This is the sixth post in a series of blog posts based on interviews I’m doing with midwives who serve Utah County.

Today’s post is based on a conversation with Amy Ihrig. Amy owns Joyful Birth Midwifery Services. She has been in the birth community for 15 years (starting out as a doula), and has been a midwife for about five years. She graduated from Midwives College of Utah and is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Amy attends home births in northern Utah County. Amy is passionate about learning and teaching, and it shows with the wide ranges of classes and services she offers! In addition to being a midwife, Amy is also a Bradley Method Childbirth educator. The Bradley method focuses on how husbands can support their wives during labor and birth. She also teaches infant massage classes for new parents, as well as comfort measures classes, which she calls “doula dad” courses. And she teachers mother/daughter maturation classes using the Maidens by His Design curriculum, a Christian-based program to help mothers and daughters understand and communicate about their incredible bodies.

As you can surely tell from that impressive list, Amy believes in the power of education and the wonder of birth. She truly believes that birth can and should be a joyful experience. Amy is a holistic care provider; rather than just considering her clients’ medical well-being, she looks at the whole picture of their overall wellness as part of her care.

Like many midwives I’ve interviewed, Amy began her journey to midwifery as a doula. She decided to become a doula after her awesome second birth experience (an accidental home birth—keep reading for the details!) After nearly a decade as a doula, she felt called to expand her scope of practice to be able to provide fullness of care—medical and beyond—to her clients.

Since I’ve noticed this doula-->midwife pattern in several conversations with midwives I’ve interviewed,  and I’m currently riding the doula-->midwife trajectory after having a transformatively awesome birth, I joked with Amy that having an amazing birth is a “gateway drug” for aspiring birth professionals.

Give a woman an amazing birth, and she’ll want to become a doula. When she becomes a doula, she’ll love it and realize the importance of education along the pregnancy and birth journey. She’ll decide to become a childbirth educator. When she becomes a childbirth educator, she’ll realize that she could expand her circle of influence even more by becoming a midwife. When she becomes a midwife, she’ll continue to seek opportunities for learning and growth to better serve her clients and invite them to have amazing births. And when her clients have amazing births…

(Now that’s a version of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, or, rather, If You Give a Woman an Amazing Birth that I can get behind! Give me that kind of ripple effect any day!)

Back to Amy’s journey from amazing birth to doula to midwife.

Before becoming a doula, Amy was staunchly opposed to home birth. Then, she had an accidental home birth. Her labor moved along much more rapidly than she expected, so she birthed her baby in her bedroom with baffled paramedics as her birth attendants. The birth was smooth and beautiful, and something in Amy shifted. Her next birth was a planned home birth, and the rest is history.

Now, Amy is a strong proponent of home birth and the opportunity it affords for an intimate birthing experience. She loves supporting her clients as they make informed decisions in the peace of their own home. “My ideal client,” Amy says, “is someone who takes responsibility for their own choices. They will listen to the education that I’m providing them, and they will pursue further research in helping themselves to stay healthy and low-risk.”

​Having a joyful home birth is not a fictional fantasy. Amy’s passion and work is to make the dream of a joyful home birth a reality for her clients. Preparing for a home birth requires research and work, and a supportive and experienced midwife. We are lucky, here in Utah County, to have so many such options! And we’re fortunate that Amy Ihrig is among them.

The new Intermountain hospital in Spanish Fork opened yesterday (April 5, 2021), and let me tell you... they are doing things right for birthing families! I had the privilege of touring the hospital a couple of weeks ago, and I am just giddy with some of the features they included in their Women and Newborn wing. I'll highlight my favorites below.

First of all, will you just take a look at this gorgeous tub?!

There are six labor and delivery rooms in the new Spanish Fork, and three of them feature one of these beauties! The tubs have a variety of built-in stools and foot rests to enable a variety of labor positions in the tub. The hospital isn't currently set up for water births, but these tubs do drain quickly if baby is coming and you don't want to climb out of the tub.

