Luca A. : Birth Story

I think it's pretty easy to look at birth and get sincerely fearful. You've grown up hearing from movies, television and your mom that its a crazy sweaty painful mess to be forgotten and while it's worth it in the end to have a little one, the build up is this terrifying unknown. I also grew up thinking that it was inevitable that since I was a pretty loud and talkative person that it meant I would also fly off the handle with anger and obscenities during birth. Because as I understood it, handling pain is almost impossible so you'll need to cuss and scratch the eyes out of every human around you. I was pretty sure I would not have any control over what happened. And that in and of itself is the worst assumption many people make about their birth; that they will have no control of what happens. 

The birth of Luca was a beautiful example of a mother who chose joy during her labor. She chose to rely on her husband rather than use him to unleash any fear or pain. She needed him and he helped sustain them both through each contraction. There were moments where fear or worry flooded the room but their bond was the force that allowed peace back in. It was incredible to see. Her strength came out in her moments of laughter mixed in with her intensity to bring this little boy into the world. Whether she felt in control of these emotional responses I don't know but I can attest that she flawlessly was an example of grace and strength all through her birth. 

Birth is so much more  beautiful than culture gives it credit. It is indeed a sweaty painful mess sometimes but gosh, it also has a way of making time stand still. When Luca finally arrived the room felt like we were on pause and then we finally pressed play. There was so much joy completely unleashed into the room. And I've never experienced a sweeter moment then when Luca's big sister finally came in to meet him. She was welcoming him into the world singing "happy birthday" in the cutest voice and pointing at baby like her life was finally made.

These incredible unique pieces of each birth story are why I love being a birth photographer. Each mother is different and strong in their own fierce way and every support team plays a role of care and steadiness from the nurses to the husband to the mother of the mother. It makes me cry almost every time. 

If you've ever thought about Birth photography or wondered if it might fit your ideal birth atmosphere I'd love to talk. It's a passion of mine to make birth photography a more normal and a more culturally understandable concept. I love being able to show the world the unique and beautiful ways each little life is brought into the world. Birth can be more than hospital gowns, pain and one cell phone photo, you can capture the incredible powerful images that tell the story of new life.