Last Friday night I received my favorite kind of text. Another mama having contractions, several minutes apart. Time for another birth day! I met my clients at the hospital and determined that yes, we had been following each other around the parking deck, after missing the entrance more than once. Ha! Directional sense is not one of my strengths and I bet dad had something a little more pressing on his mind.


After a walk punctuated with contractions and the welcome arrival of a wheelchair, we took a pit stop in triage and then headed to the labor and delivery room.





Mama was already working hard but needed some rest so I went home and got some sleep before returning again in the morning. The birth room atmosphere was still sleepy when I arrived but soon the bustle of hospital life intruded on the quiet and we raised the blinds and got on with the business of working a baby out!



Mom's support system was ever so caring and daddy was beautifully attentive. So much love in that room and a dream to photograph. Have I mentioned before how lucky I feel to be invited into this miracle of labor and love? It is such a community and humanity affirming experience to be in the presence of a well supported laboring woman. You can feel the echos through time of all of the laboring women and the loved ones who surrounded them.

After a time mama was complete and ready to push. But she decided to wait for her attendants to eat! We objected but she insisted that we be nourished for the big show (even though she had been throwing up the whole time, poor thing!) Such compassion!

And then after what seemed like a forever of waiting through pregnancy and labor, it was suddenly time to push.



This mama was so hoping to have a VBAC and despite saying she wasn't sure how to push, she rocked it so very efficiently that it was no time at all before sweet little Izzy was born! Baby was beautiful and so very calm. The room was overjoyed and a little in awe at how easy mom made it look! Welcome to the world, sweet girl!




*The skin to skin photos were unfortunately cut short when little girl was determined not to be pinking up as she should have. Baby was taken for testing and eventually transferred to children's hospital to be treated for a heart defect. More on this sweet babe's journey to come in part 2.