Heartbeat Midwifery

04/04/2026

{My Heartbeat Birth story}
My birth story started long before I delivered my sweet girl - it started when I first met the amazing ladies at Heartbeat. From the first appointment with them and throughout the entire pregnancy, I felt listened to, reassured, and truly cared for. Not once did I have a long wait in the lobby, or feel rushed during my appointment. My mind and body felt at so much ease to be able to go through pregnancy with people who genuinely cared about how I was doing. The care I received during my pregnancy actually gave me the courage and confidence to have a natural labor.

The day before I went into labor, I received a sweep (at 39 weeks and 5 days) which is what I believe helped my labor progress.

That night I woke up around 2 am and I had lost my mucous plus and began having contractions. I progressed very fast, with my contractions going from every 5 minutes to every 2 minutes within an hour.

By 330 am, we called Carmen. In the car I was on my hands and knees in the backseat pushing. My water broke on the way and I thought for sure my daughter would be born in the car. However, we did make it to heartbeat right before 4am and although my plan was to have a tub birth, my daughter decided that was not going to happen!

After helping me out of my car Carmen checked me and confirmed it was time to have my daughter. I didn’t think I could make it inside so after a push on the sidewalk, I had some relief and we made it inside the lobby. We stopped again at the couch where Carmen mentioned I could have her there (I didn’t think I could walk the 20 steps to the room lol!) but after another push and some relief I was determined to make it to the room I had chosen.

The room was serene in the dark night, and once I got onto the bed I had a wave of confidence after some kind words of affirmation from my doula and midwives. I managed to get her head out in just minutes, but had a surge of tiredness and the midwives acted quickly to flip me over and help me finish delivering my daughter flawlessly just after 4 am. My husband caught my daughter and once she cried a few seconds after birth I was able to hold her immediately.

Altogether my labor lasted just over 2 hours from start to finish which was intense and a little scary as I had planned for a much longer labor, but everyone involved was so kind, helpful and reassuring that it ended up being an amazing experience. I actually got to be a part of and remember every little moment after I delivered my baby - the chest to chest, the first latch, weighing her, even a bath with her. All things I don’t or hardly remember from my first birth.

I was able to leave in just a few hours to take my baby home, and my healing process was so much faster than my first hospital birth! I didn’t even have to leave my house for the 24 hour visit -they came to me! I am so grateful to the midwives at Heartbeat for giving me the confidence to have this wonderful experience and for guiding me through it with compassion. It truly was a magical experience that I would choose again!

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

Heartbeat is for the whole family 🤍

03/23/2026

🚨 Something fun is coming…
We’re working on some birth center SWAG — think stickers, mugs, tees, and other goodies for families who believe birth can be powerful, supported, and maybe even a little bit funny.
But we want your ideas 👀
If you’ve had a baby here, are planning to, or just love birthy humor —what would you actually wear on a t-shirt or slap on a sticker?
Drop your ideas in the comments ⬇️
Funny. Sweet. A little spicy. Birth nerdy. We want it all.
Who knows… your idea might end up on our first merch drop ✨

03/20/2026

{My Heartbeat birth story}

I had an appointment that morning and baby boy hadn’t dropped and was taking his sweet time. I had had some cramping but other than that was feeling great, besides pregnant and tired haha my husband and I went to breakfast and joked that we needed to take a picture incase this was our last breakfast as a family of 2. Later that day, over a flipped coin, we chose our baby’s name and then got ready for bed as usual.

Around 11 that night we let our Doula know that I was having some cramping and discomfort. She encouraged us to try and get some rest, as this could be the start of labor and we would need plenty of sleep. After about 30 minutes, I was too uncomfortable to sleep so we moved to the living room where i stood, leaning against the wall, having contractions until about 2:30 when my water broke. My husband called our doula and talked with her over speaker phone while she got ready to head our way.

Our Doula arrived at our house at 3:02 and asked if we were ready to head to the birthing center. I told her I didn’t think we had time, that I felt like I needed to push and I could feel he was ready. She called the midwife and told her she was going to check me and then we were going to head that way. As soon as she checked me she told my husband we are having a baby right now and that he needed to get blankets and pillows and throw them on the floor. I pressed forward against my husband and in one push our Doula caught our baby boy and handed him to us at 3:07 am, just 5 minutes after her arrival to our house. It was the wildest mix of emotions and adrenaline I had ever experienced. My husband and I laid on the pallet of blankets and pillows on the floor of our bathroom and were in awe of our sweet boy. Shortly after, our midwife arrived and checked on me and baby. They were so calm and gentle, it made us so calm as well after such a rush of emotions and excitement. We are so thankful for them and so thankful for their loving care. We were not expecting a home birth but our boy was ready and we are so thankful for heartbeat and our Doula for caring for us so well under the unexpected circumstances.

