Following the arrival of her first child, Aly Michalka shares what life has been like since baby Jack's birth and how she's balancing motherhood with her music career.
- Jun 11, 2024
AceShowbiz - Aly Michalka, known for her music with sister AJ in the duo Aly & AJ and for her acting roles, has become a mom for the first time. Aly, 35, and her husband of nine years, Stephen Ringer, welcomed their son Jack Francis on April 21 in a serene home birth at their Santa Barbara residence.
Baby Jack arrived about two weeks ahead of his due date, weighing in at 6 lbs. 10 oz. "It was a very peaceful and calm birth, which is really what we were hoping for," Aly shared.
The name Jack was a meaningful choice for the couple, named after Aly's late grandfather, with the middle name Francis being a Ringer family tradition. "We just kind of knew immediately like, 'Oh yeah, he's a Jack,' "Aly explained.
During Aly's pregnancy, Aly and her sister AJ had been recording their new album in Topanga Canyon, making the upcoming delivery a logistical challenge. Despite planning for a hospital birth, Aly ultimately decided on an unmedicated natural birth at home after consulting with a midwife.
She emphasized, "Every woman's birth is really their own journey and their own choice. But I do feel like our medical system intervenes in ways that can be really harmful for women and really traumatic for not only themselves, but for their baby."
When her water broke unexpectedly on April 19, Aly and Stephen made it back to Santa Barbara just in time. After a lengthy 50-hour labor, Aly delivered Jack with support from her husband, a midwife named Bliss, and two doulas, Ivy and Mary.
Post-delivery, Aly described the first week as "magical," where she was nurtured by her husband and able to bond closely with Jack. "For the first week, I was in bed and just getting fed yummy meals by my husband, hydrating, sleeping with [Jack] and feeding him," she detailed.
Remarkably, Aly returned to the studio just a week after giving birth, with Jack adapting perfectly to the change. She shared her amazement at how well he handled the new environment, "He was very much a little chameleon in that sense," emphasizing the importance of balancing work and motherhood.
Looking forward, Aly is excited about simple joys, like Jack trying pizza and ice cream, and visiting her mother's ranch. She plans to bring Jack on tour with her once their new album is released. With Stephen by her side, they approach parenting with joy and humor, even laughing through the challenge of taking Jack's passport photo.
As Aly embarks on this new chapter, she is ready to embrace motherhood and her career simultaneously, ensuring that every moment is filled with love and laughter.
