PINKLE TOES PHOTOGRAPHY: The magic of a birth at home ♥ Austin Birth Photographer
I have to admit I’m a little bit emotional blogging about this birth. What an incredible honor to have been invited to photograph this birth! It was such a quick and beautiful event. Peace. The room was filled with peace. As much as I try to approach a birth experience from a purely professional and objective point of view, it’s difficult at times to not get wrapped up in the emotions of it all. I teared up quite a few times that evening. So much love. So much support. To be honest, I had to keep reminding myself that mom was indeed actually in labor…she was so lucid and smiling almost the entire time…there were times I doubted that she could possibly be giving birth ;-). And her eldest daughter? The way she cared for her mama during the labor process and the way she looked at her new baby sister for the first time…wow!
I’ve posted the full birth slideshow below, but first, a few notes:
- A confession – I know I was on call for this birth, but I was totally caught off guard on this one. I had a newborn session that morning, worked all afternoon, put the kids to bed, and had settled in for a nice evening with the hubs when my phone rang:
Notice, this call was only 51 sec. long. For whatever reason, I had just assumed I was going to be woken up in the middle of the night with THE call. I have to admit that I panicked when mom told me she was already 7 cm. I wanted to be there SO badly to capture this incredible event and I was soooooo scared I wasn’t going to make it there in time. But I did. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
- Here’s a pic of her eldest daughter on the phone while mom was in labor. She was talking to her grandmother (mom’s mom). Baby girl said this (and I kid you not): "Mom’s a little busy right now." I hope mom heard this quote.
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- She made this whole labor thing look ridiculously easy. How beautiful is this mom-to-be? Wow!
- Notice how the shape of her belly changes as baby girl gets further down the birth canal:
- And the attentiveness of her children. (I see a future midwife in her older daughter, I swear).
- It always amazes me how mom can fall *completely* asleep in the middle of labor, as in completely unaware of anything except yourself and the baby still inside. It is quite a beautiful thing and it usually happens right before pushing. I know it’s nature’s way. I know I did this myself with each of my kids. But it just still impresses me after all of that work and build up, mom’s body knows exactly what to do and when to rest and gear up for the task ahead. The whole process makes so much sense, it’s insane.
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- How quickly baby girl is actually born. I swear, it was only a few pushes and she was here!
- How mom looks holding her baby for the first time. That’s the part that really gets me:
- How cool it is that all of that post partum stuff takes place right there in front of her new family. At no time is baby whisked away from mama’s sight. That, to me, is one of the most wonderful things about a birth at home…you’re never apart from your new baby. You’re always present and aware of everything that is happening after your baby is born, which for a new mom, is an immensely important thing.
- Whenever a baby is born, I like to try to give mom at least a few minutes of privacy with her new baby without my shutter clicking in the background. So once I’m sure I’ve gotten all of the important stuff, I’ll steal away for a couple of minutes to let mom and dad look at their new baby alone. This is always my favorite time because I get to share the good news with my husband. Somehow, he’s always just as excited as I am when he hears that a new baby has been welcomed into the world:
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- The slideshow features original music by the *very* talented husband of a photographer friend of mine. Photogs…you should check out his music for sale. PT4P v3 members actually get one of these songs as part of v3 and a special offer.
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Now for the slideshow. Mama…thank you again for inviting me to capture this event for you and for letting me pass along this birth story with the blog readers. It gives me so much joy to share the magic of a homebirth and the power of birth photography! If you are in the Austin area and would like to see more information on birth photography or want your birth photographed, please contact me as soon as possible. FYI: I do not have any more birth sessions available for 2009 and 2010 is already booking up.
(Can’t view this or want to view larger? Click HERE. You may want to let the video buffer all the way through before watching).
October 5th, 20098:23 am at
Really well captured. I can see the emotion in all of your photo’s.
You can be very proud of yourself….
October 5th, 20098:23 am at
God’s design is amazing! How we are able to bring life through our bodies!!! Awesome pictures! Precious moments! I needed these tears! The music is beautiful, looking forward to V3!
October 5th, 20098:29 am at
Just wow… this made me cry! This is so soft and peaceful… thanks for sharing! :)
October 5th, 20098:32 am at
beautiful photos as well as commentary–i got teary reading it. great work. makes me want to have another so i can have a birth photographer!
October 5th, 20098:55 am at
Michele!!!!!!!!! These are just beautiful…I love the text between you and your hubby….that actually made me tear up :) Beautiful beautiful beautiful! xoxoxoxo
October 5th, 20099:57 am at
Absolutely beautiful! I get teary eyed every time I see birth pictures on here! I hope that someday I’ll have a chance to photograph a birth!
