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If you have a fall or winter due date (or even Spring if you just really like to get ahead of the game), please click on the tabs above to register now for childbirth classes! Classes will be held THURSDAY evenings from July 9th--Sept 10th.  Let me know if you have questions!

Maggie's Birth Story

Disclaimer: There is no way to put the experience of giving birth into words. It's indescribable. However, I think it is very important to try to put the memory into words to preserve it. Every detail sticks out to me- that's why this is so long. :) 

Lovely. If there was one word to describe Maggie’s birth experience, that’s the word I would choose. Granted, there were moments of great intensity (more on that later), but now, nearly 2 weeks later, when I reflect on the experience, the overwhelming feeling is just how lovely and enjoyable the whole thing was!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 I went to bed pretty early and slept well for hours. At 2:30am I woke up to go to the bathroom and was too uncomfortable to go back to sleep. Afraid this was just another in a long series of false alarms, I decided not to wake my husband, Jonny, but tried to rest on the couch, distracting myself by watching a show. At 4:30am, the contractions started to get more intense than they had in the days before.  Instead of just pressure and tightening, they actually felt like they were creating change in my body. I was thrilled, but tried not to get myself over-excited in case they stopped again. I woke Jonny and he helped me work through contractions as I swayed on the birth ball while he reviewed laboring position videos from ibirth. We lit candles and went back to relaxing on the couch.  At that point, the contractions seemed to slow a bit, and I was so scared they would stop. At ten days past my due date, I was ready for real labor! The contractions didn’t stop, and I tried to embrace each one, welcome the intensity and ask for more. As I had been with my first labor, I was in complete awe of what my body was doing on its own.

At 6:30am, our two year old little girl, Molly, woke up, hours before she would usually wake up! She wanted “milk-side” (morning nursing), which turned out to be very effective in increasing the consistency and intensity of my contractions. We then stayed in bed with her for almost an hour, cuddling and enjoying what we realized might be our last time with her as our only little girl. Finally, I decided I needed to get out of bed to cope with the contractions and we got up to make breakfast.

Around 7:30am we sent Molly across the street to our wonderful neighbors’ house to play with her friends. She was so excited to get to go play with them that she wasn’t sad to leave us at all, but I remember giving her a big hug and thinking about how grown-up she was getting.

Molly stayed at their house for about two hours until we decided that these contractions were probably turning into real labor. The pattern wasn’t always consistent, but they weren’t stopping. In between, I would doubt that it was actual labor, but then a contraction would knock my socks off! We called Molly’s  grandparents to come pick her up for the rest of the day (or however long labor took). They brought us food and took Molly home with them.

We continued to enjoy laboring together, using the birth ball, the bed, the bathroom, the kitchen counters (loved the height and stability of the kitchen counter- it was ideal!), etc. Around noon we let the midwife know that we thought we’d need her to come, but not for a little while still. We ended up having her come around 2:45pm, which was when the snowstorm really started. It was so nice not to have to worry about driving anywhere as the snow came down harder and harder.

When Rebecca, our midwife, arrived, she set up her supplies, took my vitals, listened to the baby, and helped fill our birth pool. The contractions were still manageable, but felt very productive. In between contractions I was able to enjoy chatting with Jonny and Rebecca. I was still excited to be in labor, but had to work a bit more to relax through contractions.  At some point, Rebecca offered to give me an herbal mixture (cohosh)or break my water to encourage things along faster, but I felt like everything was happening at just the right speed and I wanted to let my body do what it was going to do as long as things were going well. In the end, I was able to birth my baby with no interventions- I didn’t even have vaginal exams because everything was going well and I didn’t feel like it would be helpful/necessary. I felt so fortunate to be supported by Jonny and Rebecca, who both trusted my body, the birth process, and kept a watchful eye on us for safety. I knew in their hands I didn’t have to worry but could totally give in to what my body was doing.

Around 4:30 or 5pm, I got in the birth pool and the warm water felt amazing. The contractions seemed to spread out just a little bit, but were very intense when they came on. I started to feel pressure and knew that before too long I’d be ready to push. After one more trip to the bathroom, I settled again into the tub and started to feel a bit “pushy” through contractions. I started talking aloud to my baby, letting her know that I was ready to meet her, and I was ready to be DONE…done with pregnancy and done with labor, that I just wanted to hold her and be done.  This is where I got pretty pathetic..and pretty noisy J. 

The power of the contractions overwhelmed me and my “mama bear” instincts came out as I roared through the last few pushing contractions. My bag of waters burst at 5:57pm as I pushed and I felt a gush into the water and a bit of relief from the pressure. That moment of relief was followed quickly by another incredibly powerful contraction and I hit that moment when I wasn’t sure I could handle it any more- and then all in one motion, at 5:59pm, our perfect daughter was born into the water.  It happened so fast I don’t even remember her crowning- it was just over in an instant and there she was!

