFERY ALIVE FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN. THE HEARING IS ON MONDAY, APRIL 28TH!

We need every midwife, student, client, and supporter to contact the public health committee and urge them to oppose HB 4553

What You Can Do Today:
1. Call the Public Health Committee – urge them to oppose HB 4553.
Phone: 512-463-0802. Contact Chairman VanDeaver directly – tell him to withdraw his support for this bill.
Email: gary.vandeaver@house.texas.gov
Phone: 512-463-0692
⸻
Call Script or Email Template:
Subject: Oppose HB 4553 – Protect Midwifery from over regulation and medicalization. Protect Family Choice
Dear [Chairman VanDeaver / Public Health Committee Member],
I am a [licensed midwife/client/family member/supporter] writing to strongly oppose House Bill 4553, scheduled for hearing on Monday, April 28. This bill, though presented as a neutral data reporting proposal, contains harmful and confusing language that would result in over regulation, redundant statistics collection, the medicalization of and the erosion of midwifery care in Texas.
Texas midwives are already held to high standards of safety and accountability. This bill duplicates existing reporting, imposes burdensome new rules, threatens privacy, and undermines informed choice in birth.
I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 4553 and support true solutions that protect safe birthing options across our state.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
⸻
We must act now. Please make your call today, and help us mobilize clients and supporters in your community.

Thank you for standing for midwifery, for birthing families, and for the preservation of midwifery care in Texas.
In solidarity,
Association of Texas Midwives

Send a message to learn more

09/23/2024

It is with great pleasure that we share images from one of our inspiring mothers, documenting her pregnancy in 2023, and we are overjoyed that Tre, her beloved son, began his life at our birth center in 2020. Thank you Robby Joe for these adorable pictures ❤️

09/05/2024

Their parents attended the same childbirth education class, and now history is repeating itself with the upcoming arrival of their next baby!

09/04/2024

We cannot fix something that we are unaware is broken!
This podcast has some GREAT information about keeping your gut healthy through pregnancy and postpartum.
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ebb-326-reducing-toxin-exposure-in-pregnancy-and-postpartum-with-lisa-smith-dietician-holistic-nutritionist-and-gut-health-expert/

08/27/2024

If you would like:

Your maternity provider to be your advocate and true partner in your birth plan
An included childbirth preparation class
Excellent labor support
Freedom of movement throughout labor
To be monitored without restrictive straps or internal lines
To eat and drink in labor
To labor and/or deliver in water
To push in your preferred effective position
To avoid an episiotomy
To hold your baby as quickly as possible
No separation of baby from parents
Excellent breastfeeding support
To have the best birth story and memories possible

Then come see us at Heart's Desire Midwifery Care!
https://heartsdesiremidwifery.com

08/06/2024

LaRae enjoys holding a newborn during the postpartum visit, it's a perk of the job 😃

08/01/2024

During our postpartum visits, we not only ensure the well-being of mother and baby but also observe the heartwarming development of a family with their newest member, baby Atticus, under the watchful eye of big sister Ari.

07/24/2024

Forwarded from Heather Spencer

As some of you know, Lena Francis and I are opening a small private school that will launch this 2024/25 school year. Our school, Inspire: An Acton Academy, is an independent affiliate of Acton Academy, founded in 2009, and is a part of a network that includes 300 schools across the U.S and around the world. Our mission is to guide learners on a journey to develop a growth mindset and to discover a calling. At Inspire, students will learn together in a mixed age classroom, bringing the classic one-room school house into modern age. We will emphasize character development, deep thinking skills, and a standard of excellence in all we do as learners master their core skills (reading, math, grammar), study history, grow as writers, and investigate different areas of science. Students will learn to mentor and be mentored by one another. In addition, we will have daily socratic discussions to hone deep thinking skills, and we will execute seven group projects throughout the year, each spanning five to six weeks of collaboration. We have four spots still available for this upcoming school year. In addition, we are looking for a part time guide (our equivalent of a teacher). This is a great opportunity for someone who is an out-of-the box thinker, wants to make a difference in the world, and is needing part time, enjoyable work. The position will be two days a week (most likely Thursday and Friday), 8:00 to 3:30. Here are some attributes we are seeking in a guide:

Experience working with children, ages 6 to 12 preferred
Experience planning and implementing games or projects
Experience coaching or mentoring
Deeply curious and ready to learn
Calm demeanor
A willingness to be coached and mentored
Deep heart for children and trust and respect for their ability to learn and grow without heavy adult intervention
An entrepreneurial mindset and desire to experiment, evaluate, and improve on everything she/he does.
A commitment to practice gentle, compassionate limit setting
A value for personal health and balanced living
Since many of you are in alternative education communities (homeschool, co-ops, and hybrid programs), the desire to reimagine and restructure education resonates with you. I am reaching out with this information in hopes that you may know potential students and/or a potential guide. More information can be found on our website at inspireacton.org.

We are hosting a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting on July 24 at 10:00 at our location (1115 South Brazos Street). We are at the southeast corner of the Southside Baptist Church campus. Please pray for us as we continue this important work, pass this on if someone comes to mind, and stop by on the 24th to support us and check out our space. As we like to say, we are building something great. . . come join us!

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Heather Spencer

07/18/2024

Lydia and Joshua Nather recently welcomed a baby boy into their family, making Ari an official big sister! You may have seen Ari in a previous post on June 27th, where she was supervising her mother's prenatal care. 😃 ❤️

07/11/2024

The girls were endearing as they checked on Dad's well-being during Mom's prenatal checkup💕

07/09/2024

During postpartum recovery, help a family member or friend by scheduling visits ahead of time, preparing nutritious meals that consider food allergies or restrictions, offering to help with household tasks or childcare, and asking what they need most during your visit.

Please remember - don't show up unannounced. Rest is such an important part during the postpartum recovery process, so you don't want to interrupt the little bit of rest they may be getting by showing up when you are not expected.