These fantastic tubs are the central features of the large labor and delivery rooms they are in, which also include a couch that folds out into a bed, a recliner, a bathroom with a shower, and plenty of room to walk/dance/squat/do whatever feels right! The hospital will also have wireless, waterproof contraction/fetal monitors to enable monitoring and movement simultaneously.

After birthing your baby in one of these rooms, you'll then move down the hall to the other side of the unit to a postpartum room. There are twelve postpartum rooms, and they are attended by the same nurses who attend the labor and delivery rooms, enabling greater continuity of care throughout your stay at the hospital. As a special touch, each family will enjoy a celebration meal in their postpartum room, served at a decorated table on beautiful dishes. What a fun idea!

For families who want to expedite their hospital stay, the Spanish Fork hospital also has one room for their Simply Birth program. Participants in this program do most of their postpartum education at home so that they can check out of the hospital faster after birth. The largest room at the end of the hallway in the Mother and Newborn unit is reserved for participants in the Simply Birth program, who will labor, give birth, and recover in the same room. Here it is:

I can't wait to see all of these features put to use as I support clients birthing at this hospital! And...........

In about two years, things will be even better!

That's the projected timeline for the opening of the birth center that is adjacent to the hospital! This space is technically not part of the hospital, though the two buildings are connected. The birth center will be staffed by Certified Nurse Midwives who work at the Intermountain clinic alongside the hospital.

The birth center is currently under construction, but I got to take a peek at it as well! There will be two birthing rooms at the birth center, which right now look something like this:

Let's zoom in on some of my favorite features! Here's a close-up of the nice large tub in the birthing center, as well as ceiling attachments for a labor sling!

Rather than a narrow hospital bed, these birth center rooms will feature a queen size bed with room for the whole family. The beds haven't been installed yet, but I took a picture of the wall where the bed will go so that you can fill it in with a queen size bed in your mind.

I love that this birth center will be right next to the hospital, to give families peace of mind in knowing that if a transfer to the hospital is needed (or desired), it's just a quick walk/roll down the hallway that connects the two fourth-floor facilities.

What questions do you have about the new birthing facilities in Spanish Fork? I'm not an expert, or an Intermountain employee, but I did ask a lot of questions on the tour! I'd be happy to chat more!

I can't wait for families of Utah County to start enjoying these new facilities! I look forward to supporting many families as a doula in these awesome new spaces!

​​This is the fifth post in a series of blog posts based on interviews I’m doing with midwives who serve Utah County and the surrounding areas.

Today, I’m honored to introduce you to Katia L’Ecuyer. Katia owns Innate Midwifery with birth centers in Holladay and West Jordan, UT. She also attends home births in Salt Lake County and north Utah County. She is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), a Licensed Direct Entry Midwife (LDEM), and a graduate of Midwives College of Utah. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from Utah Valley University. As a midwife for over 10 years, she has attended over 500 births in both Utah and Costa Rica. Katia is also a midwifery preceptor and enjoys mentoring student midwives.

This is the fourth post in a series of blog posts based on interviews I’m doing with midwives who serve Utah County.

This week, I’m spotlighting Seasons Warner (CPM, LDEM), owner of Four Seasons Midwifery. Seasons has been practicing as a midwife since 2014 and attends home births in the greater Utah County area (especially south of Utah county, extending into Juab, San Pete, and Sevier counties). Fun fact: if you see a car with a Utah license plate the reads MIDWIFE, you’re tailgating Seasons. So give her some space if it seems like she’s in a hurry to get to a birth!

Alongside Melissa Chappell, Seasons also co-owns Utah Birth Suites: a beautiful birth center with locations in Orem and Provo. Both locations are beautifully and thoughtfully designed to give expectant families a feeling of homey comfort with all of the medical tools needed for pregnancy visits and birth. They’re also just minutes from local hospitals, in case a transfer of care is needed.