October 5th, 200910:21 am at
Wonderful!
October 5th, 200910:24 am at
This is extraordinary! I don’t know what I want to do more, have a baby, be a birth photographer, or be a midwife! What an opportunity to capture such emotion, and you froze it in time. Watching this I felt like I was there!
October 5th, 200910:32 am at
Wonderfully done! Makes me tear up and I don’t even know these people! Awesome job, my friend!!
October 5th, 200910:48 am at
So beautiful Michele! This is definitely something I’d love to do more of.
October 5th, 200911:05 am at
OMG! Thank you to Emmelines parents for letting me share in this amazing birth! I was blown away by the pictures. What a blessing to have forever to show Emmeline. You captured every emotion as I remember my own childrens birth. Thank you for sharing.
October 5th, 200911:08 am at
How could anyone NOT tear up watching this. What a miraculous thing! God’s work is amazingly evident in this whole process. I haven’t had a child yet so this puts a new perspective on it for me. No doubt this family will treasure these photos!
October 5th, 200911:17 am at
Just beautiful… video brought tears to my eyes. I just love how you capture births. :)
October 5th, 200911:57 am at
I love how you always tell a great story and make us feel like we were there with both your words and images. Congrats to this family!
October 5th, 200912:01 pm at
So wonderful. Can’t even articulate myself right now–too choked up:)
October 5th, 20092:24 pm at
Those pictures are just powerful! I was tearing up in the video too. Birth is such an amazing event!! God is so…I don’t even know how to describe the power…. Thanks to the family for letting you share your amazing photos!
October 5th, 20092:52 pm at
I’m speechless after watching your slideshow! I love how you captured the strength and connection of all the women and girls. That’s something truly special.
October 5th, 20096:56 pm at
Wow.
Every time, wow.
Always wow.
October 5th, 20097:34 pm at
Beautiful beyond words! I made it all the way until I saw dad holding the baby at the end, and then started sobbing. Thanks so much to the family for sharing this amazing day with us.
October 5th, 20099:19 pm at
Michele, that was so beautiful…The expressions captured will be cherished for generations, I’m sure. Your images bare witness to the incredible miracle of birth…and they are stunning.
October 5th, 20099:29 pm at
wow!! I had a homebirth and these are wonderful shots!!! I love the emotions that you have captured in the shots, the little girl giving a drink to her mamma.. such a big girl thing to do!!! I am always inspired by your photos I look many times in the week for new posts!!! Keep it up!
October 5th, 200910:14 pm at
Magical Michele, these are so addictive to watch.
October 5th, 200911:40 pm at
Michele, you not only photograph beautifully births, I love to read what you write about them!
Really touching! Well done!!
October 6th, 200912:44 pm at
Wow, those are absolutely gorgeous!
October 6th, 20092:53 pm at
wow.
that was absolutely beautiful.
i feel like i was in the room and just shared in their precious moment with this beautiful family…literally. and the images of big sister helping to bring her little sister into this world touched me beyond words….i could feel the amazing bond between her and her mother from image one.
again.
wow.
October 6th, 200910:02 pm at
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rafaela Zakarewicz and Emilie Gerard. Emilie Gerard said: @la_lene RT http://pinkletoes.com/blog/2009/10/05/austinhomebirthphotography/ OH WOW! C'est magnifique ! [...]
October 6th, 200910:58 pm at
that was beautiful ! I think I might have to get pregnant and book a session :P JUST KIDDING! Im only thirteen… unfortinatly… i wanna grow up and be a MOMMY. Anyway, that was lovely. If your still a photographer in like 10-15 years, Ill probably book a session.
October 9th, 200912:47 pm at
wiping the tears away! ah! that got me.. soo sweet! I want another baby to home birth just for the dang pictures! haha. these are incredible girl!! LOVE
October 9th, 20097:39 pm at
Wow. You did a wonderful job capturing both the event and the feelings of the birth. It was lovely watching you work. I hope that we are able to work the same birth again sometime. I am so glad that you shared this here on your blog and that Laura posted a link to it.
October 9th, 20098:12 pm at
Guh. Amazing photos. Thank you for narrating your night… Amazing. :)
October 9th, 20098:56 pm at
That was absolutely beautiful…
October 10th, 20097:53 am at
wow these are absolutely amazing gorgeous work! Perfection all the way!
January 11th, 201012:48 pm at
WOW!! These are just beautiful and broght tears to my eyes. I don’t think you would be as great if you didn’t get at least a little wrapped up in the overwhelming emotion of such an awesome event. Great work!