BIRTH STORIES | Wildwood Birthkeeper

Birth is wild, beautiful, powerful. Within each moment, I look for the story. Within each story, I try to find the light, the emotion, the moments that make us so beautifully human. I highlight these moments to connect us, inspire us, and teach us. I try to document moments in a way that honor each human, each culture, each way of life within these stories. I try to bring to focus to moments that rise above stereotypes and patterns, to show something raw, something real, something needed. Fathers that love and cry and nurture their children, their vulnerability as their strength. Women of color breastfeeding. Mothers roaring. Siblings as a positive active part in labor and birth. Birthing people showing awe and pride for their changed bodies. Incredible beautifully messy birth.

With words of truth and with a spirit that holds space for these families, I have done my best to share each story (with permission) as it unfolded from my perspective, from my unique lens. With empathy and courage I keep these stories in these sacred spaces. Birth is so complex. It does not escape me how big the task of representing them is. My hope is that my words bring honor to these memories and that others can find inspiration, representation, and space here as well. I ask that as you read you hold space for these beautiful people, give me grace for when my words fail, finding instead the truth of moments in the photographs I have so carefully created for such. A photo is worth a thousand words, and these birth stories can express multitudes.