Amanda & Brian Matthew

Having a baby is stressful even in the best circumstances. But having a baby during a global pandemic can take the stress to a whole new level. For us, welcoming our son, Marlow, to the world in June 2020 at the Aspen Birth Center was a lesson in comfort, kindness and outstanding care. Everyone at the Birth Center and the hospital has done such a great job in an uncertain time. They were very cautious about safety but also so loving and kind to me and my family. I grew up in Aspen and, after earning my nursing degree, I returned to work in Aspen Valley Hospital’s same-day surgery department. My husband Brian and I already had two children — Emery, 5, and Nora, 3 — born at the Aspen Birth Center. It was only natural, therefore, that we would choose the same setting for our third child’s birth. However, circumstances were a little different this time. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Hospital to implement additional safety precautions. Birth Center staff wore personal protective equipment. And while Brian could be present as my designated support person, he was required to wear a mask when outside my room and, had he needed to leave the hospital building, he would not have been allowed to come in again. Also, other loved ones could not visit us while we were at the Hospital. That wasn’t so bad for me, new moms are pretty exhausted, so having some downtime before we went home was fine. Otherwise, the experience felt pretty normal. Everyone was so cautious and yet so comforting. They’ve done such a great job of navigating these uncharted waters. Marlow arrived just before 1 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, weighing 6 pounds and 9 ounces. Many of the Birth Center staff members — including pediatrician Harvey Fahy, MD; midwife Nancy Bacheldor; nurses Jenny Tighe, Wendy Lyall and Suzanne Robinson; and lactation consultants Jackie Schroeder and Heather Knott — had also been present for the birth of Marlow’s two siblings. For me, having my babies at the Aspen Birth Center has been very comforting. I work so closely with everybody that they feel like family. Having Marlow reminded us how exceptional the Birth Center is: the medical staff, the lactation consultants, the kitchen and the housekeeping staff — all of them made the experience so wonderful.