Reviews
“I realized I didn’t want to have a traditional, medical-system type of birth. I was drawn to the midwife approach — the way they educate you and help you take charge of your health and your baby’s well-being. I wanted to be more active in my care and have a more natural experience.” “I chose My Family Birth Center because of their holistic care and natural approach to birth. The people here were a big part of my decision. Even though I had moved further away, it was more important to me to stick with a team I knew and trusted. Familiarity matters when it comes to something as important as childbirth, and knowing that my health share would work with them made it an easy choice.”
I figured that women have been having babies for thousands of years without epidurals or heavy interventions, and they’ve done just fine. I wasn’t high-risk, so I thought, ‘Why not me?’ I read a lot of birth stories from people who had natural births outside of hospitals, and it gave me the confidence to choose this path. I really appreciated the nutrition advice the midwives gave me, and they even recommended some exercise videos that helped me prepare for my first birth. It’s those little nuggets of knowledge that made a big difference. Plus, they were always willing to answer any questions I had, which made me feel supported throughout the entire process. The environment at My Family Birth Center was perfect for me. I loved the dimmed lights and the lower-intervention approach. The midwives did their best to put me at ease by standing back and letting nature take its course, but they were always ready to step in if needed. That balance of support and trust in the natural process was exactly what I wanted. I had considered going with a midwife closer to home, but when I saw their paperwork and policies, it really stressed me out. I knew I needed to go back to where I felt more familiar and comfortable. Coming back to My Family Birth Center just felt right. It was the best decision for me and my family.
“The powerful part of this experience is that the hospital takes you out of your home, out of your routine, and away from your other children. If you have a C-section, you’re out of your space for three days. But at My Family Birth Center, I was in and out in seven hours. It was my third birth, and we came in at 12:45, and by 8:00 p.m., we were home to put our kids to bed. That was amazing.” “I’ve always been naturally inclined toward a natural birth. It’s something that intrigued me, and I did my research. I took classes and had one-on-one coaching to prepare, but when I showed up to the hospital, I was met with strangers — an old doctor in an old hospital. No one was on my team. I ended up with a lot of birth trauma because they threw me in stirrups, which is the worst position for a natural birth. I didn’t have an epidural, and I was pushing in that position, feeling completely stuck. That trauma stayed with me, and I had to go through years of therapy to process it.”
When I got pregnant with my third, nine years after my first birth, I told my husband, ‘I am not staying in a hospital again.’ That’s when we found My Family Birth Center. My husband didn’t even know places like this existed, but once he saw it, he was on board. He Googled, found the center in Ogden, and made an appointment. From our first visit, we connected with Loretta. He was telling jokes with her, and every appointment after that felt like visiting a friend. It wasn’t clinical; it was personal. What really stood out was how involved my husband could be. The birth center has queen-size beds, which meant we could rest together as a family. It wasn’t just me laboring alone in a sterile hospital room while he sat on the sidelines. He was there with me, part of the process, and it made the experience feel intimate and special. It was about our relationship and our baby’s arrival into this world together. The day our baby was born felt like a miracle that had been nine years in the making. Loretta was so integral in that story. Her warmth and care, combined with her medical expertise, made all the difference. The birth center had everything we needed — state-of-the-art equipment, medical tools, and the knowledge to handle any situation. For example, after the baby was born, it became clear that my placenta needed to come out faster than my body was handling it. They used Pitocin and oxygen, and I appreciated how the intervention was done with consent and knowledge. It wasn’t forced; it was a decision we made together. People think that natural birth means no intervention at all, but that’s not true. What I wanted was knowledgeable, consented intervention. At the birth center, they had the tools to help me without the pressure or stress you might feel in a hospital. That made all the difference in feeling safe and cared for. We return to the memory of that birth over and over again. It reminds us of the beauty of life and the miracles that happen when you trust the process. Loretta helped us have the birth we dreamed of — one that brought peace and healing after years of trauma. It was the kind of experience that changes your life forever.
“Having four kids before coming to My Family Birth Center, we felt like something had been missing from each of those experiences. With our first, we went into it completely uninformed, doing exactly what the doctor told us. We didn’t know there were other options. The whole process felt rushed, and afterward, Emily said she felt like she’d been hit by a bus — everything hurt.” “With our second, it was still a hospital birth, and the doctor we’d planned on didn’t even show up. We spent the whole day waiting for the baby to come after being induced. It was better than the first, but still not great.” “By the time we had our third, we tried Hypnobirthing and had a natural birth at the hospital. But that was one of the worst experiences. We had to check in at the ER in the middle of the night, surrounded by people with broken bones and coughing. The ER staff didn’t even believe she was in labor until we finally got to the room, and they realized she was already at a seven.” “Even then, we had to fight the staff to let Emily labor in the tub, and it was a constant battle to get what we wanted. After the birth, they left her alone in a dark room for two hours without me or the baby, which was traumatic. For the record, we decided after that experience that I would stay with the baby in the hospital to make sure she wasn’t left alone again. But even then, it wasn’t what we wanted.”
