Tyler Childers Speaks Out as Kentucky Birthing Center Closes

The country singer and his wife Senora May are expecting their second child, but will now have to travel further for delivery.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Tyler Childers announced that he and his wife Senora May are expecting their second baby, due this summer. However, the couple is saddened by the impending closure of the birthing center at Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford, Kentucky, where Senora gave birth to their first child in 2023. Childers expressed concern that the closure will greatly impact the local Amish community and called the birthing center a "vital part of maternal care" that Kentucky should be proud of.

Why it matters

The closure of the birthing center is a significant loss for the rural Stanford, Kentucky community, as it will force expectant mothers to travel further to Danville for delivery services. This could prove life-threatening in emergency situations, according to a local doctor who helped found the birthing center decades ago.

The details

Ephraim McDowell Health announced plans last month to move labor and delivery services from the Fort Logan hospital to its regional medical center in Danville, about 20 minutes away. The birthing center at Fort Logan will close on February 16, 2026. Mothers in the area have protested the closure, with one recent birth recipient praising the center's quality of care, saying "They don't see birth as a medical event. They see it as something that can drastically change your life."

  • In September 2022, Senora May gave birth to the couple's first baby at the Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan birthing center.
  • The birthing center is set to close on February 16, 2026.

The players

Tyler Childers

A 34-year-old country musician who announced that he and his wife Senora May are expecting their second child.

Senora May

Tyler Childers' wife, who gave birth to the couple's first child at the Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan birthing center in 2023.

Ephraim McDowell Health

The health system that announced plans to close the birthing center at Fort Logan Hospital and move labor and delivery services to its regional medical center in Danville, Kentucky.

Dr. Jay Miller

A local doctor who helped found the Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan birthing center four decades ago and warned that the closure could prove life-threatening for expectant mothers in the area.

Cathy Rowell

A mother who gave birth at the Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan birthing center last year and praised the quality of care, saying "They don't see birth as a medical event. They see it as something that can drastically change your life."

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What they’re saying

“Saddened to hear about the impending closure of the birthing center at Ephraim McDowell. In Sept of 2022, Senora gave birth to our baby boy here. We were intending on going here for the birth of our second baby, who we are expecting later this summer.”

— Tyler Childers, Country Musician (Instagram)

“This birthing center is a vital part of maternal care in the Stanford area. It would greatly affect the Amish community surrounding the birthing center as well. The birthing center is a top notch medical facility that Kentucky should be proud of.”

— Tyler Childers, Country Musician (Instagram)

“They don't see birth as a medical event. They see it as something that can drastically change your life.”

— Cathy Rowell, Mother (WKYT)

“20 minutes to Danville for our patients and 20 minutes to us after they call us is too long for emergencies.”

— Dr. Jay Miller, Local Doctor (WKYT)

What’s next

Ephraim McDowell Health says it plans to work with local emergency medical services to ensure coverage from the Stanford area to its regional medical center in Danville, should expectant mothers need ambulance service or transfer during their OB care.

The takeaway

The closure of the Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan birthing center is a significant loss for the rural Stanford, Kentucky community, as it will force expectant mothers to travel further for delivery services, potentially putting lives at risk in emergency situations. This highlights the challenges facing maternal care in some rural areas and the importance of preserving access to quality, local birthing options.