Heritage Birth Services

Heritage Birth Services Offering traditional, family-centered midwifery care for couples in Central Mississippi.

House Bill 1389, which would have placed midwives under the Department of Health died today. Words can never express the...
02/12/2026

House Bill 1389, which would have placed midwives under the Department of Health died today. Words can never express the overwhelming gratitude I have first of all for the Lord answering the prayers of my heart and for each and every one of you that called, emailed, and shared my post. This is how we get things done!

I also want to thank the Legislators that took time to not only hear us but in a few cases respond to us personally. That is what “serving the people” is all about and we are so thankful for those who take that job seriously.

PLEASE, if you Representative took time to respond to your concerns, write them a handwritten “thank you!”

And now I have to go catch a baby 😜💜

Please continue to reach out to your representatives and tell them midwives do not belong under the Board of Health!Call...
02/12/2026

Please continue to reach out to your representatives and tell them midwives do not belong under the Board of Health!

Call the Switch Board @ 601-359-3770 and tell your representative to vote “NO!!!!!!” to HB1389.

Hands and Hearts Birth & Wellness says this so well 👏👇

If you’ve had a home birth…more so if you’ve had more than one… you know there is no standard in how your care flows each time. Everyone is different. Every pregnancy is different. Every birth experience is different.

Midwives should be the governing voice for midwives.

The “advisory” aspects should not be on the midwifery side, but directed towards those not in a position of understanding community-based midwifery practices.

Governing voices for doctors come from doctors. Governing voices for nurses come from nurses. Each profession has a large say in their own governance.

Except in this bill. This bill places authority on other shoulders. This bill creates a position where midwives are subordinate to the Department of Health.

Unfortunately, in the state of Mississippi, the Department of Health has an unpleasant history when it comes to midwives.

That’s a hard thing to shake free of when over many decades that disconnect between the DOH and the medical system at large has been so prominent for us as midwives.

The bigger picture does not bear out this Bill as being protective.

HB1389 passed out of committee with zero discussion and only minutes to spare. HB1389 seeks to regulate traditional midw...
02/09/2026

HB1389 passed out of committee with zero discussion and only minutes to spare. HB1389 seeks to regulate traditional midwives by placing them under the State Department of Health.

This bill will be debated on the House Floor THIS WEEK so it is important that we act quickly.

I have served as a Traditional Midwife in Mississippi for over 20 years and I believe that every family must retain the right to choose where and with whom they give birth.

We need YOU to call and/or email your representatives and let your voice be heard TODAY.

Here are some sample phone scripts:

“My name is ____ and I am a constituent from your district. I am calling to OPPOSE HB1389”

“I am a mother who had a baby at home with a midwife. I am calling to OPPOSE HB1389.”

“My name is ___ and I am a constituent in your district. Please protect traditional midwives and vote NO to HB1389.”

Other Suggestions:
* Share your personal homebirth story
* Explain briefly why homebirth and midwifery are important to you
* Send a picture(s) drawn by your child(ren) of your family, the birth of a sibling, their idea of their own birth, a visit with the midwife, etc.
* Encourage other family members who love homebirth, such as husbands, grandparents, etc., to send their own email.

Reminders:
* Please be respectful and courteous in your communication. The words you say and how you say it matter.
* Your voice is important. No matter how brief your message, it is a reminder to those you contact that this issue is important to the citizens of Mississippi.

******************************************

To read a copy of the bill, click here:
HB 1389 - History of Actions/Background

To find your representative, click here:
https://mississippitoday.org/guides/ms-legislative-session-guide/find-your-mississippi-state-lawmakers/

Address

578 Lakeland East Drive Suite B
Flowood, MS
39232

Telephone

+16016706563

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About Melinda

I am a Direct-Entry Midwife. I have also worked as a DONA Birth Doula and a certified Chiropractic Assistant. I have been involved in midwifery since early 1999 when I was certified as a Birth Doula through DONA, Int. and attended my first birth as a student midwife. The following year, I enrolled in the Midwifery Training Institute of American – a long distance learning course based out of Dallas, TX. During this time I learned hands-on midwifery skills under several different midwives during short-term apprenticeships. I completed three years with MTI, and then transferred to the Midwife to Be Program in South Carolina. I graduated from the Midwife to Be course in the summer of 2005 and began attending births as a primary midwife.

In 2009, I furthered my education by pursuing certification in Birth Emergency Skills Training. This intensive training is specifically geared for out-of-hospital midwives. I also maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and participate in local and regional continuing education opportunities.

I am a traditional midwife, not a certified nurse-midwife. I have attended over 200 births as a primary care provider and am planning on taking the NARM exam in the spring of 2019.