Lotus Community Birthing Center

02/26/2026

Midwives having fun…

Many thanks to Joan Doglio Smith Cnm for leading us today and to Ashley Kelly, RN, with CooperSurgical to show us how to use a Bakri system. Also thanks to all the attendees for their enthusiasm and desire to improve out of hospital birth services!

01/17/2026

We can’t believe it’s time to replace our footprint canvas! The old one will go upstairs to the ATX Homebirth office. Can’t wait for the next set of footprints - it’s gonna be any day now!

11/13/2024

Today, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission held its biennial public rate hearing meeting to get feedback on its proposed increases and decreases to Medicaid reimbursements for a range of healthcare services including birthing centers. I listened as some other healthcare professionals explained how they were losing staff to other industries that could increase their revenues by raising the prices of their services but Medicaid providers simply can’t. We accept the reimbursement rates set by the HHSC because we believe in serving families that use public health insurance. One pediatric dentist explained how he was working a part-time job at an emergency department on weekends to help subsidize his dental clinic!

A little over 50% of Texas families use public insurance for their pregnancy care. There are 92 licensed birthing centers in Texas, roughly 1/4 of the birthing centers in this country. But only a handful participate in Medicaid programs because the reimbursements have not kept up with the cost of salaries,supplies, utilities and rents. The reimbursements are not indexed to inflation which has eaten into the quality of life for all families. We simply want to cover our bills and pay the assistant midwives and other staff a living wage! We want to make sure that we have the latest and best resources to ensure good outcomes for mothers and babies.

Lotus is the only freestanding birthing center in Austin that is in-network with STAR and CHIP Perinatal. We work with first time parents. We also see a lot of parents who want fewer interventions like inductions, IVs, epidurals. We understand the power of water to relax and ease labor. Women can stay and birth in water. Their partner can join them.

Midwives and birthing centers could be part of the solution to the crisis in maternal mortality and morbidity inequalities but most can’t use be stretched any further than they already are. Please reach out to your local state representative and senator to encourage them to support families by increasing reimbursements to Medicaid providers!


ATX Homebirth

11/06/2024

I’m signed up for Spanish II next semester, and I signed up for an Art class in basic “2-D design”…

Send crayons…

10/31/2024

Our first Halloween baby showed up in record time! This youngest of four pooped on dad after rushing earthside in under two hours from mom’s first contraction! He looks like a “mini-me” of his big brother who will be delighted to have a partner in all his future adventures!

Shoutout to Katie Stotts (Midwifery of Austin) for her assist tonight!

ATX

10/06/2024

I wish this was a joke or scam.

“A popular food dye in Cheetos can turn the skin of live mice transparent to reveal the animal’s organs inside.”

The dye alters the optical qualities of skin, allowing light to pass through

09/08/2024

The chill in the air this morning is beyond delicious!

09/02/2024

Hey! We are three shy of the minimum number of participants to bring the BEST workshop to Austin on September 28. If you know anyone who would like to attend, please have them sign up in the next 24 hours please!

The original is still the B.E.S.T! Birth Emergency Skills Training® is the longest-running emergency skills course for out-of-hospital midwives, proudly educating thousands of participants since 2008. Participants build on core competencies and apply current evidence to clinical practice though liv...