This beautiful birth story took place in this family’s home, born into the arms of those that love her the most.
When I began my photography business in Las Vegas in 2011 (I just celebrated ten years!), it felt impossible to build a solid clientele while creating a brand in which I could stand out in such a competitive field. I began my business working with newborns and their families, a specialty that evolved organically from working with families for many years as a labor and delivery nurse. What drew me into newborn photography was the same core desire that drove me into nursing and finally into birth photography during what I believe is life’s most intimate and life-changing time. I’ve worked with families bringing new life into this world for over 21 years now in one capacity or another. There are still so many times that I find myself in tears and so grateful that this is what I get to do. Its blessings are never lost on me.
What is better than all of that? When families come back to me year after year and baby after baby, and I see them grow as a family, that is seriously the best and reminds me that my years of hard work and dedication have paid off!
It is always a privilege to document birth stories and be trusted in my client’s birth space with once-in-a-lifetime moments, moments that cannot be redone. That privilege is a heavy weight to bear, one that I don’t take lightly. But, to be trusted with a family’s birth story more than once is heaven!
They had delivered their first two in the hospital. Although their hospital experiences were good, they wanted to be home surrounded by family with their daughter nearby, which wasn’t possible during the pandemic restrictions within hospitals. She sought dual-track care and committed to delivering at home only if things were going well, and she was a good candidate for a homebirth. After interviewing multiple midwives, they connected with Marvelys Lopez and Kim Trower of Sweet Beginnings Midwifery here in Las Vegas.
In early January, mom went into labor alone in the middle of the night. I got the call that the contractions that had been coming off and on for weeks without any regularity had finally changed and had become regular in pattern and were increasingly uncomfortable. So I gathered my things and quickly headed out the door.
This is the second birth I’ve attended with this birth team, and this special touch of braiding her patient’s hair while laboring touched my heart both times. It was a beautiful mix of physical touch and thoughtfulness that helped both moms feel more confident and ready to meet their babies.
Although this was their third baby, this one was not their fastest labor; getting this sweet baby to rotate required a lot of position changes and movement, and both mom and her midwives were so patient and dedicated.
When the baby finally decided to come, she came fast! This mama barely made it out of the bathroom and almost to the bed, and she was here!
The timing could not have been more perfect because by now, it was morning, and big sister was waking up. She was a bit unsure at first about this new baby in their home but quickly warmed up, and we captured the most adorable moments, be sure to watch their video!
And finally, their beautiful birth story is told so well in film.
Monday, September 6th, 2021
I have had the pleasure of documenting a few home births here in Las Vegas during 2020, and with each one I document, I see more and more of their beauty and value. As I have tried to navigate this season of COVID, being able to attend home births has been such a blessing. With restrictions in the hospital setting, it just hasn’t been possible for so many families to have me present, and my heart breaks for them. Not being able to capture their birth stories has been devastating.
This beautiful family booked me for their birth months before the pandemic hit and had always planned on a home birth. This was their second birth at home with Marvelys Lopez of Sweet Beginnings Midwifery.
Be sure to follow through to the end to see this family’s beautiful birth film. It is so full of love and sweet and tender squeals of excitement and love from big sister.
I had the opportunity to interact with this family in the months and weeks leading up to their birth through our face-to-face meeting and documenting their maternity session. I love that by the time I am there to document births; it is much more comfortable having had conversations and seen each other.
Ana contacted me on a Sunday morning to let me know that her contractions had awoken her in the early morning hours and that they had continued to stay regular after getting up and moving around. She wasn’t ready for me yet but would let me know when she felt they were close enough and strong enough to call me over. By late afternoon she was ready for me to come on over! Her doula was present, and the atmosphere in their birth space was one of joy and peace.
Ana was great at changing positions often and kept moving even when uncomfortable. Her doula support, paired with her family’s physical and emotional support, was beautiful to witness.
After alternating positions between the tub, standing, the stairs, and side-lying in a nice quiet room, things quickly progressed as Ana moved into the transition phase of labor. Her midwife was called, and additional family support arrived. My favorite parts of documenting birth are the beauty and connections between family. This sweet big sister was so supportive and present for her mama.
This was the first birth I attended with midwives Marvelys Lopez and Kim Trower of Sweet Beginnings Midwifery Care. I was so impressed with their professionalism, capable care, and compassionate and intimate touch they provided.
And then she did it! Her beautiful baby girl was here, in her arms, surrounded by those that love her the most!
Big sister’s reactions could not have been sweeter. She was completely smitten by her new baby sister and just stared and gushed over her. It was the cutest! I am so glad I captured her reactions on video because it is just priceless.
Thursday, January 21st, 2021
I am so excited to share another beautiful birth story from 2019. This mama found me over the summer as she was looking for a birth photographer for her third baby. This is the second client this year that hired me for their third birth, even though they hadn’t professionally documented their previous two births. I think many families feel guilty about hiring a birth photographer for their birth if they hadn’t for previous children because it can feel a little unfair. I have a totally different perspective.
I think that it is after your first birth, and maybe even second, that you really realize that the fears of being documented begin to diminish amid the desire to have those memories to look back on. What I love about documenting births with other children is that I always involve them in the birth story somehow, whether that be during labor or when they meet for the first time. Your family and your connection are a vital part of your birth story. They are often my favorite images and footage. What I would give to have my birth stories documented with my own children!
There really is nothing like birth and the deep story woven throughout each one. It seems that there are moments that we so easily vividly recall about the births of our children, holding them for the first time, the smells, and emotions. We are often times so exhausted by the point of delivery, and in those first sleepless days, that some of those memories can also be a bit vaguer, especially with the passage of time.
You didn’t get to see your spouse’s face as they spoke to your baby in the warmer or the tender way your loved ones touched you and worried over you. My job is always to capture the most important moments to you, and we talk about this in the weeks leading up to your delivery.
We decided on meeting in their home for our client meeting before her birth so that I could see her birth space and talk comfortably there; it was a great opportunity to meet the whole family. She wanted the girls involved if they felt comfortable with it but had decided she would leave that up to them. I was so excited once I saw their gorgeous home, she has it so beautifully and thoughtfully decorated and had printed images throughout her home. It was quite evident that capturing memories and documenting her family was a priority. That always makes a photographer’s heart swell.
She had delivered at home with her previous two and at different gestational ages with them both, so it was hard to say when she would deliver. She ended up going over this one. As with all of my clients, we frequently communicated as she had a fast labor history. Finally, on an October evening, I got a text that she was contracting regularly but wasn’t ready for me to come quite yet. I made sure that her doula had my number as well so that I could respond quickly when she was ready. And shortly after that first conversation, I got a text that it was time to go ahead and come on over!
Luckily, she lives not too far from me, so I got there pretty quickly. When I arrived, I quietly entered her birth space to find that she was moving quickly and had the occasional urge to push. I was in awe of her beautifully decorated birth space (that she decorated while laboring!), it was so well thought out and so full of so many meaningful and sentimental items. Her doula and midwife both spoke words of encouragement over her and guided her through those urges. Her husband moved in and out of the room between the girls and his wife.
Jessica ended up delivering 20 minutes after I arrived! She went so fast; I was just so grateful that I made it!
It was such a beautiful delivery, and Jessica made it all look so graceful! Her girls made it into the room after their baby was born; they were so adorable!
Monday, February 3rd, 2020