I spoke with Seasons about the postpartum care she gives her clients. In the US medical model of maternity care, new mothers are typically discharged from the hospital 48 hours after giving birth and then not seen by their care provider until six weeks postpartum. This large gap in care, which comes after weekly prenatal visits at the end of the third trimester, can feel jarring and isolating to new parents who are physically recovering from giving birth and adjusting to caring for a (very sweet and cuddly but very needy!) newborn. Midwives, like Seasons, work to make sure that their clients continue to be monitored and well-cared for in the hours, days, and weeks shortly after birth.

After Seasons’ clients give birth, she closely monitors them and their babies for a few hours to ensure that baby is eating and there are no pressing medical needs. Then, she packs up and leaves them to settle in as a family (if the birth was at home) or sends them on their way home (if they birthed at one of the Utah Birth Suites locations). Within 24-48 hours after the birth, Seasons visits her clients in their home (whether they birthed at home or at the birth center).

Seasons again checks in with her clients via text every couple of days during the first two weeks after birth, and then they come to the birth center for appointments at two, four, and six weeks postpartum. This way, she’s regularly in touch with her clients as they recover from birth, and she’s able to offer ongoing newborn screenings and care. As a midwife, Seasons is licensed to offer well-baby care during the first six weeks of life. If any needs arise for mom or baby in the weeks after birth, Seasons is able to spot the need and care for it—or make recommendations for further care—before it becomes a larger issue.

At her postpartum visits, Seasons offers standard postpartum care. She checks in on how breastfeeding and sleeping are going, bathroom needs, stitches and perineal healing, and cracked or sore nipples. She notes baby’s weight and growth, umbilical cord stump, and does a heart and lung check-up. She provides newborn metabolic screening (PKU) tests. After her check-ups, she’ll refer her clients to other medical care providers if anything looks abnormal.

Another important service Seasons offers is repeated mental health screenings. Seasons asks her clients about how they’re feeling, who’s in their support system, and what their daily habits are. (Are they getting enough to eat and drink? Are they getting dressed, able to do some daily activities, and feeling like themselves?) This sort of screening is especially important at the four- and six-week postpartum visits, when lingering emotional or mental health concerns are an indication that her clients are in need of further care from a mental health professional.

Throughout the days and weeks after birth, Seasons is always available through text or phone call if her clients have questions or needs along the way. She’s also well-connected with a local network of lactation consultants, pelvic floor physical therapists, chiropractors, pediatricians, obstetricians, mental health providers, and other specialists. Utah County has a village of postpartum care specialists, and Seasons connects her clients with the village when they have a specific need!

As we concluded our conversation, Seasons reflected, “I think the thing that sets midwifery apart, really, in the postpartum period—not even just the frequency of our visits—is just the level of intimacy and care that you have with a midwife.” Those who are able to have this sort of connection and care with Seasons certainly count themselves blessed.

​This is the third post in a series of blog posts based on interviews I’m doing with midwives who serve Utah County.

For this post, I was honored to interview Amber Adams (DEM) and Teryl Stay (CPM, LDEM), who attend home births in northern Utah County and southern Salt Lake county. Together with student midwife Kirsten, Amber and Teryl are Birth Mind Body, midwifery care that “brings back the village” to care for new parents. Both Amber and Teryl attend all prenatal visits and births together and work as a team.
​
Teryl and Amber each became midwives after first working as doulas. I loved talking with them about their journeys to midwifery, as my goal is to become a midwife as well! (I’m hoping to attend Vanderbilt’s CNM program. Fingers crossed!) Teryl became a doula at a friend’s suggestion and fell in love with community birth. She started attending Midwives College of Utah when her then-youngest child started kindergarten. For Amber, a series of random events led her to choosing midwifery care for her own first pregnancy and learning more about pregnancy and birth. After three people separately told her that she ought to be a midwife, Amber accepted the call to midwifery and also enrolled at Midwives College of Utah. Both Teryl and Amber had a baby (or two) while in midwifery school, and have personally experienced a range of birth experiences. They agree that the variety among their own births is an invaluable resource they drawn on as they support their clients. “I really believe that every midwifery journey gives you a different perspective to be able to help a client down the road,” Amber reflects.

