Being a photographer can be so exciting, so fun, and so amazing.  I LOVE capturing my client’s stories and lives.  I am so honored and humbled to be welcomed into one of the most miraculous moment’s in some of my clients life.  That moment is birth.  When they welcome a new life into this world.  When a baby goes from being kicks, nudges and rolls inside a mother’s belly to a squishy newborn on the outside world — THAT, my friends, is the miracle of life and *I* get to be there for it.  You guys.  I love my job.  Like really, really, really LOVE it.  And guess what I have to share with you?  Not just a singleton birth.  But a birth of twins, a Mama who rocked it, one proud Daddy, and the most patient Grandma around.

Birth photography.  I’m here to tell you it’s not all about the gore during labor.  Labor, delivery, and birth are SO much more than that.  It’s a story of new life being captured, the support offered to a woman in labor, the love and care surrounding her, it’s about new life, and the journey up to, during, and immediately following birth. Allow me to walk you through what birth photography is.  And if you’re squeamish, there’s only a couple photos that you might just quickly scroll past, but I promise, you’ll be able to hold your lunch down regardless :)

It was a beautiful October evening when Jess was in labor with her twins.  She was awaiting the arrival of her second and third children.  Her sweet daughter, Piper, whom I photographed one year ago for a Fall mini session, stayed with her other Grandma during the birth.  Jess’ mom, Sarah, was at the hospital with Jess and Jason waiting on the babies to make their arrival.  She and Jason were originally planning on both being at the birth, but since it was twins, the hospital preferred Jess to deliver in the OR.  Jess made the decision to have the birth photographed and have her Mom wait for us in the recovery room.  

Need I remind you, Jess was carrying twins?!  She looked great and I swear if you didn’t know it, you would’ve thought there was only one baby in there.  Rest assured, there were two :)

At 7:00pm, Jess’ contractions were spaced at 2 minutes apart.  By 7:25, she was dilated to 4cm and had been like that for a couple hours.  By 7:34, she was approximately 5cm.  At one point Jason commented, “We better enjoy this now because we won’t get a break for another 18 years.” Ahhh I can only imagine that statement was rife with truth!  So Jason decided a little before 8:00 that he needed some coffee to help him stay alert.  We joked that we would call him if anything happened while he was gone.  Sure enough, Jess was checked again at 8:10 and she was fully dilated and ready to go.  Sarah sent Jason a text letting him know it was go time and naturally, Jason walked back into the room going “Yeah, yeah, very funny.”  When he realized it wasn’t a joke and that it was time to get scrubbed up, coffee was the last thing on his mind as the adrenalin clearly kicked him into high alert.

We left Grandma Sarah behind in the recovery room, and headed for the OR.  The team of medical staff assembled like a well oiled machine and before we knew it, Baby A, little Miss Remy, made her way into the world weighing 6lbs even.  As they situated Remy with the typical weighing, swaddling, and APGAR scores, Jason tended to the first of their set of twins.  It was so sweet seeing Jason ooh and ahh over his brand new baby.

A mere 22 minutes later, Baby B, Max, joined his two big sisters Earthside.  Jess was given the option of pulling Max out the rest of the way and up to her chest when he was born.  It was so surreal and so very cool to witness a mother deliver not just one, but two sweet little tiny squishes.  To see her being able to be such a present and active force during labor was so incredible.  Baby Max weighed in at 6lbs 3oz.  

Neither of the babies needed any time in the NICU, and instead they both got to go straight to Mom and Dad.  They were completely healthy newborn twins who just an hour prior were snuggled up nice and compact in their mother’s womb.  

Once they had Jess cleaned up, we all walked back to the recovery room where Sarah waited for us.  I can only imagine it was probably one of the longest hours of her life.  But do you think she’s a proud Grandma or what?!

The babies practiced working out their lungs for a bit while they had their measurements done, heel pricks, and official first baths.  Needless to say it was a tad loud in the room during this debacle, but once they were all swaddled up, they barely made a peep and were happy as could be nursing, snuggling in to Grandma, Mom, and Dad.

Many, many thanks to Jess and Jason for allowing me to capture this precious time in their lives.  My sincere gratitude to the ever-patient Sarah for allowing me to photograph the birth and allowing me to take her place in the OR when only two people were allowed in.  Special thanks to the very kind L&D staff at Mercy Hospital for allowing me to be a part of their well oiled machine for a couple hours.  Congratulations on your precious babies!!