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A St. Rose San Martin Hospital Birth

This birth of Iliana is a beautiful birth story from St. Rose San Martin Hospital here in Las Vegas.

This family has trusted me in one form or another with bringing each of their four children into this world.

It all began when Courtney inquired about maternity and newborn sessions for their oldest daughter. She has always valued images and their importance in preserving memories. With their first baby, I was able to document both their maternity and newborn sessions. Being a little uncomfortable in her post-pregnancy skin after their first, she was very hesitant about being in their newborn images. It took a little nudging on my part and she was so glad later that SHE was in them too!

By the time their third baby was on the way, she had come to see, hold, and cherish all these memories even the ones where she might not have been comfortable. I was so excited when she reached out to have me document their third birth. There is nothing more vulnerable than those moments surrounding the birth of your baby, and I loved that she was willing to embrace it all!

By the time they found out their fourth and last baby was on the way, she knew she wanted it all; maternity, birth, fresh 48, and newborn. There is something so special about those last babies. Of course, all babies are special but I remember with my last just wanting it all to move slower, to enjoy even the smallest of moments, and just wishing I could bottle it all up.

This was their second birth I documented for them at St. Rose San Martin, and the staff is always a pleasure.

Courtney had gone super fast with her last delivery, and so we anticipated the same with this one. In fact, with baby number three we were in the hospital for less than an hour, and anesthesia didn’t even make it in time for her to get an epidural. Because I live a good distance away from St. Rose San Martin, I was on hyper-alert and just two days before she delivered we had a little false alarm. It is not uncommon at all, even with previous deliveries! I always tell my clients that I would rather have 10 false alarms than an “oh no! come now”! When it was finally time and they said they were on their way to the hospital, I booked it as quickly as I could to get there. As I was pulling into the parking lot, her husband updated me that she was 7 cms and moving fast. I had to get past the COVID protocols up front and rush up to the unit. When I arrived they were quickly admitting her and her doctor was notified. It was pretty intense at this point.

Courtney was working so hard with her contractions and staying so calm in the midst of the chaos going on around her. There was COVID testing to be done, IVs to start, labs to draw, and the room to set up. Aaron stayed right by her side fanning her and maintaining a sense of calm with his reassuring words.

Within 20 minutes of my arrival, it was already time! I think we were all sweating at this point just so happy to have everyone made it, including her doctor. She brought their sweet girl into this world so quickly and so powerfully!

Iliana’s birth happened so quickly it took a bit of time to take it all in! I love these sweet and tender moments in the hour or two following birth. It is so surreal to process that this tiny human that you carried for so many months is now in your arms. Aaron is such a great dad and so hands-on with his children, it is beautiful to witness.

Because COVID hospital restrictions were still in place siblings were unable to come to meet their new baby sister for their fresh 48 session. Instead, we decided I would capture them meeting her for the first time at home. It was the sweetest. All three of Iliana’s siblings were completely enamored with her.

In-Home Fresh 48 Session

It is always a little bittersweet to come to newborn sessions with these families that book ‘The Whole Story’ with me. By this point, I have become so invested, and have communicated often with them.

In-Home Newborn Session

It is fun to see how everyone has settled and how much newborns have changed in those short days and weeks. There has been some rest and routines are starting to develop, but life still has that slower pace which is so nice.

This sweet little one is already so loved and I don’t think between mom, dad, and her three siblings, she is loved on and held often.

Their birth story wouldn’t be complete without their beautiful film. There is something special about seeing all these tender moments on film, even more so than a still image can capture.

A Family Centered Birth Story

I am so excited to finally share the birth of Javier Cesar, a beautiful family-centered birth story.

I have been anxiously awaiting a break in work to catch up on my blog. Unfortunately, I am months and months behind; this birth took place last April (2021)!

I love blogging these stories because seeing them as a whole shows how much storytelling there is in birth. The beautiful story that is birth begins months before you even meet. It starts in the planning, dreaming, hoping, praying, and in all the anticipation before your baby’s arrival even begins. Birth is the beautiful climax of your baby’s story. I believe there is no more life-altering and life-changing moment in our lives. So to witness it and capture it for families is such a blessing, and a responsibility I don’t take lightly!

Michelle found me in her second trimester as she searched for a birth photographer in her area. She reached out, and we talked about her hopes and wishes in documenting her birth. She and her family lived in St. George, UT, a town located an hour and a half north of me. Their birth would be the furthest I had ever traveled for a birth story. As we talked through her plans and wishes, we immediately connected and decided to move forward with lots of communication to make sure I had as much window as possible to make the drive and arrive in time. This was also their fourth baby, which added another layer of worry as she had gone pretty quickly with her last delivery.