We knew after that we couldn’t go back to a hospital. We wanted a peaceful childbirth, not one full of interventions and stress. That’s when we started looking into other options and found My Family Birth Center during COVID. The moment we walked in, it felt peaceful and calm. We could bring our kids to appointments, and it felt like coming home. Loretta was incredible. She made sure we never felt alone, always explaining things and supporting us. I think my favorite part was stepping out of the car, walking across the sidewalk, and having Loretta waiting for us with everything ready. We’ve had all our babies in the middle of the night, and it was so comforting to know everything was prepped, cozy, and conducive to having a baby. The biggest difference was how included I felt. In the hospital, I was usually on the sidelines, but at the birth center, I was a part of the process. I even got to catch our fifth child, something no one had ever offered before. Loretta just said, ‘You’re going to catch, right?’ And I thought, ‘Yeah, I am!’ That experience of being involved, of not feeling like a spectator, was life-changing. Emily’s favorite part was leaving the birth center after just a few hours and having the team come to our house for follow-up care. There’s something incredible about being in your own space, with your baby, without the clinical atmosphere of a hospital. After our third birth, I remember having to go to therapy for years to process the birth trauma. But after our birth center experience, it was healing — not just for Emily, but for both of us. The birth center experience brought us closer together. We weren’t separated by hospital protocols. I had my baby in my arms, and I had Emily in my arms. That bonding was unlike anything we’d experienced before. I felt more support here than I ever did in a hospital — continuous support, not just someone popping in and out of the room. Even during COVID, when restrictions were everywhere, they made us feel like family. Loretta even made me breakfast when I was starving in the middle of it all. That’s the level of care you get here. It’s not just medical care; it’s personal. You feel welcome, supported, and comfortable. I’m passionate about helping women realize they have options. You don’t have to follow the hospital’s protocols like a factory assembly line. You can educate yourself, understand what your body is capable of, and have a peaceful, empowering birth experience. And guys — don’t be afraid to be involved. I had more support and felt more included here than I ever did in a hospital. It’s a different kind of birth experience, one that brings families together. For us, it was life-changing, and we’re forever grateful for it.
“Having four kids before coming to My Family Birth Center, we always felt like something was missing from each birth. With our first, we went in completely uninformed, doing exactly what the doctor told us. It felt rushed, and afterward, Emily said she felt like she’d been hit by a bus — everything hurt. With our second, the doctor we planned on didn’t even show up, and we spent the whole day waiting for the baby to come after being induced. By the time we had our third, we tried Hypnobirthing and went natural at the hospital. But that was one of the worst experiences. We had to check in at the ER in the middle of the night, surrounded by people with broken bones and coughing. They didn’t believe she was in labor until they realized she was already at a seven. Even then, we had to fight the staff to let her labor in the tub. It was a constant battle to get what we wanted, and after the birth, they left her alone in a dark room for two hours without me or the baby. That was traumatic.” “We knew after that we couldn’t go back to a hospital. We wanted a peaceful childbirth, not one full of interventions and stress. When we found My Family Birth Center, we knew we were in the right place. From the moment we walked in, it felt peaceful and calm. We could bring our kids to appointments, and it felt like coming home.”
I think my favorite part was stepping out of the car, walking across the sidewalk, and having Loretta waiting for us with everything ready. We’ve had all our babies in the middle of the night, and it was so comforting to know everything was prepped, cozy, and conducive to having a baby. In the hospital, I was usually on the sidelines, but at the birth center, I was part of the process. I even got to catch our fifth child, something no one had ever offered before. Loretta just said, ‘You’re going to catch, right?’ And I thought, ‘Yeah, I am!’ That experience of being involved, of not feeling like a spectator, was life-changing. Emily’s favorite part was leaving the birth center after just a few hours and having the team come to our house for follow-up care. There’s something incredible about being in your own space, with your baby, without the clinical atmosphere of a hospital. After our third birth, I remember having to go to therapy for years to process the trauma. But after our birth center experience, it was healing — not just for Emily, but for both of us. The birth center experience brought us closer together. We weren’t separated by hospital protocols. I had my baby in my arms, and I had Emily in my arms. That bonding was unlike anything we’d experienced before. I felt more support here than I ever did in a hospital — continuous support, not just someone popping in and out of the room. Even during COVID, when restrictions were everywhere, they made us feel like family. Loretta even made me breakfast when I was starving in the middle of it all. That’s the level of care you get here. It’s not just medical care; it’s personal. You feel welcome, supported, and comfortable. I’m passionate about helping women realize they have options. You don’t have to follow the hospital’s protocols like a factory assembly line. You can educate yourself, understand what your body is capable of, and have a peaceful, empowering birth experience. And guys — don’t be afraid to be involved. I had more support and felt more included here than I ever did in a hospital. It’s a different kind of birth experience, one that brings families together. For us, it was life-changing, and we’re forever grateful for it.
