My “Support” Page has been updated and my fundraising campaign is ready to go! I am super nervous and excited to see how this goes. I truly hope my expectations are blown out of the water and I have plenty of funds left over to start a “Future Midwife Scholarship” (creative name ideas for the scholarship are welcome). This dream is not for me; it is for the families that deserve to have access to midwifery care.
When I think back to my birth, the most supportive, consistent, and loving “component” was my husband. Without him I could not have endured labor let alone a 42 hour labor. To imagine facing the fact that he wouldn’t be there would have been heartbreaking.
Kelsey first contacted me about photographing the birth of her son because her husband would be away serving our country and would miss the first 2 months of his son’s life. I knew I had to be there. They lived further than I would typically drive for clients but I couldn’t turn this family away.
When we met to discuss details at 36 weeks she had exciting news; Robert MAY be able to make it to the birth. He would be able to return home from August 1st – 14th…she was due on the 6th. For those who do not know the average first time pregnancy lasts 41 weeks and 1 day, in Kelsey’s case the 14th!
The labor call came on the 6th. Dilated to 5 at lunch time we were all pretty sure this little boy was going to beat the odds and arrive on his actual due date , but he apparently had other plans for his momma. After a long overnight labor, which Kelsey handled beautifully, baby Oden arrived at 6:36am on the 7th. Robert and Kelsey got to enjoy pregnancy for 1 week together and they got to experience family life together for 1 week together. Perfect timing for an imperfect situation.
This mom’s support team was incredible! Could she have done it with just her mom? Yes. Could she have done it with just Robert? Yes. But with the two of them together helping her relax, she was truly able to tackle each contraction with ease (she might say differently but to outside viewers she was the picture perfect Bradley® student).
I was so excited to capture these moments this sweet couple thought they would not get to experience.
It is with mixed emotions that I write this post….
Recently life for my family has flipped completely around, mostly in a good a way!
One of these big changes is my work schedule. I have gone from working 1 day per week at the birth center to 3. Due to the time I will be there now, I am no longer able to except doula clients and will only be able to photograph births at Allen Birthing Center. I will also continue teaching childbirth classes on the weekends. I am debating on continuing to blog and keep up my Facebook page (which I already a pretty poor job of haha). I think I am just going to have to go with the flow and figure things out one day at a time
Giving up a big chunk of my “on-call life” will be weird but I am very excited to see what the future holds 🙂 I am not sure if this change is permanent or temporary and that is the part that makes me nervous, but the possibilities I see are limitless and I know God will direct me to the path I am suppose to take.
I never know how parents, especially first time parents, keep from finding out the gender of their baby. Tears and anticipation filled the room as Sean made his entrance into this world. His parents were beyond joyful to meet him (and find out he is a him) after a short and intense labor. Not a dry eye in the room as his mom proclaimed, “I have waited my whole life for you”. This couples love for each other and their newborn son does not come through in these photos. I know parents love their children, but Sean will be cherished each moment of each day.
To be a part of this birth as a doula and photographer was very bitter sweet as I will be taking a break from both soon (more details will be posted later). I thank them from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to serve them.
What better way to spend a mother’s day than with a new mother helping her capture her son in photos that will last a life time. I was excited to see Mr. Caden again and see how big he’d gotten in just a week and a half. Here is just a little sneak peek of his photo shoot.
A write up for this sweet birth is coming soon but I couldn’t wait to get the picture sneak peek up for the family! Enojy 🙂
You might be thinking the name of this post is a little out of the ordinary compared to my usual birth sneak peek posts, and it is! For several reasons:
Title make more sense now? 🙂
I was so excited when she asked me to capture the moments right after the birth of her next “surprise baby”. The only scary part was her last labor for her 2nd child was very fast and we were all prepared for this one be even quicker. “I know I’m going to have this baby in the car,” she told me several times, and that prediction wasn’t far from true.
We arrived at the birth center at the same time (just 2 hours after she text me “I think I might be in labor”) and she hurried inside to be checked. 10cm! She had showed up complete and ready to push. It wasn’t too long of a wait before a screaming, pink baby made her debut. Her parents were so relieved to have her in their arms they didn’t even check for gender until about 3 minutes after birth!
It’s a Girl
The great moments didn’t stop there! Since she arrived so quickly they had time to call their other two kiddos and tell them the good news….or bad news to big brother who was certain the new baby was going to be a boy.
Listening for a reaction from big brother…something…anything
He was not happy, but his reaction sure was amusing for all of us in birth room! After crying, “nooo” he hung up on his parents. I’m sure he’ll come around.
I am so blessed to have been able to witness the birth of this family’s newest addition, and look forward to learning what name this precious girl has been given.
I am so excited to announce I have a new photography partner in crime and we have a special deal just for mammas due this Spring and Summer!
The price for BOTH photographers to attend your birth will be $225.