The main topic I chatted with Teryl and Amber about was how they support their clients through decision-making. Throughout the conversation, they both emphasized that they view their relationship with their clients as a partnership, and that they expect their clients to be involved, active participants in their care.

Whenever their clients are making choices, their role is to teach their clients about benefits and risks of each of their options and respect their informed decisions as they move forward. Anytime screenings, tests, or interventions (such as glucose screening, Strep B testing, etc.) are offered, they provide an informed decision-making document with information about the possible benefits and risks of each option. Together with their clients, they talk through all of the information on the document and offer the chance to discuss any further questions they may have. The document also points them towards other resources they can consult as they make their own informed decisions.

“A lot of it is based on trust,” Amber says. It’s important that their clients trust their midwives to give them the information they need to make decisions about their care, and that they trust themselves enough to confidently make decisions.

Of course, there are times when, as medical care providers, Amber and Teryl sometimes need to hold firm on certain guidelines. They insist that all clients have an ultrasound to determine the placenta’s location during pregnancy, as placenta previa (when the placenta covers the cervix) is a serious complication that needs a higher level of care.

​If other complications arise during birth, trust is again key. Teryl explains, “It’s also so important to talk about this prenatally, and even during the interview, that these things can come up… We want to make sure that you have enough trust in us that if we’re telling you, ‘you need to go to the hospital; there’s a higher level of care needed,’ that they will trust us.”
With this relationship of trust, Amber and Teryl strive to honor their client’s autonomy and provide safe, quality care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

​Pam England’s Birthing from Within has been hailed as “… a landmark in the history of childbirth” (Dr. Michel Odent). Published in 1988, this book is still relevant and influencing couples preparing for childbirth today. Pam England is both a Certified Nurse Midwife and a psychologist, and she calls on each of these backgrounds and experiences in her childbirth preparation education and recommendations.

When my brother-in-law saw this book sitting out at my house, he jokingly said, “Birthing from within? What other way is there to birth?” But, as Pam explains, its often the internal preparation that is overlooked when preparing to give birth, and that can make a huge difference in the way parents experience birth. Throughout the book, Ms. England offers a wide range of activities to help expectant parents prepare for birth—from the inside out.

The book is divided into seven sections:
1. Beginning Your Journey
2. The Art of Birthing
3. Preparing Your Birth Place
4. Being Powerful in Birth
5. Fathers and Birth Companions
6. Birthing Through Pain
7. Gestating Parenthood

In each section, Pam offers activities that expectant parents can do together or individually as they prepare for birth. Here is a sampling of some of the activities:

• Freewriting about your feelings and assumptions about pregnancy, birth, parenthood, etc.
• Creating artwork about your anticipations of or past experiences with birth to uncover and work through your feelings
• Writing down meanings of conventional birth symbols and reframing the symbols’ meaning to fit your own unique circumstances
• Writing down and working through fears or worries
• Practicing breath awareness
• Predicting and preparing for postpartum parenting disputes
• And many more!

Surrounding all of the activities is tons of important information about birth: what to know and expect physiologically and psychologically, historical and ethnographic perspectives, and research and experience say about various birth choices (e.g. helpful comfort measures, home birth considerations, birthing positions, epidural use pros and cons, how to have an empowered cesarean, etc.).

​In all, Birthing from Within is a vastly useful book with information that can appeal to and offer relevant information for families in a variety of circumstances, with varied goals and backgrounds. It certainly appeals most apparently to those preparing for an unmedicated birth, but it calls on all birthers to do the internal work necessary to have the best birth experience possible. I’d definitely recommend it as a resource to call on in preparation for birth. Check it out from my Lending Library!

This book review blog post was originally posted on 11/21/2018 on the blog of my previous website, www.sarasbirthservices.com (no longer active).

​As you can tell from the sticky notes, this book is packed full of good information!

