Supporting Midwives Sustains Communities

At Midwifery Today, we acknowledge that Midwifery is owned by both no one and everyone. Midwifery is greater than legal definitions or geographical locations. Every culture that has ever walked the face of the Earth has experienced it’s own form of Midwifery. We seek to create a unified vision of support for midwives and an open forum to allow for information and discussion regarding the care that we give and the paradigm of birth.

Our exciting line-up starts with Lisa Thomas Welch, Tine Greve, Lakeisha Dennis, Shannon Mitchell, Roxanna McEwen, Aneke Roach, Gail Hart, Ligia Delfin, Chrissy Owens, Stacie Hunt, Kate Coletti and so many more. We’ll have talks about what it takes to start a business and run one, chats about caring for ourselves, classes about new techniques and science discoveries, wisdom from those who have walked these paths before and traditional knowledge, and practice rooms where you can brush up on your skills or learn new ones. We will of course have some traditional Midwifery Today sessions such as a student forum, Tricks of the Trade, and our newest tradition to go along with the cabaret a midwifery market night! Keep checking back as we get closer to the date to see more speakers, classes and vendors highlighted here. We will also be starting the new tradition of offering a Parent Track taught by new and upcoming speakers.

Scroll down for our full schedule!

• Register here to join the fun! (Eventbrite Link)
• Are you interested in presenting or be considered in the future as a presenter? Click here!
• VISA forms for our international guests. Click here
• Would you like to volunteer? Join us!
• Parent Track registrations here! (Eventbrite Link)
• Limited conference scholarships may be available, you may apply here.
• Vendor interest form here. (Google Forms Link)
• Educational Sponsor Request form here. (Google Forms Link for Schools, Colleges and Other Programs)

We are excited to announce that Lisa Thomas Welch will be teaching our first pre-con day, Wednesday March 26th. Registration for her classes is found here, this is the only way to register for the conference Wednesday as these are the only sessions that day.

Midwifery Today is Coming to Texas!

Join us at the beautiful Crowne Plaza, Arlington, as we are reimagining our conferences to be both midwifery and family friendly. We are right next to Six Flags over Texas and only a short drive from the airport. The links below are where we’ll be located, how to get there, fun and interesting things to do nearby and great places for good food.

Our Venue – Crowne Plaza Arlington

Local Area Attractions – Click Here!

Parking, Directions, Transportation – Click Here!

A Smattering of Schedule

 Eventbrite pages for the respective days are updated as more speaker schedules are solidified, expect weekly if not daily updates. This is but a taste of the amazing week we have planned for you all.

Wednesday March 26th

Preconference Presented by Midwifery Today and Lisa Thomas Welch

Young At Heart: Antepartum and Intrapartum Fetal Heart Rate Assessment
4 MEAC Contact Hours
Diving deep into the physiology of the developing fetal nervous system, this course offers practical ways to implement current evidence into everyday practice. The foundational understanding of fetal heart rate anatomy and physiology as well as the physiology of accelerations and decelerations, aids in both our understanding and decision making during labor! While establishing the fundamentals of fetal heart rate physiology, this class focuses on a review of the current literature surrounding intermittent auscultation, especially the safety and methodology . (Spoiler alert: all the new technology in the last few years hasn’t been able to improve anything above intermittent auscultation and there is ample research to prove that!) It also includes fetal well-being tests specifically applicable for out-of-hospital midwives, and it is filled with audio files and hands-on practical steps for documenting in the community setting.
*This class will fulfill the requirement for Texas License renewal*