“My name is Holly Arnold. We are military, and we’ve never really had a whole lot of options except to give birth on base. Giving birth on base, it’s definitely never an option to bring your kids, and that was a big selling point for me — that my family could be involved. My husband was there, my three kids, my parents, my little sister, and my mother-in-law. It was really special.” “I’ve always delivered my children naturally, but I’ve always done it in a hospital, and I’ve always had to fight hospital staff that I didn’t want an epidural. That was always really, really irritating.” “I found My Family Birth Center online through my insurance website, and I didn’t even know that was an option. I don’t know why birthing centers are such a secret or something that’s undiscovered. I absolutely loved my experience here — being able to have my husband, my kids, and my parents in the room. And having my husband so involved was really, really great.”
I actually had gestational diabetes with this pregnancy, and I was really scared that I’d be told I had to go to the hospital and stay with an OB. But the birthing center was very happy to bring me on. I did have to control it, but they stayed really on top of it, and that was very comforting. With every birth in the hospital, I’ve never been allowed to have a whole lot of options outside of epidurals for pain management. They never allowed us to stand in the shower or be in a tub, and doing that here was such an improvement. I’ve ripped in the past while giving birth, and I didn’t rip at all this time. This was the first birth where, as soon as I was done, I felt completely fine. I felt great. At this birthing center, it was so cozy. It felt like being at home — except I didn’t have to clean up the mess after. I definitely felt much more listened to here than I ever have in the hospital. In the hospital, I’ve always had to fight hospital staff who kept pushing me to get an epidural. Constantly, they’d ask, ‘Are you sure you don’t want an epidural, hon? Are you sure you’re okay?’ And while you’re in labor, that’s the worst question to be asked when you don’t want one. Here, they never asked if I wanted an epidural. Instead, they were constantly monitoring my comfort. They’d ask, ‘Do you want to get in the shower? Do you want to sit in the tub? Are you okay where you’re at?’ They were really on top of making sure I was comfortable and safe. I felt very safe here. I really loved how, at My Family Birth Center, I was able to direct the energy of the room. I brought pictures of Christ and placed them in the room. I also brought pictures of my grandmother and great-grandmother, who have passed away. I really felt their presence during my pregnancy and actually named my baby after my great-grandmother. I told Loretta, during my appointments, that it was important to me to have the spirit in the room — and that’s exactly what I felt.
“My name is Jasmine Grace Babbit. We run a homestead, so there’s lots of birth going on all the time — it’s kind of just my thing, I guess.” “My journey with finding a birth center actually started with my first child seven years ago. We did HypnoBirthing at Logan Regional, and I had a really great coach. But the second I stepped into the hospital, the nurse looked at me and said, ‘You look like a mom who’s going to want an epidural. I highly suggest it.’ Later, I found out they just had a lot of births that day and didn’t want to deal with it. That was my first step toward wanting a more natural birth.” “We ended up getting an epidural, which I didn’t want, but I felt forced into it. The baby was healthy, and that was the most important thing at the time.”
My second baby was born during COVID, and I got really sick at 39 weeks. I was hospitalized, and everyone was in hazmat suits. It was a terrible experience. They told me I couldn’t deliver naturally, that nobody could be with me — I was alone. It was really scary. After that birth, I told my husband, ‘No more babies. I’m traumatized. Then, I got pregnant again, and one of my friends had her baby with Loretta and My Family Birth Center. Meeting Loretta and the team just felt like coming home. Every idea I had, every concern I had about natural birth — Loretta was on my side. The team felt like family. My last two births had been really traumatic, so I was scared. I tear really badly, and I had a lot of stress going into labor. I was afraid that if something went wrong, we wouldn’t be in a hospital. But everyone here assured me, ‘We only deliver your baby if you’re healthy, the baby’s healthy, and everything should go smoothly.’ That was really comforting. The staff here is very welcoming. It just feels like home. The birth was easy. I called the midwives, and I was probably dilated to a nine by the time I called them. I actually labored a lot by myself — I locked myself in my closet and just labored there. When I finally called, they reassured me they were on their way. Brenn, the midwife who ended up delivering my baby, came in as I was in the bathtub. She rubbed my back, reassured me, and everything went smoothly. Honestly, the baby just came out really quickly. Loretta grabbed the baby, brought it right up to me, and it was like a movie-perfect birth. I’m not afraid anymore. I’m like, ‘I could have ten more babies! My biggest message to all mothers out there is that birth is not a medical emergency. There’s so much fear around birth, but if you have the right team and the right support, and if you’re healthy and taking care of yourself, it should be a beautiful, wonderful experience. Loretta teaches you to be in sync with your baby and to listen to your baby. That’s not something I ever got taught in a hospital. If you’re considering having your baby here, I’d say, ‘What’s the harm in coming and meeting the staff?’ Once you meet them, and you see that you can do your birth the way you want, you’ll never look back.