Michelle is a truly special woman! I immediately admired her passion and drive, and her beautiful heart. She is also a talented birth photographer located in North Port, FL, an Ayurveda herbal specialist, military veteran, has even become a doula since her last birth!

This was their first homebirth and first son, so it of course was going to be a little bit extra special. I love that Michelle researched and educated herself, building her dream birth team.

Be sure to follow through to the end to see their beautiful birth story film, oh, and grab a box of tissues!

Michelle called me in the early morning hours on April 27th, letting me know her contractions were becoming regular and she believed it was time. I quickly packed up my car and got on the road. It was a beautiful rainy morning which made the drive through our desert so gorgeous. I arrived at their home just as the sun was rising. Everyone was up and Michelle had her close friend and neighbor as well as her doula, Trish Baird there.

Soon her midwife, Janae Sherman arrived with the rest of her birth team. Michelle had created a beautiful space and atmosphere to labor in and was held and supported by her family and birth team.

By midday, her contractions were becoming more intense and Michelle began to pull inwards and focus through each wave. At this point, she decided she was ready to get in the water.

One of my favorite parts of witnessing home births is the family-centered care that comes so naturally in homes while allowing the space to move freely, not only for mama but also for children and support persons. It takes so much fear out of laboring. Their oldest daughter stuck by her mama’s side throughout the whole day, diligently timing each contraction, it was the sweetest.

This labor was longer than her last and caused Michelle to have some doubts about her ability. This is so common, especially in the transition phase of labor. She has done some incredibly hardcore things in her life from being a Marine, running the Grand Canyon rim to rim, and competing in body-building competitions, she has definitely done some hard things. She leaned into her team and into her strength and although this period was intense, it quickly got her to the pushing phase of labor. She planned on delivering in her tub but settled on her most comfortable spot along the tub. I love that she didn’t force it and trusted her body and position.

As Michelle got cleaned up and led to the bedroom, dad held his sweet new son and sisters gathered around. This is definitely one of my favorite births for so many reasons, one of them being the intense way this family loves each other.

This was their biggest baby which explained his slower descent, at 8 lbs 7 ounces.

This family booked me for ‘The Whole Story’, my birth package that includes maternity, birth, Fresh, and newborn sessions. I love being able to come back in the weeks after and document their continued story. It is such a beautiful way to complete their birth story, and always a little bittersweet.

The Birth of Sloan Michael

I have had the pleasure of documenting this family from their first maternity session with their oldest right on through the birth of sweet little Sloan. Year after year, they returned to me and trusted me to document their maternity, newborn, birth, and family sessions.

It is an understatement to say I get a little emotional working on their images. In fact, their daughter’s birth was the first birth I documented as I made the brave and bold move in rebranding from posed newborn into specializing in birth photography here in Las Vegas.

There have been so many surprises during this season of their life. They thought they were done having children, and this little one came along unexpectedly. When they surprised me with the news during their family session last fall, I just about died! Of course, documenting this birth was just as important, or maybe even more so, knowing it was their last. So, we began planning right away. Then surprise… COVID.

There was so much anticipation leading up to their birth, and this strong mama worked right up to the days preceding their delivery. They wanted to revel, soak up, and enjoy every moment. This was the first time they waited to find out the gender until birth. It made it so much more fun!

Nicole went into labor with the plan of listening to her body and deciding on an epidural, depending on how things went and how well she tolerated her contractions. She was so incredibly strong and maintained her composure throughout. I was completely in awe of her strength and determination.

Nicole and Shawn are such amazing parents, and being away from the older two while they were in the hospital was hard. Thank goodness for FaceTime and family! It was important to them to capture as much as they could of siblings’ meetings for the first time, and since a Fresh 48 session was not an option because of restrictions, we did the next best thing and documented it as they came home!

The meeting went even better than expected. Big sister was convinced she had a baby sister, so we expected some disappointment, and there was zero! They were both completely smitten by their new baby brother and wanted to check out every little detail.

And lastly, we were able to document their newborn session two weeks later in the comfort of their own home, where everyone felt at home and comfortable. Big brother and sister were still as smitten with their new baby brother, and it was so fun to see how they had all just fallen deeply and madly in love with this little guy.

