Guest Speaker @ the HIVE launch

January 14th, we kicked of our Hive Family Collective speaker series. We nailed it with the weather. Or more accurately, the weather nailed us! An epic Park City blizzard rolled in an hour before launch making it nearly impossible for most to attend. A few brave souls made endured the gnarly traffic and roads closures. My friends and fellow Hive founders, Perry Hardy, Joanna Kahn and I were the guest speakers. We introduced ourselves and shared reasons compelling us to be involved in this passion project. Here’s my story:

I have two insights for you today: with mindfulness and awareness, we can affect our thoughts AND you are not alone.  

I’ve learned over the years that my reaction to a situation is my choice. It’s sometimes easier said than done.  Growing up, I’d experience an emotional event and often respond thoughtlessly by yelling, swearing or even slapping something in frustration. Yikes.

At some point, I realized that I had agency over my behavior.  I didn’t have to act that way. When I took a  breath I had more space to choose a reaction - I was way more calm. I felt better.  I know that I am not in control of the universe.  But I am in control of my thoughts.

The birth of my son illustrates my point.

I am Sara Hutchinson and I am honored to be here today as a co-founder of Hive Family Collective.  I am a certified doula, yoga instructor and childbirth educator.  I’m a proud mother of two really good human beings.  My daughter, Sadie is a middle school preteen and  my son, Brewster, is fifteen.  

 My parenting journey has had it’s share of ups and downs. It looks more like the hills of North Carolina than the flat roads of Iowa, but I am enjoying the ride.

Fifteen years ago, I left my job and best friends in San Francisco and moved to Park City with my husband, Matt, seven months pregnant.  The California hippie in me sought out a twelve week Bradley method childbirth class.  If are not familiar,  the Bradley method it is a wonderful, intense deep dive into childbirth education.  For twelve weeks, my husband and I sat cross-legged on the floor and learned about breath, nutrition, and ways to cope in labor without medication.  

Our lovely knowledgeable instructor was extremely crunchy, Her toddler would walk over and hop on her lap, life up her shirt and start breast feeding.  They clearly were honoring the process of letting the child nurse until they both were ready to ween but it was an eye opening experience to watch.

I was pumped for my birth.  My doctor told me at my last appointment that the baby’s head was down in good position.  Two days before my boy’s birth-day I experienced hours of labor which goes down in this story as a false labor.  After contracting all day, they sensations stopped and didn’t start up again until Sunday afternoon. Around midnight, we drove down Parley’s Canyon in a snow storm and  pulled into St Mark’s Hospital.  Excited and nervous like all first time parents, we checked in.  A nurse checked my cervix: 

 “That is not a head down there.” The nurse said.

“What?” I said breathing through the sensation.

“That’s not a head. You know what that means?”

“No!  I don’t know what anything means.”   Annoyed.

“C-section.” Her sing-songy voice imprinted in my memory forever. 

“No way.” I responded in disbelief.  “Can I stand on my head?  Go to a pool and do summersaults? Acupuncture?”  I was desperate.

“There is nothing you can do now that you are in labor.  Your doctor is on her way.” 15 minutes later they rolled me into the OR and pulled out my beautiful boy Brewster.

Here illustrates a valuable lesson: Do not attach. It might cause pain. 

 If I had brewed on the fact that I had to have a cesarean section, I would have missed out on the joy of his birth and golden hours which were perfect for me. Not on paper.  Brewster was whisked away and put under warmers for a few hours leaving me alone.  But I dug deep and focused on the positive and the big picture.  My positivity saved me.

My mantra is to make plans and remain flexible.   Yes, I wanted an unmedicated birth. Yes, I had a c-section.  It was what it was…..

Still, I was the happiest new mama on the labor and delivery floor.  Looking back, I know the joy was inside of me. Nothing could have dimmed my light.

My reaction to my birth outcome was a choice.

I have choices in my life every day.  Some big, and some small. Last year, I chose to go on a sabbatical last year in France with my kids. That was a big one. And when I returned to Park City I had another choice to make. Rather than finding another office job, I started OMazing Birth. Not as predictable but soul-filling. I love working with women preparing their bodies and minds for birth and the transition to parenthood.

I think of birth like the wedding and parenting is the marriage.  Our role as moms and dads starts on the day the child is born which is insane. But with a splash of mindfulness and intention and a few good friends, the journey can be smoother and more fun.

Raising kids is both exhausting and tremendously rewarding.  Why not do it in together?  So many of us live her in Park City without out best friends or family. Hive Family Collective exists because we are better together than we are alone.

Thank you for showing up tonight.

Myself, Joanna Kahn & Perry Hardy Live at Hive!