03/14/2026

Midwifery is a tradition of learning together since the beginning of time.
This precious photo was snapped here at Heartbeat, one of our senior students teaching our freshman- passing along the skills she’s learned.
Moments like this are how the legacy of midwifery continues.

03/10/2026

03/08/2026

{My Heartbeat birth story}

Back in 2020 when we were pregnant with our first son, my husband was the one who suggested we check out a midwifery. Back then, I wasn’t a huge fan of the idea. I thought because of issues surrounding how my mom had my sister and I, I would have the same and needed to be in a hospital. But after a tour of Heartbeats first location, and meeting Carmen, that all changed. We welcomed Davis in March of 21’. Then our second son at the new building in 23’. And now our third son in January.

Thursday morning, the week before the snow storm hit us, my water had broke. This was the first time my water had ever broken with my pregnancies. I had to text and ask if that’s what was happening. Nothing seemed to happen for a few hours, and living 45 minuets away, and my second son almost being a car baby, I suggested to my husband that we leave after lunch.

We made our way to town, grabbed lunch and headed in to be checked. After a sweep and a good chiropractor appointment, labor started right away at 4pm. Close to 6pm I felt the need to go to the building, but I was so scared I was getting there to early. We pulled up, met Kelly and checked on Jacob. Labor seemed to pick up more moving around than lying down. After walking the hall, Kelly suggested we do Spinnings babies, and let me tell you, that during labor did not feel good. After doing that for bit, I asked to get in the tub.

Sure enough, maybe 10-20 minuets after getting in, I felt Jacob decent down and I knew it was time to push. Once his head was out, we saw how much hair he had! I felt his head, and this was the first of my babies that I felt them, and pulled them up without just letting the midwives do it, simply because I was just to scared to 😂

At 8:05 Jacob was born, and I was blown away at how fast that all happened. My fear was I would arrive to early and labor would take forever. But the Lord was gracious and everything happened in his timing, putting away my fears and giving us a beautiful birth. Kelly is truly such an amazing midwife. Meeting her halfway through my pregnancy, it felt like I had known her for the whole 9 months.

Heartbeat has been apart of my life on and off for the past 5 years. Now was we get close to our 6 week graduation for Jacob, I feel bittersweet as this (may be) our last baby. I don’t know what I would have done without Heartbeat, without Carmen, Kelly, and in the past, Amber and Keagan. The lord sure did bless me with such amazing women at Heartbeat, and I can’t recommend them enough. Thank you all for being apart of my motherhood journey ❤️
The first photo is Davis, the second is Oliver, and the third is Jacob

03/05/2026

The love bug brought some cuties earth-side 🤍

03/04/2026

{My Heartbeat birth story}

I just wanted to send you my birth story for my first born son and thank you guys for everything! It is a little bit long, but I just wanted you all to know how much Heatbeat means to me and my family!

We arrived at the birthing center at about 1am Texas time, the midwives met me there and I went in just to be checked and understand how I was progressing. They let me know that I was about 3cm and little man was sunny side up so we had to try and get him to turn. We did a few rounds of spinning babies and I took a peanut ball to the hotel with me for a few hours and labored there. I hated that peanut ball. But it got the job done. At about 2pm things really got intense, I knew I wanted a water birth so everything got set up and I got into the tub. I’m so thankful for that tub, it just made a world of difference. The warm water relaxed me and it just made everything better. I was so exhausted, and to this day I remember one of my midwives asked me if I wanted a popsicle and she brought me a strawberry one, I’ve never had a better popsicle in my life. At 3:10, my husband got to catch our son, it was such a special moment for us.
After about an hour, and taking his vitals a few different times, my midwives let me know that my son wasn’t pinking up enough or getting enough oxygen at that moment. They made the decision to have him taken to the NICU and I am so glad they did. Within a few minutes, the calls were made and the NICU had a bed ready for my little one thanks to my midwives. They noticed the immediate issue and jumped into action all while making sure that I was taken care of. My son ended up having a pneumothorax, it closed on its own after a few days with a little bit of assistance and we were ready to go home. Every day my midwives were texting me and checking on me and my son, asking if we needed any support and what they could do to help. My first birth experience wasn’t exactly ideal, but I wouldn’t change a thing. The care, knowledge, and experience is unmatched and I could not have asked for a better team around me. I am so thankful that Heartbeat has been a part of my life. Both of my children now have been born at heartbeat and I couldn’t imagine it any other way