And finally, their beautiful birth story is told even more beautifully in film. Oh, what I would give to have my births captured forever in a complete birth story. I love that I can give this to the families that trust me with such an intimate and important time in their lives. Enjoy!

The Dan Brite Story

The story of Dan Brite and his family is one that touched me right to the core the first time I heard it, and even deeper still in the telling of it.

I have always been drawn to the story because I truly believe everyone has one, and it is in the telling of stories that we often times find hope, for healing, and inspiration.

As 2018 ended, I decided to launch my first The Story Giveaway for 2019, to spend time telling the story of one family, individual, or organization. I was pretty overwhelmed by the response I received and deeply touched by the stories that poured in. The task of choosing just one was so difficult, I would have loved to tell them all.

Dan and Christine were nominated by their friend Anitra, who has followed my work and has always been so kind and a huge supporter of me and my business.

As I continued to narrow down my selections after reading through every story multiple times and spending time in prayer, I just kept coming back to their story. The telling of it would mean traveling to Denver, but felt that it was a story worth traveling for!

Dan and Christine are both police officers with Douglas County in Denver, CO. At the time of their story, Dan served as a SWAT team leader and plain clothes detective, Christine as Detective Sergeant over the Special Victim’s Unit, and as a trained negotiator. Both were in roles they had worked hard to achieve, and both had long careers within law enforcement.

On September 02, 2016, Detective Dan Brite responded to a call involving a heavily armed man threatening police and others in an area near a hospital, assisted living facility, and elementary school. As the suspect eluded police and then returned to his home, where he had additional weapons stored, it became vital to stop him from entering his residence. As Dan led the team to intercept the suspect, he was shot in the line of duty. As the call unfolded, Christine was en route to the scene as a negotiator. It was while listening to radio transmissions that she learned that it was Dan that had been shot.

Their lives were forever changed in a moment. Detective Brite was transported quickly to the hospital by his team (which was vital in his survival). He had no pulse upon arrival at the hospital and twice endured full cardiac resuscitation. The second required his chest opening for manual cardiac massage as a last life-saving effort.

In the meantime, the suspect continued to elude police and arrived at the exterior of the same hospital where Dan was, and opened fire, it was here that he was eventually shot and killed by a fellow officer.

It wasn’t until hours after Dan arrived at the hospital that Christine could finally see him. Dan remained in critical condition. Both Christine and his daughter Ashley stood by his bedside throughout the night, and they both describe it as the longest night of their lives.
Dan remained unconscious for 11 days. It was in the uncertainty of what their life would look like and what type of long-term damage Dan would suffer those close friends, pastor, family, and law enforcement community surrounded them, held them, and prayed for them.

Christine describes sitting in a small room with two close friends and a pastor from work; as they talked and began praying, Christine felt a sense of relief, one that overcame her entire body. It was at this point that she placed the worry in God’s hands. She believed He wanted her to know that He was in control and would take care of Dan.

When Dan finally woke up, they discovered that through the aggressive life-saving interventions, he had suffered damage leaving him paralyzed from the mid-torso down. It was a devastating blow for them all.

After 5 weeks in the ICU unit, Dan was finally released to a rehabilitation hospital where he would spend the next two and a half months of his recovery learning how to live life in a wheelchair. It was just the beginning of a dark and difficult journey as he learned he had to depend on others.

Dan shared with me that as a man, father, and police officer, this was incredibly difficult. Dan describes the loss of his identity as one of the most difficult aspects of his recovery and one of the hardest to overcome. The realities of what he had lost and learning to accept life in a wheelchair were incredibly difficult for him. He struggled to find ways to deal with the loss. He became more depressed, angry, and irritated to the point of suicidal thoughts.

Dan and Christine have two beautiful daughters, and their journey was difficult not only for Dan but also for Christine and their daughters as they all struggled to navigate what their new life would be like. Their oldest daughter Ashley had just graduated high school, and their youngest, Addison, was just nine years old. Christine attempted to maintain a somewhat normal life for their daughters while being the emotional and physical support that not only Dan but their two daughters needed.

Christine says that when Dan came home in December 2016, everyone thought he was “better.” Little did people know they were struggling with the mental side of healing. Dan was extremely depressed. He slept 15+ hours a day, refused to get out of bed, hardly ate, and hated his life. She struggled with helping him and began experiencing caretaker fatigue. He was always upset, yelled a lot, and was never happy. It took a long time to adjust to the new style of living. They had to move from their home to a more wheelchair accessible one. She had to drive him to every appointment (there were LOTS!), and take kids to school, all while maintaining the household inside and out.

