This birth will always have a special place in my heart, as will the mama in it because she became such a dear friend of mine. This is the first birth I ever captured, back in 2016. In technique, style, knowledge, and skill I have come a long long way. These photos are rough around the edges, but I wont change them just to make my website look good. While photoshop and lightroom are my friends, I give them up on occasion to tell the real story behind the lens and the photographer. I will be honest, when I attended this birth I was clueless and eager to learn- about birth and photography. I was timid, but my mind and my heart were wide open. I spent most of this day in awe. This mama was so strong and so inspiring. This birth began a huge journey for me, and I learned so much.
When I left this birth, I knew- THIS is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life... or at least the foreseeable future.
When I arrived at her home, we were all planning on a home labor and she was completely prepared. But time ticked on and we were starting to worry that her husband and other family were not going to make it before baby came.
So I became her support person, snapping pictures here an there, helping her with back pains, playing with her kids. She made breakfast and fed it to her youngest, she soothed tantrums, she showed a beautiful side of motherhood, all the while having strong contractions. She rested when they came, in the kitchen, in the living room on the couch, and even among a field of legos(I love that shot).
But everyone made it, and it was amazing to witness the sweet bond between her and her husband, and to see her other family help out in their own ways. It was all so new to me, so ethereal.
She ended up deciding last minute to trust her gut and head to the hospital, she was in the midst of what I now know was transition. I hopped in the car along for the ride wherever it would take us, and after a couple wrong turns and a lot of quiet panic, we arrived safety. She almost had the baby in the car, and then again in the elevator.
At check in, everyone froze up (they were not planning on a hospital transfer) so I started rattling off her information to the receptionist, telling them to get her a room now or that baby was going to be born in the lobby. I just KNEW baby would be here any second.
Sure enough, as soon as she got in the room, and up on that bed, baby came. Dr did not even have time to put on gloves, he walked in and caught a baby!
The staff was terrified for a split second, and told me I wasn't allowed to take any pictures, which of course I respected. But as soon as they made sure mama and baby were okay, I was able to capture all those sweet first moments.
Mama was so happy to meet her first little girl, and confident in her decision to transfer.
I loved everything about this birth, and I will never forget it. I got to capture her newborn photos and we even did a milk bath in the next couple weeks. They moved out of state, so I won't get to do anymore photo sessions for them for now, but hopefully someday! I think of them often, and miss them dearly<3 such an amazing family, that just speaks "home" to my heart.
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