Reese - a San Diego birth story
Birthing a baby teaches a woman about strength she never knew she had and reveals fears she never knew existed. But bigger than that fear is love. The love for a baby that you are so anxious to meet and hold in your arms.
As a San Diego birth photographer, it is my utmost honor to document those first seconds when mamas and papas first lais eyes on their baby. Birth photography is perhaps the most intimate genre that exists for it is the only one that captures the deepest, darkest and most painful hours followed by utter joy.
This mama had her sweet baby girl at the Jacob's Medical Center in La Jolla which is a stunning facility with very sweet staff! As a birth photographer, it is important for me to arrive on time and capture the mommy as she labors and family supports her. All babies arrive on their own clock and wait time can be anything from 45mins to 18hrs.
It almost seems as though birth photography is an emerging trend but the fact is; it has been around for at least a decade! Accessible digital cameras and social media make capturing the first moments of a baby's life so special and many families are choosing this option. Sweet Kayla found it really important to freeze those moments in time and share with her family that was out of state so they could feel present in those first minutes of the baby's life.
Labor is a very unique experience for every mama and capturing every smile or painful grimace is so important. Months or years later, the family will look back at these images and even share them with the child and tell the story of their birth. Having professional birth images to share is very special.
You are probably wondering - why would I want a stranger in my room while I am giving birth, that doesn't sound very comfortable. The truth is, as a maternity, birth and newborn photographer I will be in you life well before your baby arrives. We will hold consults, chat on the phone and maybe even grab lunch to talk about your birth plan. We will bond. We will grow to trust each other and you will ultimately see the huge benefit of having a professional to entrust these images to. Once the day arrives, I will no longer be "a stranger" in your labor room, I will be a trusted friend who has your back, who worries with you and who encourages you through this process! We will be a team!
Labor always flows it's own course and when sweet baby Reese was making her grand entrace she took her sweet time. Day rolled into night and night rolled into early morning. I drove home just as the sun was rising. Throughout all those hours, I stayed by this mama's side; braiding her hair, fetching her ice chips, watching reruns of Friends with her (I think we got through two full seasons). Her husband was her rock, always reassuring, always caring and thoughtful. He was by her side every moment of her labor and his tenderness for her reflects so well in these images.
"One contraction at a time, at the end of it all I will hold my baby". Laboring with music of through positive affirmations makes a big difference to the mama's mood and ability to go through the pain. Kayla had a birthing playlist that she chose to listen to help her through contractions. Precisely 17hrs after I arrived at the maternity ward, it was time to push and baby Reese was ready to meet the world! There was pain and anticipation and sweet tears of happiness when we all finally got to meet her!
This little bundle of joy is already 7 months old and I just cannot believe how time flies. She will start crawling and walking before we knot it. That is why it was of utmost importance to capture her very first minutes and the excitement her parents shared when they first met her.
If you are are expecting a baby in San Diego and are considering a San Diego birth photographer to document this amazing occasion for you please reach out and we can discuss all your visions, worries and needs. I absolutely love capturing births and creating a keepsake for the families I get to work with. Birth photography is so emotionally rewarding <3
