A Birth Story of Resilience and Strength
From Home to Hospital is a beautiful example of the beauty found in every birth story. Navigating the emotions accompanying a home to hospital transfer can be difficult, yet this family did so with strength, resilience, and love.
Briana found me through a recommendation from a friend who had hired me to document their birth story. Word of mouth is my favorite way to find clients. It means that families were happy they hired me to document their birth and were willing to recommend me, which means the world to me!
Briana reached out to me just weeks before her due date, and I was so happy that I had an opening on my calendar. I typically book months in advance, but babies tend to come on their own timing, often leaving little gaps in the calendar where their due dates were, and this was the case for them!
Brianna is a powerhouse in our community and a talented entrepreneur as the owner and CEO of Skyluna here in Las Vegas. She is incredibly creative and focused, and what stands out every time you talk to her is that her family is the core drive for all she does.
She shared that she had not documented her first two births, and this time, she wanted to remember all the details. Her first birth experience left her with much to process after it ended in cesarean. With her second child, she opted for a home birth, and that experience was redemptive for her. She had hoped for the same experience, and knowing how important these moments are, she wanted all those details in images and video footage.
Briana was a week and four days past her due date. She had gone a week over on her previous two births, so she took it all in stride and trusted her body and the process. Finally, irregular contractions began and remained for days but didn’t increase in intensity or frequency, so she tried to rest when she could and kept her regular appointments in the office. The great news was that she was 4 cms at that appointment, so she knew it was soon.
Her husband Ryan texted me late that night to let me know they had finally changed and were increasing in frequency and intensity, so I gathered my things and headed over. When I arrived, she was breathing well through her contractions with Ryan by her side, emotionally and physically.
After midnight, their birth team arrived. I often work with the Serenity/Baby’s First Day midwives, who are such a breath of fresh air. They are incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and so welcoming of me. This was their second birth with their team, so it was extra special.
Contractions continued to increase in intensity, and she began to feel pressure. Frequent fetal heart checks were done, and as her baby descended lower, he began to show signs of stress.
The midwives were quick to try different positions with mom to alleviate some of that stress for both mom and baby, but there were no significant changes for either. So, the tough decision was finally made to transfer to the hospital. EMS was called, and Sarah, their midwife, followed along.
The memories that they had held from their first birth that ended in a cesarean, of course, brought up so many emotions. They both allowed themselves to feel those emotions and advocated for themselves so well. Sarah stayed with them until they were able to get an epidural placement and some rest. Her vaginal exam upon admission was 6 cms.
Their nurse was just amazing. She listened to Briana and Ryan, was hands-on with position changes, and did all she could to help their baby rotate and descend. She also advocated for this family many times. But despite all the rest of the interventions and position changes, there were no changes in dilation or fetal descent, and their baby continued to have episodes of distress.
Finally, the decision for a cesarean section. Although it was such a difficult decision, this time, this family felt that they were part of the decision-making process for their birth, felt heard, and had done a great job of advocating for themselves.
One of the toughest parts of this decision for both families and myself as a birth photographer is that often, only one person is allowed in the operating room with mom. I have had staff, OBs, and anesthesia allow me in for deliveries at the request of families. Still, most often, it is a “no.” I could write a whole post about that. But I also prepare families for this when we have our face-to-face so they aren’t blindsided. I offer two options, either take my camera back to the operating room with dad, or have dad continue to document via phone and incorporate those images into their birth story, then, I pick back up when they come back to the room. Very few dads take me up on this offer, but Ryan did. I did a quick tutorial on using my camera, and he totally nailed it!
Once sweet little Phoenix Blaze was finally here, his difficulty descending was pretty clear… he was almost 10 lbs!
One of my favorite parts of documenting birth stories is being there when siblings meet. It always makes for the most adorable and tender moments. Grandma brought them right over, and I was lucky enough to still capture them in the hospital!
I believe documenting your birth is powerful in all circumstances; after all, it is full of irreplaceable moments. However, the changes to the anticipated plan often bring so many emotions to navigate. These images will help families see the beauty present there all along.
