Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Steele.
Hi Erica , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am an Austinite, born and raised, growing up in Central/North Austin. I became interested in birth as a child after the birth of my brother when I was 4 years old. When I was in my junior year in high school I saw a friend who was pregnant and knew I wanted to help women have babies. I thought I had to be an OB to do that, but I had made so many poor decisions as a teenager, I wasn’t sure how I could ever be a doctor. Shortly after I started attending Austin Community College, my aunt asked me if I had ever considered being a midwife. It was if someone asked me if I knew unicorns existed! I immediately looked into it and knew that THIS is what I was called to.
I started my pursuit of becoming a midwife in 1999 at the Northern New Mexico birthing center in Taos, NM. After a move to New Mexico, I sadly was only able to stay in the program for a short 5 months due to financial hardship. Those short four months were the fire that burned in me for the next 9 years. I knew one day I wanted to not only be a midwife, but open my own birth center. In the meantime I became a doula and childbirth educator to fill the drive to be a part of the birth world. I attended births as a doula and taught childbirth classes in the community over the next 8 years, while having children of my own.
In 2011, I applied to the Association of Texas Midwives training program and began my apprenticeship. I was fortunate to work with multiple midwives with varying strengths and learned so much. In 2015 I graduated and began my private home birth practice. After practicing for 6 years the opportunity came to open a birthing center here in San Marcos in December or 2020.
It was during the height of the pandemic and women were looking for a safe place to birth outside of the hospital where restrictions were high and autonomy low. We were able to open our doors in April of 2021. The birthing center here in San Marcos is the only birthing center in Hays county. It has been extremely successful over the past 4 years, celebrating the births of 200+ babies. Luminary is also a teaching facility that incorporates the apprenticeship model, offering the opportunity to train new midwives..
With growth, we have incorporated multiple providers in our model and created a bridge of care that is easy to access and excellent quality.
We have a chiropractor, sonographer, massage therapist, acupuncturist, esthetician, childbirth educator and lactation consultant, who all practice here within Luminary, as a team.
We absolutely love what we get to do and are grateful for the opportunity to serve the families in Hays county and the surrounding area.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has had many hurdles, most of which a related to the inordinate amount of paperwork required to keep a facility running. The hardest moments are the moments of grief and loss that we share with families. This life is a journey and doesn’t always go the way we hope.
The work of midwifery is taxing, but worth all of the sleepless nights.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Luminary Birth and Wellness Center opened in the Spring of 2021 at 2001 Medical Parkway, Suite B (San Marcos, TX). We offer a full menu of services for prenatal care, birthing your babies naturally, and postpartum care. We have two birthing suites complete with beds, chairs, showers, birthing tubs, fresh linens, and equipment needed for the entire process. In addition to full birthing services, we offer chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture services for all women (not just during pregnancy). Click here for a list of services.
We love meeting expectant parents and offer 2 “Meet the Midwife” sessions per month. During these sessions you will hear all the details of our services, the natural birthing process. You will be shown different options for your labor and be able to ask as many questions as you want! There are usually 2-3 families in each of these sessions so you will be able to connect with other folks on the same journey. We believe that communities are extremely important during the prenatal and postpartum seasons. We also offer “Mama Meetups” several times a month for moms and babies to hang out and get to know each other. These have proven to be crucial in building social interactions for babies and mamas during a very sensitive time.
We also have PAP Parties! No one enjoys Pap examinations…until now! We offer a 15minute (private) Pap Smear and Breast exams with with 12 minute chair massages, drinks, and adult conversations! These have been wildly popular. Check our social media feed for dates or call our office for a reservation.
Everyone at Luminary Birth and Wellness Center is here to help you walk this journey, no matter what your life situation or circumstances are.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I have a pet tortoise. I love, love, love pugs.
Pricing:
- $6750.00 for complete care from beginning to end
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.luminarymidwifery.com
- Instagram: luminarybirthandwellness
Image Credits
Meredith McCann
Karlie Hall Photography