I was so overwhelmed as I went to pick her up I didn’t realize I was kneeling on her cord, so I had to reposition myself and I sat back as I lifted her out of the water to my chest. Her cord was pretty short, so she just barely reached my chest. I held her in the water with a warm towel and her daddy and I just admired her and told her how happy we were to meet her. It was just such a lovely, perfect moment. Her eyes were closed, so we turned off the lights and she opened them to look up at us. She snuggled right into my chest and immediately attempted to latch on.

Meanwhile, Rebecca was unobtrusively checking the baby (all while I was holding her). Everything checked out wonderfully. After the cord was done pulsing, Rebecca clamped it and Jonny cut it. Since the placenta wasn’t delivering quite yet, I moved to the bed to continue to nurse the baby, who we’d decided to name Maggie until the placenta delivered.

We were thrilled to announce Maggie’s arrival and sent out messages to our families of her arrival. I was able to take a wonderful shower and get all settled in my own bed! Rebecca got me all set up and did the newborn exam on Maggie. She had all the indicators of a 40 week baby, which made me glad we hadn’t tried to induce before she was ready.

Rebecca finished and left around 9pm (taking all the supplies with her- you couldn’t tell we had a baby in our living room!) and Molly’s grandparents (who had braved the stormy weather and slick roads) brought her back around 9:30pm. Molly was so excited to meet her little sister! It was a special moment for our little family. We all ate some food and went to bed (well, as much as you do with a newborn…we were awake half the night, but were so happy to gaze at our little girl that we didn’t mind being awake). 

New Beginnings

Becoming a mom is a life-changing event in innumerable ways. Through giving birth and raising a child, often a woman rediscovers who she is and what matters to her!

 With new beginnings come new opportunities. I am grateful that my daughter’s birth started me on the path of becoming a childbirth educator, which I absolutely love and am passionate about. However, before my pregnancy, I never would have considered it!

This week, I met a remarkable lady who had a somewhat similar discovery. Michelle Hoyles was living near Portland when her first son was born. A friend gave her a gift certificate, as a shower gift, for a custom artwork of her baby’s handprint and footprint. After her son was born, Michelle had the artwork made and it become a cherished piece of their family history.

Fast forward a few years. Michelle, now living in the Salt Lake area, had a second son. She wanted to have another piece of artwork made, this time with her second baby’s prints, so she could display them together. Michelle began looking for an artist to do the impression for her. However, she was frustrated in her search and couldn’t find anyone who offered the product she was looking for.

As a former elementary school teacher with an art minor, Michelle saw this void as an opportunity. She decided to go back to Portland to train in this art method. When she came back, she continued to develop her technique and has since opened her own business, Impressions Clay Prints.

I was fortunate enough to visit Michelle’s home and studio and see her in action. Her work is beautiful. She explained a bit about the process. First, she rolls out clay. This clay, she informed me, is totally safe and non-toxic, meaning that even preemie babies can have their impressions done. (What a keepsake that would be for those parents!)

Then, she masterfully takes the child’s prints (and if she could get a good print off my squirmy one-year-old, you know she has skill!). That’s all that’s required of you- just a few minutes.

The impression then gets placed in the kiln. After that, it is hand-painted and glazed.

The process of hand-painting just the actual handprint or footprint (or paw-print) is what really makes the piece special. It highlights every line and really makes the piece attractive. Some other businesses (or do-it-yourself kits) will do a handprint or footprint, but they glaze the entire thing, so the print isn’t visible from far away. Also, the process Michelle uses will create a lasting keepsake, instead of a piece that will crumble away over time, like plaster does.

To finish it off, Michelle paints the child’s (or animal’s) name and age, and adds a beautiful ribbon.

I love the idea of clay impressions, because it is a unique keepsake that both you and the child will treasure as time goes on. (And, unlike pictures, you don’t have to stress about your baby’s hairstyle or expression…or your remaining baby weight!).

Some of the options in creating your artwork- size, color, etc.

Cute little one-of-a-kind ornament!

Visiting with Michelle was such a good reminder to me that motherhood is something to be treasured. We should treasure these moments, because before we know it, the little tiny baby we adored is a toddler…or teenager! Hopefully, in the midst of fully appreciating our children, motherhood will allow each of us the opportunity to do a bit of rediscovery and appreciate our passions and talents!

How do you capture memories with your children? Photos, Artwork, Videos?

What have you discovered about yourself since becoming a mother? 

P.S. To find out more about Michelle's work, visit her website at http://www.impressionsclayprints.com. You can schedule an appointment for you or plan a group event (parties, preschools, etc.). She also offers gift certificates!

***GIVEAWAY! Michelle is giving away a $45 gift certificate to one lucky reader (use for yourself or give to someone as a wonderful gift!)


To enter, you must do these three simple things:


1) "Like" Birth Utah on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/BirthUtah (if you haven't already!)
2) "Like" Impressions Clay Prints on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Impressions-Clay-Prints/105407299547567 (if you haven't already)
3) Comment on this post, here on the blog, answering one (or both) of these questions above (in bold).
-Make sure you put your name, as it is on Facebook, when you comment on the blog.
-To comment, click at the bottom of the entry where it says "# comments" and it will open a comment box for you.


One entry per person! Enter now. Winner will be chosen on Wed, Dec. 21 (in time for Christmas!)