A Beautiful Hospital Birth Story
Finally, in their arms is the emotional journey from loss to a celebration of birth years in the making.
Many of the clients who find me have walked long journeys to expecting their baby, whether it be struggles with IVF or the heartbreaking experience of loss. Of course, all clients who hire me do so because they see the value in documenting these momentous life events, but there is something extra special about arriving in these moments after such emotional roads.
This family found me after experiencing loss in their journey to a third baby. When Ashley first reached out, she had just passed her first trimester of this pregnancy. She was so joy-filled to be there, finally feeling like she could take a breath, enjoy this pregnancy, and begin planning.
Their older two children are school-aged, which meant all that anticipation was even greater. To make it extra exciting, they didn’t find out the gender, instead wanting it to be a surprise, and were just happy to be expecting!
Ashley’s biggest fear in hiring me was that I would miss their birth as her labor with their daughter was crazy fast! The concern was she would go fast again, and I wouldn’t make it in time to capture all the moments that were so important to them. We talked through those concerns and decided I would start call at 37 weeks, and we would communicate often. The other concern was that I had a trip planned right around her due date, but she had gone early with her other two, so we had a backup plan but hoped we wouldn’t have to utilize it.
As Ashley’s due date approached an induction date was scheduled because of her history. It was the day before I was set to leave for my trip. As can happen with induction dates, the unit was busy and had to bump her induction time back putting it the night before my trip. Because she had gone fast with her previous labor we hoped it would still time out perfect and talked often throughout the night.
As luck would have it, it took awhile for her contractions to get going and just was things were starting to ramp up, it was time for me to head to the airport. We were all so bummed but my backup photographer Krystal (who is incredibly amazing, so please check her out) totally saved the day, and rocked this whole birth. Their story is a prime example of why a backup photographer is so vital to a birth photography business. She treated this sweet family just like she would one of her clients and captured their story so beautifully!
Be sure to watch their birth film at the end of this post to enjoy the pure joy of them finding out gender!
This is right when I was getting on the plane and less than an hour after Krystal arrived.
Once contractions became regular, things changed quickly. Luckily, Krystal was packed and ready to go and got there quickly, even coming from the other side of town.
Their OB was called and got there quickly, and before you knew it, she was holding their new baby in her arms. She had dreamt of this and waited for it with such anticipation.
In Their Arms
Their OB had dad glove up and help ‘catch’ their baby, and it was a…….GIRL!
Ashley and Isaiah really hoped everything would time out where we could capture big brother and sister meeting their new baby. I’m so grateful Krystal was willing to stay and capture these precious moments for this family. I mean, look at their faces!
And, of course, I have to include this picture of Krystal she captured at this birth. I adore her!
If you’re wondering how births are managed with a backup photographer, here it is! The backup typically shoots the birth and then delivers the files to the primary photographer to edit and deliver. I would only ever use a backup with skills comparable to mine. Although Krystal had backed me up many times while I was tied up at sessions, this was the first time she actually had to attend a birth for me and the first and only time I’ve had to have a backup shoot a birth for me. Although I was so sad and disappointed to not have been there, I was 100% confident she would shoot it beautifully, and boy, did she!
