I headed over to Kelly’s house after receiving the call that baby was on his way. It was a peak hour morning call & a 4th baby, i knew it would be fast. I recall walking through the front door to hear the sound of a beautiful newborn cry. This precious little guy was waiting for no one, not even the midwives. Kelly’s wonderful Doula was there to support and assist in the delivery of Jasper. He was perfect. Little Jasper was lovingly nicknamed “Turbo” by his siblings after his speedy arrival into the world.
I recall the only other birth I had missed was by a matter of a minute, and at the time I was devastated! Now, after all of the experiences I’ve faced, missing the arrival of Jasper had a different effect on me. I’ve realised the importance of the journey which is beyond anyone’s control and I have faith in divine timing. Everything happens just as it’s ment to. When I walked in to hear that precious cry, I felt gratitude and warmth above all else. I knew from that moment, my role as a photographer was still as valuable and important as ever.
My focus is to tell the story, even retrospectively incorporating everything I can from the mother’s experience up to that point. I was still able to document a plethora of precious moments for the family, such as siblings meeting their baby brother, 3rd stage labour, the first feed, the cord separation, everyone’s first cuddles, measurements, and the general excitement and buzz.
Kelly’s strength, courage and assurance will stay with me forever. It was an honour to be in her company and to serve her in every way I could. There was a huge sense of sisterhood and support in her home that day as we all pulled together to do whatever needed to be done, allowing mother and baby to bond with each other and their family. Placing priority on respecting the birth space after a baby has arrived is a blessing and hugely important to me as a woman. I will go so far as to say it’s a healing experience for me to hold this space.
Many thanks to Kelly for allowing me to share her story with you. I will post a second installment shortly from her newborn session.
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