Monday on February 28th I had the honor of photographing my friends birth of her son. Wow, what an amazing experience! Honestly I was scared shitless that I was going to eff something up! That I wasn't going to be able to do what she wanted me to do, but in the end she got some great pictures and an ever lasting reminder of her all natural labor and delivery!
On Monday morning at 5:30am I received a text telling me that she was in triage and waiting to see if it was just a false alarm or the real thing. Maybe an hour later I received another saying it was the real thing and they were admitting her! Ahhh! My husband was awesome enough to take off work and stay home with the kids while I went there! What a guy! I tell you sometimes he amazes me. So I jumped in my car and drove for a little over an hour to her hospital, which on any other day would only take 30 minutes!!!!! Fucking Pittsburgh tunnel traffic sucks ass! When I got there she was in full labor and going strong! Contractions were 3-4 minutes apart and were not letting up! So I grabbed the camera and started shooting. Her mid wife was fantastic! Just in tune with everything that she wanted or needed. After being hooked up to the monitors for a bit to check on how little man was doing she took a nice hot shower! Good for her! It was funny cause she got out of the shower to ask for an epi but was 9.5 cm... yeah def not getting the drugs! Damn! It still amazes me that she transitioned in the shower for not even 30 minutes. Talk about a fast labor! Little man was there literally and ready to come out. Her husband was there by her side, only leaving to wet the rag with cool water to wipe her face.
After a few pushing session, he was here. All pink and gooey and full of life. To my friend, thank you for allowing me to be there and photographing the birth of your son.
I just want to share a few picture with you all. These are some of my personal favs. Okay I like them all but really I can't fit them all on here nor am I done editing them!!!!!
Welcome to the world Oliver. To my beautiful friend and Momma of 2, Congratulations!!!!!
While Photographing this, I was scared. Really an honest to goodness scared. On the drive there my mind kept racing to my friend
Mary. She had lost her first born days before her due date. She is on my mind everyday and I think of her daughter often. Once I heard the heartbeat of Oliver on the monitor a flood of relief raced through my body. I cried when he was born, which made focusing suck, he was so beautiful. So full of life and resting on his mommas tummy. He barely cried as he was comforted by her, just there. Full head of hair and some toes that stretched for ever. Being on the other end of a delivery is an experience that I will treasure forever. As for birth photography, it was great to be there and to document this special event for a mother that wants to remember every contraction, and emotion that was expelled in a small room full of love.