“My name is Holly Arnold. We are military, and we’ve never really had a whole lot of options except to give birth on base. While giving birth on base, it’s definitely never an option to bring your kids. That was a big selling point for me — that my family could be involved. My husband was there, my three kids, my parents, my little sister, and my mother-in-law. That made it really special.” “I’ve always delivered my children naturally, but I’ve always done it in a hospital. And I’ve always had to fight hospital staff because I didn’t want an epidural. That was always really, really irritating.” “When I was online on my insurance website, My Family Birth Center popped up. I didn’t even know that was an option! I don’t know why birthing centers are such a secret or something that’s undiscovered. I absolutely loved my experience here — being able to have my husband, my kids, and my parents in the room. And having my husband so involved was really great.”
A challenge that I had with this pregnancy was that I actually had gestational diabetes. I’d never had that before, and I was really scared that I’d be told I had to go to the hospital and stay with an OB. But the birthing center was very happy to bring me on. I did have to control it, but they stayed really on top of it, which was very comforting. At the hospital, I was never allowed to have a lot of options outside of epidurals for pain management. They never let me stand in the shower or be in a tub. Doing that here was such an improvement! I’ve ripped in the past while giving birth, but this time I didn’t rip at all. This was the first birth where, as soon as I was done, I felt completely fine. It was so cozy here. It felt like being at home, except I didn’t have to clean the mess after. I definitely felt much more listened to here than I ever have in the hospital. In the hospital, I always had to fight staff who kept pushing me to get an epidural. Constantly, they’d ask, ‘Are you sure you don’t want an epidural, hon?’ And while you’re in labor, that’s the worst question to be asked when you don’t want one. Here, they never asked if I wanted an epidural. Instead, they were always monitoring my comfort: ‘Do you want to get in the shower? Do you want to sit in the tub? Are you okay where you’re at?’ They were really on top of making sure I was comfortable and safe. I felt very safe here. At My Family Birth Center, I was able to direct the energy of the room. I brought pictures of Christ and placed them in the room. I also brought pictures of my grandmother and great-grandmother, who have passed away. I really felt their presence during my pregnancy and actually named my baby after my great-grandmother. I told Loretta during my appointments that it was important to me to have the spirit in the room. And that’s exactly what I felt.
“My name is Caitlyn Gerlock. Leading up to getting pregnant, I had a friend who chose My Family Birth Center for her birth experience, and she had great things to say. Just two months after she gave birth here, I found out I was pregnant. This was the only place I even considered. Beyond my friend’s experience, I’m generally a more holistically minded person, and the birth center’s approach really aligned with my wellness goals.” “My experience throughout was nothing short of phenomenal. Every single visit, I felt valued and cared for. They were asking all the right questions — not just about the physical aspects of pregnancy, but about my diet, my mental health, and even touching on spirituality. I had heard from others that hospital experiences were very different. This felt more intentional and personal.”
It honestly felt like God’s timing. My friend’s experience was fresh in my mind, and two months later, I was pregnant. It was like He was putting this opportunity in front of me and saying, ‘This is where you need to go. I would specifically call out Anastasia. She was one of the attending midwives who ended up being at my birth, and her and I really connected during my prenatal appointments. My water started breaking on a Monday, and by Tuesday night, I was concerned. Out of nowhere, Anastasia texted me. She had been in her postpartum period and hadn’t heard from me in weeks, but she said she felt called to be part of my birth story. That gave me so much peace of mind. It was like, ‘Wow, God’s in control. His timing is right. At 11:45, I woke up, and our doula came to the house. Apparently, my husband and I weren’t monitoring contractions very well, because when the doula arrived, she calmly said, ‘Your contractions are two minutes apart. We should probably get to the birth center.’ Sophie was born at 2:38. The midwives were able to get the water ready for me, and I had the water birth I had planned, which was phenomenal. It definitely helped with pain management. The best part of the story is that Anastasia helped deliver Sophie while wearing her own baby. If I can summarize my experience with My Family Birth Center, it’s that everything feels so personal. Every appointment and interaction with the midwives feels like it’s just between you and them. They spend intentional time with you, and you never feel rushed.