This story holds a special place in my heart for many reasons; mainly because it was my first birth as a Birth Photographer.
a dream I had for YEARS before this day finally arrived; that being said, I’m going to take a few steps back before I dive into Baby Marks’ special day.
It started with my own Birth Trauma
Rewind to late 2019 with me. I was pregnant with my second baby, working full time, & deeply struggling with the birth trauma I experienced in my hospital birth with my first baby. I was overjoyed to give her a sibling, but a second pregnancy really triggered the mental, physical, and emotional trauma I went through bringing my first baby in to the world. (I’ll get into that full birth story in another post)
So; I handled my trauma the way most enneagram 3’s would… I incessantly researched everything there is to know about maternal care in the US, other woman that experienced the same thing, natural childbirth, midwifery. My search history was thick!
Is Birth Photography even a thing?
That’s when I happened upon the niche of birth photography. I had been working full time and doing family sessions for friends on the side; but I was CAPTIVATED by these photos of the most powerful force in the world: a mother giving birth. So I set out to take those photos myself. Between then and now we went through COVID, I missed my nieces births, there wasn’t much of a market for it. So I put it to bed. We moved home and I started really pushing my business, in hopes of getting to quit my full time job. Business was booming in spring of 2022 when a sweet, strong, brave stranger showed up in my DM’s.
Asking me to give my dream of being a birth photographer a shot. God is funny that way sometimes. I had so much on my plate I was regularly on the edge of all out panic… but I could not let this one slide.
So I patiently waited; I even ordered the Canon 5D Mark 4 I’ve been coveting, I barely had enough money in my business account but I wanted the very best tools I could have!
Birthday time
July 19th (the mama’s birthday!) Molly texted me that her water broke at 10:30 pm, I was elated, she wanted to wait a bit before getting everyone there so I tried to sleep. I could barely contain the energy I was feeling. early in the morning I got my workout in and checked my phone again at 6:08 am, molly said head this way now. My husband asked if I was going to shower first! I said no I have to go.
I walked in around 6:25, mom & dad were in the bathroom, no midwife yet! Dad’s face was full of panic and concern, but he was so strong and calm for his wife. And Molly! wow! she was so calm and so powerful. If she was afraid I would have never known it. She worked hard through the contractions and brought that sweet babe right into her husbands waiting arms.
Post Birth Bliss
we got mama up into her bed. Home birth is such a different experience than the hospital. It was incredibly peaceful and calm; I immediately wanted one of my own! Her older kids slowly woke up and came on in to meet their new baby. The birth attendants calmly and lovingly worked to take care of mom and baby. We took some first time family of five photos, and I left them quietly to enjoy their new baby daughter.
If you’re interested in having your own hospital or home birth documented, head over to my birth photographer information page www.juniperandrustphotography.com/birth to get all the details you need!