I appreciate the Searses' well-rounded and positive approach to pregnancy they take in this book. They begin with detailed information about how to have a healthy pregnancy through wise nutritional choices,  movement, sleep, and self-care skills. This starts the book off on a great foot for helping women be the responsible agent in their pregnancy and birth, which I believe is critical! They list helpful nutrients for pregnant women and their developing babies, the foods that offer them, and even recipes to incorporate them in your diet. In the section on exercise, they emphasize the importance of moving healthily and the wide range of activities that pregnant women can do to stay in shape and help their bodies and their babies be as healthy as possible.

The next section of the book details the month-by-month changes that occur in the developing baby and the pregnant mother's body. They address concerns and discomforts that may arise by offering helpful tips and solutions. In the section on birth, they offer a detailed explanation of the "hormonal symphony of birth" and beautifully describe how mom and baby's bodies work together to bring baby into the world. They address common interventions and when they can be helpful and when they'd be better avoided.

In the final section, uncommon pregnancy complications are addressed. The section begins with the directive to read only those sections that pertain to a complication you have, as there's no need to worry about things that could but likely won't--wise advice for an expectant parent! I especially appreciate their re-framing of the term "high-risk pregnancy." They explain that this term is necessary for doctors to be aware of women whose pregnancies and births should be monitored more closely, but invite women in this category to instead consider their pregnancy as "high responsibility":

"Instead of resigning yourself to the high-risk label, becoming a passive patient, and leaving all birth decisions up to your doctors, become a high-responsibility mother. Take an even more active role in your birth partnership; cooperation between you and your care providers is essential. You need to be more informed and more involved in decision-making than the average mother, and you need to take better care of yourself. The first question you should ask your doctor after you are classified as high-risk is what specific things you can do to lower that risk."

I especially appreciated this advice because both of my pregnancies have been "high-responsibility," the first because I was carrying twins, and the second because I have a blood-clotting disorder and was planning on a VBAC. In my first pregnancy, I resigned myself to the "high-risk" label and stopped asking many questions and taking personal responsibility for my pregnancy, and I ended up with some complications that I believe I could have avoided if I'd been a more active participant in my health care. In my second pregnancy, I made sure I was well-informed and the responsible agent for caring for my extra needs, and I had a very positive experience as an active birth-giver!

In all, I definitely recommend this book as a comprehensive guide to having a healthy and positive pregnancy. It's the best book of its kind in that category!

Two months ago my husband and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. We love to hike for our dates, but typically have to find shorter hikes because of schedule restraints. For our anniversary, though, we went all out and hiked to the summit of my favorite mountain, Mount Timpanogos! (That's its silhouette you see in my logo.)

While we hiked, I of course thought about super romantic things, like how grateful I am to be married to such a wonderful man, and how crazy it feels that we've already been married for nine whole years! But I definitely also thought about birth as we hiked. Because... well, I think about birth A LOT. Being a doula will do that to you!

As I hiked, I thought about how giving birth is like summiting a mountain.

I chose the name of my business, Summit Birth Utah, after a conversation with a doula friend, Kjell. Previously, the name of my doula business had been Sara's Birth Services, and it just felt rather ho-hum. I was chatting with Kjell about she came up with her business name, Ride the Waves Doula Services, and she said that as she considered what she wanted to name her business, a friend had asked her, "What do you find peaceful about birth?"

I adapted this question to my thoughts about birth. What do I love about birth? 

I love birth because, while giving birth, you can discover your strength in a way that's unequaled by anything else. I love birth because it teaches us about the beauty and wonder of our bodies. I love birth because it builds strong mothers and families.

I also know, that sometimes, birth isn't this way. For giving birth to be a truly empowering and transformative experience, you need preparation and support. And that is what my work as a doula is all about. As I say in the About section of my website:

So I named my business Summit Birth Utah. 

​I'd love to be by your side, supporting you as you discover your strength through birth. To schedule a free consultation to ensure we're a good fit, contact me today!

I've been hearing a lot recently that expectant couples are looking for classes that encourage them to both be involved, together, in the birth experience. Look no further!
​
Mary Caplin and I are thrilled to offer our Childbirth Class Date Night again on Friday, October 9, 2020, from 7:00-9:00 PM.

