THE BIRTH OF BABY B | A BIRTH STORY | PHOENIX, AZ BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER

I was in a deep sleep when my phone woke my husband up from an incoming text. My husband insisted on me checking my phone but I brushed it off and told him my clients wouldn't text me because they all know to call me if they were in labor. Plus, I was on my fifth hour of sleep after a 26 hour birth and had no urge to check my phone over a text- but my husband was persistent. And I'm sure glad he was because it was a birth.

Doula Dianne texted me at 6:00am to see if I could drive to Del Webb for her client that hired a birth videographer but her videographer couldn't make it because she had a wedding to shoot that day. I also had a birth photographer not show up to my daughter's birth because she had a wedding to shoot that day. For this particular birth, the mother's husband, father of the baby, was on a trip & doing everything he could to make it to the birth. Of course I jumped out of bed.  To be fair to Dad and the contracted birth videographer, Mom went into labor at 36 weeks. Baby was coming when it was right for him.  

I arrived at Del Webb, not knowing how long I had and ran up to labor and delivery where I met Mom. For not knowing if her husband was going to make it, she was at complete ease. She was putting on a little bit of make-up and laughing with her birth team, Doula Dianne and her mother. 

Mom was texting her husband and got word that his plane landed and he was doing his best to rush to the hospital. Far all that was going on, I seemed to be the only one who was panicking inside. Little did I know Mom had been in a panic since she first noticed signs of early labor around 11pm the night before.  She encouraged her husband to take the trip and was really nervous about him cancelling the trip over what could potentially be nothing. Mom asked her husband what the earliest flight home was when she realized it was true labor, but inside she was still in denial. After a few hours and essential time with Doula Dianne and her mother, Mom came to terms that she couldn't control anything. If their baby boy came early everything would all work out. 

Mom was an inspiration. She trusted her body and as the more time that passed the more she believed that Dad would make it.

And he did make it. As soon as he got there she let go and the intensity started to really pick up. She was about to have her baby.  Her body and her baby were patient & as soon as they both realized all is well, they were ready to push. 

The room was filled with encouragement but Mom was still nervous. Their baby was making his grand entrance 4 weeks before the estimated due date. With no time to panic, Mom focused on her and her baby. 

One final moment to reflect on the last 36 weeks and one last push to birth their new baby boy.

Welcome to the world Brody. 

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Little Brody latched like a champ. That was the moment Mom was finally able to breathe and really take in the beauty that just took place. Her husband made it. Her baby is healthy. All that was left was for big brother to meet little brother. 

Congrats on the birth of your beautiful boy <3 

Much love,

                   Katie

THE BIRTH OF BABY M | A VBAC STORY | PHOENIX, AZ BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER

I haven't witnessed a mother hit so many walls while trying to have her dream labor. I first met her and her husband in Doula Dianne's childbirth class. They were planning a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) & wanted nothing but a vaginal birth.

After hearing so many negative things about their current provider they decided on switching- at 40 weeks and 1 day. Five hours after they had their appointment with their new provider, Mama's water broke. They decided to labor at home until 1am and then make the 45 minute drive to their new hospital for the birth of their surprise gender baby. 

Night turned to day and nothing was consistent. Once the sun was high (and their doula was out of the room) the on-call doctor came in and told them about the "24 hour time constraint" then added "I could just take you back right now!" (as in to have a cesarean.) Baffled, they texted their doula to come back up. After talking about the situation at hand they decided that some type of augmentation of labor was necessary to speed up the process of meeting their baby. They called the nurse who then came in and told them that the on-call doctor is required to be at the hospital for a VBAC. Seemed simple enough, but the on-call doctor had some out of hospital consultations to attend to that day.  They had a midwife but she was not to override the on-call doctor's request. The Foley bulb was the next best option and they went ahead with it around noon. 

This duo needed some time alone to regroup and recover from this now 16-hour labor. They deserved a break to love and lean on each other.

Doula Dianne & I came back from getting a little bite and noticed the room go dark. Storm clouds were moving in and we all know what storms bring- babies! A little bit of hope flooded the room as the rain started to pour. 

After the doctor became available, they started the drip extra slow, only going up every 30 minutes. Mama spent a little less than two hours on Pitocin and they turned it off because her contractions were steady and intense. The 24-hour mark passed and there was no fever present, no cause for the 24-hour time constraint, and Mama was good to keep trying for her VBAC. At the 25-hour mark of labor, Mama got the urge and knew it was time to push. 

At 9:34pm, Mama connected with her baby and together they worked at finally meeting face to face. Mama gave one last push and Dad reached down to catch his baby and cried "It's a girl!" 

She did it, she had her baby. She had her VBAC- not exactly as she had thought she would have, but her determination brought her baby girl out just as she and her supportive birth team knew she could.   

Congratulations to all. Your baby girl is a beautiful addition to your family <3