Monday
22Dec2008
Home (Birth) for the Holidays
Monday, December 22, 2008 at 09:04AM It isn't often I get to photograph home births from beginning to end. Because I am side-lined with my broken/healing foot, I was able to chronicle this amazing birth from December 20, 2008.
Join in this family's bliss - and I wish everyone a beautiful holiday season.
The cord was keeping the baby from progressing on his own, hence the hands. Once the cord was pulled from around his neck, he was born gently into the midwife's hands (per the request of the family).
Thanks to my family for allowing me to share these images with all of you! I love you lots.
Reader Comments (12)
What lovely photographs.
In the last photo the older child looks shell shocked, like it just dawned on her what it means to share ma's milk!!!
What a beautiful birth story through pictures! I love it.
those are great! baby looks really big and healthy, and yeah i totally agree with Dewi on that the older sibling was laughing and smiling in all the pictures up to the last. looks like she just realized that she has to share now.
This set of photos is amazing - the emotion of labor and it's fruits are evident, and I can only imagine how special it must have been to share it with the now oldest sibling. Thank you for sharing them - and thank you and congrats to the family!!
This made me teary eyed. Reminds me of Willem's birth and sharing it with his older brother Roan who was 15 months at the time.
It's so beautiful to see them all together and if I'm correct, she's nursing her in that picture. Which REALLY brought on the water works for some reason. It's just so beautiful to see.
once again...lovely.
The toddler is actually nursing in two of the photos... the one with her standing and the pic right before that one.
I don't think she was shell-shocked as much as tired as all get out! It was well past her nap-time (and she went on to miss it entirely) and she was just tired. Plus, this was the only POSED picture I did of her. If you look at the series, you can see the others are all candid. Granted, she ignored the camera almost entirely, the flash, click, etc. but she isn't much for mugging for the camera.
Thank you all for enjoying these pics as much as I do!
So gorgeous! I was feeling kinda down on the birthing world and this is just what I needed. So beautiful, sensuous, intimate, just so so so lovely. Thanks to you (and the family!) for sharing!
Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! You have really captured the intensity and joy of this labor and birth.
One of my favorite photos has to be the first photo of the mom breastfeeding her older daughter during her labor. Wow! Is all I can say!
And look at all the smiles during this birth! I love to see that!
Thanks to the family for sharing this part of their lives with us. They are all beautiful!
Thank you for sharing what beautiful pictures !
Thank you so much for posting these beautiful pics! I cant wait to share them with my husband who voiced concern and disdain for sharing our upcoming homebirth with our 2.5 year old son. Absolutely fabulous pics! Thanks for the family for sharing. And whoa...nursing during labor...my hat is off to that mama.
Absolutely beautiful! I love seeing your visual stories....a picture really is worth a thousand words.