Birth photographers in the DFW area charge on average $600 per client and some are upwards of $1000
We prefer the term affordable rather than cheap. This is a new partnership so we have a system to work out and portfolios to build so we truly appreciate clients who are willing to work with us as we get off the ground. We promise just because our price is reduced we put in the same amount of work and effort all of our full price clients receive. We hope to reach clients that would not be able to afford a full priced birth photographer.
We formed this “alliance” because we both bring something valuable to the table.
I (Kelsey) have experience in the birth field as a doula and birth instructor. I am proud of my artistic ability and was a photographer for several years, but am a bit rusty on all the latest technology.
Bailey is a more experienced photographer with a great eye and west coast style. She is more technically inclined and has the equipment to back it up. She is also a lighting guru, which tends to be the hardest aspect when it comes to labor and birth photography.
Together we are everything you need to capture the irreplaceable moments of birth.
Having 2 birth photographers on call also reduces the likely hood of the photographer missing your birth
Anything you want! Some clients want us there from the moment labor starts and other prefer us to wait outside until right before baby arrives.
You can see my photography archives here.
Bailey’s portfolio includes maternity and newborn photography as well.
We completely understand and respect your privacy. Birth is a very intimate time and we do not want to disturb your environment. If you prefer one photographer we would discount the price even further to $175. Which ever of us was on call first when your labor begins would be the one to attend.
We typically stay about 1 hour after the birth to capture the first family moments. We would then put together a sneak peek for you available to view within 1 week of your birth. We would then put all of your proofs online in a protected gallery. You can choose from there to order prints or digital copies.
I try to keep a lot of my personal life separated from my business page, but in this line of work it is hard. I get so emotionally invested in the lives of my students and clients and it is hard to draw boundaries.
I was listening to the radio with my daughter last week when a song came on I hadn’t heard in a couple of years. “Mockingbird” by Rob Thomas is a song meant as a break up song I know, but with where my mindset was last week it struck me differently. Read the lyrics or listen to the song and look at it from the perspective of a family who has lost a young child.
Here we stand
Somewhere in between this moment and the end
Will we bend?
Or will we open up and take this whole thing in?
Everybody else is smiling and their smiles dont fade
And you dont even wonder why you just dont think that way
Maybe you and me got lost somewhere
we can’t move or we can’t stay here
Well maybe we’ve just had enough
well maybe we aint meant for this love
You and me tried everything
But still that mocking bird wont sing
Well man this life seems hard enough
Well maybe we aint meant for this love
Take my hand
And I will lead you through the broken promise land
Yes I can, ah yes I can
I can be there when you need it
I’ll give it all till you can’t feel it anymore
I don’t wanna love you now, if you’ll just leave someday
I don’t wanna turn around, if you’ll just walk away
Maybe you and me got lost somewhere
we can’t move or we can’t stay here
Well maybe we’ve just had enough
well maybe we aint meant for this love
You and me tried everything
But still that mocking bird wont sing
Well man this life seems hard enough
Well maybe we aint meant for this love
Maybe you and me got lost somewhere
We can’t move or we can’t stay here
Well maybe we’ve just had enough
well maybe we aint meant for this love
You and me tried everything
But still that mocking bird wont sing
Well man this life seems hard enough
Well maybe we aint meant for this love
Maybe we aint meant for this love
Maybe we aint meant for this love
Think about the lullaby line “hush little baby don’t say a word mommy’s gonna buy you a mockingbird”. Not every part of the song makes sense from that point of view, but I feel the overall tone sums up how I would feel in that circumstance. I pray that not only do I never have to go through that kind of loss but that everyone reading this does not have to endure that unimaginable pain. For those who have, my heart breaks for you. There are no words, no amount of time that can heal a wound that deep.
I have shared on here before the story of how I became a mom because of another families loss, but I always feel need to share it again. Here are some links to my personal blog that explain the story
http://letters2olivia.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/47-days/
http://letters2olivia.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/your-gaurdian-angel/
Finally I leave you with a few quotes and verses that have been on my heart lately. Please give your babies, new or grown, an extra hug and kiss today. Remember how blessed you are to have them with you.
“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.”
― A.A. Milne
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
― A.A. Milne
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
Some families bring a smile to your face, others tears to your eyes, and a few make you laugh hysterically while smiling and crying! Lindsay and Adam are THAT couple. From Adam’s exclamations such as, “OH HE’S SO COOL!” and “DOESN”T HIS SWEETNESS MAKE YOU WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY RIGHT NOW!” to Lindsay’s request for a Jimmy John’s Sandwich immediately after birth, they made a 3 day start and stop labor so much fun for those around without even realizing it.
I was so excited when these former students from my birth class asked me to assist them through their labor as a doula and photographer. Their sweet 8 pound (on the dot) baby boy Beckham made his arrival on February 23rd which just happened to be his actual due date (less than 3% of babies arrive on their EDD). Most of the labor and birth images I captured cannot be shared on the web, but I did want to share some of the sweet family moments from Beckham’s first hours of life. The joy in the room was contagious and everyone was smiling ear to ear. It was a perfect ending to such a long labor and a beautiful beginning in this family’s new chapter of life.
bumpbirthbaby.net 