One of the most special days in my life
Yesterday was one of those days that happened very rarely in anybody’s lives, I was honored to presence and photograph the home birth of a baby. I was invited for a birth story a couple of times with another family but missed due to the distance and timing. Yesterday, I had arrived in time! What had inspired me to do this for years was the beautiful work of the photographer, Linsey Stone (http://www.dfwbirthphotographer.com/home/) . Linsey is a very talented photographer who has a passion for photographing births. I did not know how I would react, what to expect even though I gave birth three times in my life, the only thing I was sure about was : I wanted to do my very best for this beautiful family. I arrived at 5:30 AM just after I had received a text, the first midwife arrived just after me which gave me time to set up the camera and check on the available light ( not much considering the time of the day and year… but my camera with high ISO behaved brilliantly!). I had also chatted with the parents and did a foot massage with lavender oils on the beautiful mum to be. I love lavender and first thing I had done ( just as in my newborn comes to studio, is to light the lavender aromatherapy). This beautiful couple have two other kids who were sleeping at the time. The student midwife came also. She did all the set up. Contractions were coming fast and in between I saw only smiles from the mum, the dad and the midwives. Every time the contractions came in, she would hold her husband hands for strength or put her hands together to concentrate on her breathing. She kept smiling every now and then which is hard to believe considering there she was not taking painkillers, all she was worried about was to see her baby’s face and how her other kids would react. She kept walking, moving and resting in the bed. By close to 10:00 Am her older children woken up, the pain had intensify as the baby was not in the right position, I had decided to go upstairs and stay with the kids while the wonderful midwives had a chance to turn the baby into the correct t position for birth . That gave me time to feed, play and connect with the gorgeous 3 year old daughter and one and half year old ever so cute brother. The beautiful mum, kept moving and about 12:00 I was called, as the baby was about to be born. She pushed really hard holding onto her husband’s hands and looking for hope to be over soon . The midwife assisted her by keeping the mum concentrated and focused…no screaming! I had shared those few minutes, photographing and making sure the kids would not come down to the bedroom. “Baby is here !” , one of the midwives shouted! So I ran downstairs… and there he was, beautiful on the top of his mum’s chest , ever so chubby as he came 11 days overdue! I took some more pictures, no camera shakes!. Then the midwives did all the check ups, then kids came to meet their baby brother. To witness, photograph and presence all this in a space of 8 hours, was by any doubt something that will live forever in my memory. I am a lucky photographer to be by this beautiful family, to see the miracle of a baby being born, is something that will forever live in my heart. I have to thank you a few people here: Linsey Stone to inspire me doing this with such a passion, the wonderful parents for trusting me documenting this moment in their lives, the wonderful of midwifery team and those two kids who were still young but man… how lucky they are to have such strong and beautiful parents to embrace family , the way they do! Here are a few photos of this special day. Thank you all!