Through seeing a therapist, life became more manageable. The therapist zoned in on their trauma and provided them with tools and techniques to live the life they deserve. They still struggle with a lack of adaptable places, a lack of wheelchair-accessible parking spots, and cracks in sidewalks. They have learned to look for elevators and ramps. Dan still has lots of physical pain, complications (gallbladder removed, blood clots), and various medical issues that people aren’t always aware of.

At Christine’s prompting, Dan began to attend church with her. During his first few visits, while listening to a sermon called Shipwrecked, Dan began to see the hope in his struggles. It became a turning point in his emotional recovery. It was in these days that he began to cling to that hope with white-knuckle strength. It was here that he began to see his purpose and his new identity. Dan has now become a huge advocate for mental health in the first responder community and a strong voice for suicide prevention among first responders.

Dan also describes the importance of community support in his recovery. Not only did friends, family, and community come alongside them in those first days and weeks, but three years later, they continued to stand with them and show up time and time again.

Dan describes his community as his safety net during these times and says their support and encouragement kept him from falling into a deeper depression.

Because of the impact of community and support on Dan and his recovery, his mission encouraged others to lean on that support, seek help when needed, and provide resources for first responders dealing with the mental struggles that they see and deal with daily. In this, he has found his new identity and continues to be a part of law enforcement now as Deputy in the role of Wellness Coordinator. He now spends time talking to first responders and encourages them to talk about their struggles.

They have learned that they can do things they used to, which may look a little different, but the wheelchair has not stopped them from doing the things they love together as a family. They travel, fish, camp, and have found new hope because of the change in priorities that Dan’s injuries have brought.

What I was struck most by when I spent with them in their home while documenting their story was their willingness to be vulnerable. Their willing to share not only the victories but the struggles they overcame and still face individually and together as a family.

Their daughters Ashley and Addison both talked openly about their struggles, from the fear of losing their dad, to the pain of seeing him suffer. They also shared the same gratitude in what coming through the other side of the darkest days has done for their relationship with each other, their dad, and Christine. They have all learned to communicate and express their love for each other out loud by being there for each other.

The overwhelming message from them is that there is hope. There is hope through the struggles and darkest days, and they have made it their mission to share that hope with others.

Dan and Christine have created a foundation, the Dan Brite Scholorship, to give back to the community that has held them so well. Their foundation selects recipients for college/trade school scholarships.

A Las Vegas Family-Centered Birth

August has been my busiest birth month to date. I took on more birth clients this month than I ever had because each was so unique and special ( I still have one more to go at this point).

I limit the number of births I take a month to ensure that I am available when you go into labor, no matter the time of day. I don’t book much of anything else while on call for birth for the same reason.

Sarah Beth is a local photographer and dear friend. She is an extremely talented newborn and birth photographer (in fact, we are each other’s birth backups!); you need to check out her work! Sarah Beth Chamberlain Photography.

I was so honored when she reached out to me early in her pregnancy to book me! She knew early on what type of birth she wanted and where to deliver, and she worked hard to make it all come true. They are a military family and had delivered in two different states with their two older children and two different types of facilities with two entirely different experiences. Their oldest son was born in a hospital setting, and their second child was in a birth center. She found her second birth more in line with her wishes and really felt that if things were progressing normally in her pregnancy, and if she was not high risk then a home birth is what she really longed for. We spent time talking about her hopes and dreams for this birth, and she decorated her birth space just as she wanted.

She had gone early with her previous two deliveries and experienced preterm contractions for months leading up to her birth. She just wanted to make it to the 37-week mark to feel confident delivering at home. She went right at the 37-week mark! Sarah had an appointment with her midwife April Clyde of Serenity Birth Center on the day she went into labor things were looking great, but she just really had the intuition that it was going to happen soon. Her adorable son was especially eager to meet his baby brother and told the midwife that it would happen that night.

There is no better way to share their birth story than in Sarah Beth’s own words!

Everett aired his wishes for his little brother to be born all day on Tuesday. A number of times, including at our 37-week prenatal appointment that morning, he brought up the fact that it was a full moon and a lunar eclipse. He’d heard that lots of mommas go into labor under a full moon, and he was eager to get the party started.

That night we did our usual evening stretches, walking, and spinning babies exercises to try and encourage Waylon to turn out of his posterior position. At around 9:30PM I started having frequent but light contractions. After having rounds of prodromal labor since week 32 of this pregnancy, and that being the norm for all of my pregnancies, I didn’t really put too much hope into this being the start of labor. However, I phoned the midwives and our birth photographer anyway just to give them a heads up. Josh and I went to bed. Either way, we needed rest.