Understanding Lab Values
4 MEAC Contact Hours
Are you looking for a course on Lab Values specifically for midwifery? Are you wanting a better understanding of ferritin levels, iron binding capacity and iron saturation? Would you like a review of the basic obstetric panel and a better understanding of hematopoiesis (Hematapo…whaaaa?). We invite you to a fun, and yes, even interesting workshop on a topic usually as exciting as watching paint dry. This class establishes a foundation to the physiology that pertains to the routine labs midwives encounter in the Obstetric Panel- the complete blood count (CBC), blood type and Rh, antibody screens, rubella testing, HIV, and syphilis screens. Expanded and updated in 2023, this course now involves sections on in depth physiology of iron regulation and includes information on labs needed for iron studies, including the sought-after Ferritin level!  Other expansions include the most recent recommendations for labs needed in the rh negative client (Kleihauer Betke &, Rosette) as well as an overview of the updated literature. This class is a vital resource when interpreting labs, especially when searching for pregnancy and newborn specific ranges while establishing a foundational understanding of the labs midwives encounter.

Thursday March 27th

Preconference Presented by Midwifery Today

Future Midwives Day!

Students and new midwives are vital to the continuation of our profession. The classes on Future Midwives Day are all requested by those students and new midwives and taught by experienced midwives and business professionals. This is an amazing day of welcome and celebration as well as a day for preceptors and schools to talk with students and possibly connect with them to help guide their future. The future of midwifery is in their hands and only with our support can we see them safely through to becoming the respected elders of tomorrow. Please come and share your wisdom and for students of all professions, registration on the entire conference is 20% off with proof of current enrollment in a program or other proof of student status. Select pay by invoice when registering and send proof to [email protected] for your discount.

Join us in the meeting room at the end of the day for cocktails and commiserations, where we all relax and prepare for the week ahead with a little bit of pampering and discussion. (Self-care is important so make sure you stop by for yours!)

Friday March 28th

Conference Day 1 will start with a wonderful opening ceremony given by Shannon Mitchell, Ligia Delfin and Aneke Roach. There will be a traditional Mexican blessing for the birth workers, attendees and speakers so we can move forward together in light and learning. Then we have two classrooms and the main ballroom running all day with various sessions. We have a group dinner date after classes get out at Dos Orroyos. Tickets for dinner can be purchased as an add-on with your registration.

Communications In Midwifery with Roxanna McEwen

The Immune System and Placental Pathology with Gail Hart

The Magic of the Mexican Rebozo with Ligia Delfin (This is a two part class with a lecture and a hands on workshop)

What is a Monitrice? with Aneke Roach

Navigating Student Development as a Preceptor with Shannon Mitchell

Saturday March 29th

Conference Day 2 is a an exciting day with midwives, doulas, lactation consultants and more swirling around their courses all morning and afternoon. We’ll also have a special, open to the public, parent track in the afternoon offering parents and birth workers the ability to mingle and share knowledge. After the conference stick around for a lot of fun as we have the traditional Midwifery Today Cabaret full of plays, songs, togetherness stories and laughter. We will also have the Midwife’s Market during the Cabaret so shop from our Vendors, shop from your friends, barter and enjoy the entertainment. Rules for the Midwife’s Market and Cabaret can be found on the Eventbrite page. This is also the night we announce the Raffle Winners so get your tickets at the table and take your chances.

Integration in Midwifery, Policy, Regulations and traditional formats with Shannon Mitchell

Honoring the Body in Postpartum with Ligia Delfin (An herbalism class that is truly a tier above)

Lactation Success; It Starts in Pregnancy with Aneke Roach

Business Automation with Kinaya Pettiford

Tongue Ties with Tine Greve

Sunday March 30th

This is Conference Day 3 and the closeout of our amazing week together. This is still a day you don’t want to miss and we’ve packed the day full of everything from the spiritual to the physical so there’s something for everyone.

Faith Still Moves Mountains with Roxanna McEwen

Finding Your Work-Flowww with Lashley Milligan

Midwifery and the Anthropological Vision with Ligia Delfin

Granny Was Right! Science Supporting Traditional Remedies with Gail Hart

Postpartum and Midwifery Care after Cesarean Section with Shannon Mitchell

Full Schedule is Here!