This class is a two-hour deep-dive into how to work together and come closer as a couple as you prepare for birth and experience it together. Here's a sneak peek into what the class entails:

Before the class, we'll email you to ask about what you want to get out of the class and what your priorities are. We want to make sure to tailor the information in class to your specific needs! The sooner you register, the sooner we'll be able to plan according to your situation, plans, and preferences.

As the class begins, we'll briefly get to know each other, then start talking about how to prepare for a smooth birth. We'll give tips about what you can do in pregnancy to start preparing your body and your partnership to give birth.

Then, we'll give some ideas about what to do in early labor--and how to know if it's the real deal. We'll talk about the stages of labor and how there are sign posts you can look for, although your birth experience will be unique and not exactly like anyone else's.

Then, we'll break for dessert of local gourmet cookies and tasty ice cream bars, plus cheese and fruit for the healthier crowd. As you snack, you'll keep learning about the emotions of labor and how to communicate together before and during your birth. We'll talk about what to do when the unexpected happens during your birth and how you can come out stronger as a couple if you're thrown a curve ball.

We'll watch a couple of birth videos that show couples having a positive birth experience together, and talk about things they did to facilitate that positive experience. We'll practice some hands-on comfort measures and helpful positions for labor. Then, we'll answer your questions about the "pushing" phase of giving birth. We'll close by guiding you through a couple's massage (both partners get a turn!) and answering any final questions you may have.

Throughout the class, there will be plenty of opportunities to ask your questions and get them answered. It'll be an evening packed with learning and hands-on practice in preparation for birth! ​Head on over to the Events tab to register!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will we be totally ready for birth after taking this class?

No. We pack in as much information as we can during this two-hour class, but to truly be ready for a positive birth experience, you'll need to spend more time preparing together. We'd love to support you as your doulas and meet with you for two-three more hours during pregnancy. In addition, we recommend physical preparation (we'll talk about that in class), and we'd be happy to tell you about our favorite book recommendations. (As a client, you're welcome to borrow as many books as you can read from the lending library!)


Do you have any promo codes I can use?

Thanks for asking! We are running a special where you can knock $10 off your ticket price for every couple that you refer, until the class is full. If you refer a couple, send us an email at utahcountydoulas@gmail.com to let us know, and we'll refund you $10 when they sign up!

AND the best part? If you choose to hire us as your doulas after the class, your $50 class registration fee can be applied directly to your doula services package!


I'm planning to have an epidural when I give birth. Will this class be useful for me?

Yes! The information in this class will be meaningful for couples planning unmedicated births as well as couples planning to have an epidural. The information we share about preparing for a smooth birth, stages of labor, and some helpful positioning tips are useful whether you're medicated or unmedicated during labor. Some of the information, such as other labor positions and comfort measures, may only be relevant before anesthesia is administered, but remember that you will be without anesthesia for some of your labor--we want you to be as comfortable as possible throughout all stages of labor!


What precautions are you taking to make this class safe in the time of COVID-19?

We want you to be safe and feel comfortable at our class! We're capping the class at six couples, so there will be a maximum of 14 people in attendance (six couples plus two teachers). There will be more than six feet of space between couples, and we'll have hand sanitizer on tap. If we (the teachers) come within six feet of you to demonstrate anything, we'll wear a face covering. Based on the comfort and preferences of class members, we may also wear face shields throughout the class.


The class content sounds interesting, but I don't have a partner. Can I still come?

You're absolutely welcome to attend without a partner. If you'd be more comfortable in another setting, we'd be happy to accommodate you with a private class. Just email us at utahcountydoulas@gmail.com.


I can't make it to the October 9th class. When will you be doing this class again?

We offer this class about every three months. If you'll still be pregnant in three months, we'd love to have you come to our next class, which will likely be in early 2021! If your birth is approaching sooner than that, email us at utahcountydoulas@gmail.com about coming to your home to teach a private class.


​This all sounds great! Where can I register?

You can register on the Events tab!