A Little Story About My First Birth

I make friends with almost everyone I meet. What can I say – I really like people (yes, I know, that’s a bit uncommon). That includes my clients and people who contact me to take their family’s portraits. 

All that to say. Would we really be friends if I didn’t show you how awful I looked after my first birth? Enjoy.

Okay.. okay… these are the better ones, I admit. But let me tell you that I am *serious* when I say that when *I* was postpartum, I could use all the help I could get. 

I wanted to start here in my story because my vision for your full service experience began here: August 12, 2018. (note: prepare for the un-glamourous)

I had just experienced an emergency cesarean. I was leaking various fluids from all over my body, I couldn’t sit up on my own, let alone walk. 

There was in a *lot* of pain from my surgery and exploring breastfeeding with my baby.

And all at the same time I was riding on the most intense emotional rollercoaster I had ever been on. 

Not only that, I had just met the most perfect, precious, pure person that had ever existed: my baby! 

I mean really, what are you supposed to do with that? My body isn’t working. My mind isn’t working either. My husband is probably also in shock. But, “here, just go home. You’ll be fine. Don’t forget to feed the baby every 4 hours.” 

This brings us to: you!

Really, it means that I want you to know that I see you. I see how much you may be struggling after birth. I see how hard it can be to feed your baby. I see that your husband is worried about you, and also has insecurities of his own.

Although I can’t necessarily fix or solve your deepest problems as you become a mother, I can certainly lend you an understanding ear as we talk about our labors, births, disappointments, and victories. 

I can also take care of the physical aspect: hair and makeup, flattering dresses for your tired postpartum body, I’ll bring you coffee to help mask some of your sleep deprivation, and I’ll bring a snack for your new extreme hunger that comes every 10 minutes after you have a baby. 

Because you’re probably surprised at how much, and how suddenly you’ve changed after you saw your baby for the first time (and if not, that’s ok too) – your desire to preserve this landmark in your life has probably become a higher priority. But that doesn’t make it easier to actually do, in practicality. 

Which is why I’m here. 

I’ve done this whole birth thing three times now. 2 cesareans and one homebirth later. Each time just as awesome, each baby just as inspiring. The miracle of pregnancy, birth, and life, just grow more astounding the more I get to experience it.