At 1:50 AM, Evangeline came into our room. It had been months since she woke up in the middle of the night, but she was at my bedside, wanting some cuddles. I told her to wait just a moment so I could go potty, and then we could snuggle. After emptying my bladder, it became obvious that my water had broken. I woke Josh and returned to the bathroom. When he rose and came to check on me a few minutes later, I needed a whole stack of towels for clean up. Somehow, I think Evangeline awoke because she sensed something stirring. I probably would have slept for another hour at least.

After calling our birth team to let them know things were happening, contractions began to pick up pretty rapidly. Evangeline was eager to wake up Everett, but we managed to keep her from doing so for about an hour. I had woken up quite hungry from the contractions doing work while I slept, so Josh brought me snacks. Strawberries, blueberries, and corn chips. I’d regret the corn chips later, but I needed the energy. I sat on the birth ball, leaned on the wall with Josh applying back pressure, and couldn’t decide whether the tub or the toilet felt like a better place to hang out. Sarah, one of our midwives, arrived and checked for dilation. I was just 3 cms, so we had some work to do. I tried to stay out of the tub as much as I could, although it offered some relief to those powerful contractions that come after the cushion of a bag of waters has been emptied. I walked the hallway, rocked some more, and did whatever I needed to do to tell my body to get things moving. Sure enough, gravity and good labor positions eventfully led to some signs of transition. We sent for Sarah and April.

This stage felt nothing like either of our first two babies because this baby was not quite in the same position. He’d been posterior for weeks, and although he’d started to turn, it felt like he wasn’t nestled in quite the same. Nevertheless, I felt hot and nauseous, and I knew this meant that the tide was shifting toward delivery. I got in the tub and had Josh apply back pressure. A few contractions in, the nausea took over and up came those tortilla chips. With that heave however, I felt Waylon shove firmly down into my pelvis. That was the nudge we needed. Josh continued to squeeze into my back while I labored in the tub, waiting for the urge to push. Sarah wafted peppermint at me to ease the nausea. I was exhausted, and dozing off for a second or two between contractions. It seemed like it took so long, and when I felt that first pushing wave begin I cried out “yes”. I was so ready get this done and hold my baby.

With each wave of pushing contractions, I tried to squeeze in two to three pushes. Josh squeezed hard on my back to offer relief. After the first three waves, I was thinking okay, where’s my baby. Two to three pushes was all it took for big brother and sister. Waylon seemed so much harder to squeeze through, and he was descending slower. I needed to feel progress, so I reached down after each surge to feel for him, measuring his position in knuckles. At one point we made backwards progress, but it only made me fight harder. With the next wave I began to roar with each push. I heard Josh chuckle from behind me. This “beast mode” was new to him too, and amusing. I had to admit to myself it kind of was. Finally, Waylon was crowning. I reached down to feel his little head and was surprised to feel fingers. He had surfaced with a forward presenting arm. As I played with his fingers, waiting for one final wave of pushes, he grasped my finger. Sarah unwrapped his cord from around his neck. One final push, and he was out. I brought him up to my chest and snuggled him up. He had a perfectly round little face and was completely peaceful. As we rubbed his little back and stimulated him to get him to use his lungs, he finally let out a little cry. I could see he had a complete tongue tie like his brother. We also discovered that he had a knot in his cord, which was neat to see.

After some snuggles in the tub, Everett cut the cord, and we got out to warm up in our cozy bed. Waylon had his newborn exam, weighing in at 7lbs, 12 ounces, and 21 inches. He had his tongue tie clipped, and he latched right away when he was brought back to me. Such a relief to have him nursing easily. He’s been a pretty awesome feeder since. Everyone in the family is just smitten with him.

This was the most tender home birth I have seen; Sarah Beth was surrounded by and loved on by her family her entire labor. You could just feel the anticipation and excitement from big brother and sister and their awe of the whole process.

As soon as I documented those first tender moments with their baby and the newborn exam, I stepped out to give mama her much-needed time with her baby. I generally stay 1-2 hours post-delivery to capture those first moments and skin-to-skin.

I returned the next day for a Fresh 48, which is always fun because I get to continue documenting those first days with your baby. There is nothing like it; everything is so fresh and new and you are just soaking in what you have done and just how much you love this little human that you have created and finally get to hold in your arms. It truly is life’s greatest love story, in my opinion.