03/03/2026

{ My Heartbeat birth story}

I had the most incredible birth at Heartbeat. Infact, I still wish to relive that night over and over!
I am a first-time mom and was carrying fraternal di/di twins. Their genders were a surprise! I kept having prodromal labor so I would frantically call my amazing doula Illeatha and she would walk me through what to do step-by-step. Finally on July 29th at 11:30pm, I had made my 10th trip to use the bathroom & was getting back into bed when I felt a pop as soon as I lifted my leg. I knew immediately that my water had broke and it was finally go time. I had been eagerly anticipating going into labor as you could imagine how huge and miserable the end of a twin pregnancy was. I was 38+3 and very ready!

I woke my husband up and called my doula. My doula told me to get back into bed & try to sleep. I had one contraction laying down in bed and instantly knew that there was no way I could endure that again. My sweet mom was upstairs at my house so I called her & asked her to come time my contractions while I sat in the shower. After about 15 minutes of contractions I was unable to speak- things were moving very fast. My doula gets to my house and suggested spinning babies to try and get contractions spaced out a little more. I had one contraction on my living room floor & my doula said to my husband "tell the midwives we are coming."
I was trying my hardest not to push and have twins in the car. Once we got to the birthing center at 2:20am, Carmen supported me through several contractions and I felt like I needed to go #2. I sat on the toilet, reached down & could feel Baby As head. I moved to the birthing stool and about two minutes later at 2:54am, my son was born. 6 minutes later at 3am, my daughter was born. The room was very quiet and peaceful, yet I had never felt so supported in my life. My mom watching her baby across the room give birth to twins, my husband at my side while I squeezed his hand, and my doula on my other side. Right after my daughter was born, I had both babies in my arms & stood up off the ground & declared "i feel so much better, that wasn't so bad, id do that again." I was so relieved to have two precious, healthy twins. All of the midwives do what they do with such grace and quietness while I was in the most primal, vulnerable state. I can't wait to do it all again someday! Thank you to Heartbeat for helping me through a twin pregnancy.

02/26/2026

{ My Heartbeat birth story}

After delivering my first baby in-hospital, I was so moved by the attentiveness and care I got prenatally through Heartbeat. Jenna, Kelly, and Carmen were never rushed and always happy to answer my many questions.

By my 41-week ultrasound, I was having some regular contractions, but my baby still had a high station and I wasn’t dilated much, so I chose to get a membrane sweep. After I left, my contractions were tight and regular, but not painful, and I just knew my body was ready and in control.

I tried to relax and did some exercises to help the baby to descend, and around noon, my water broke while doing a tuck. I was in close contact with my doula (Red) and midwives at Heartbeat and they encouraged me to try and nap, but I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. I called my husband to come home, ate a hearty lunch, and soaked in some sweet time with my first child while tidying the house and hanging up laundry to try to ignore the labor feelings as long as I could. I kept my movements slow and relaxed and paused to breathe through contractions when I needed to.

Around 5pm, I asked Red to come over and we went through the Spinning Babies exercises. The contractions spread apart once she arrived, so she left for about an hour. During that time, my contractions were intensifying, but I was listening to worship and enjoying being in labor-land while I worked through contractions on the “dilation station” (the toilet). What really helped me was focusing on relaxing my face, jaw, and shoulders through each contraction.

Eventually, it got pretty difficult to relax through the contractions, so Red helped me into the shower on all fours, and the water on my back felt amazing. While in there, my contractions spread apart again, but the ones I did have were really intense and felt like they lasted forever. We ran out of hot water, and I had a moment of panic getting out of the shower (around 8:45pm) because I doubted I could cope anymore. I told Red, and she left to get her car ready to go and called the midwives. I had a few contractions back to back and switched from toilet to standing to squatting and then leaning, but nothing felt good. I asked my husband to squeeze my hips, but when a contraction hit, I yelled at him to step away, and then I felt a big drop and gush of fluid. Instantly, I knew I was about to push and felt the adrenaline start rushing. Red tried to get me to the car, but I knew I couldn’t make it, so I leaned against the tub on all fours and my daughter came out with the next contraction. Thankfully, Carmen and Kelly were able to get to my house at remarkable speed.

Even though I wasn’t planning a home birth, the immediate postpartum care, cleanup, and support was beautiful, and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Thanks to Heartbeat, Lydia Joy’s birth was the intuitive, peaceful, natural experience that I had prayed for. My last appointment was so bittersweet, but it’s only “til next time”.