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The Birth of WinterRose – April 28th 2010
Posted on May 5, 2010
*at a certain point, the details get fuzzy. I’m sure Teri can correct me. Or tell me that I am nuts and making this alllllll up 
*
Around noon on Tuesday I started to have some mild contractions. They were very irregular, ranging from 8 minutes apart to 20 minutes apart. I tried to stay active. Bounce on my ball, go for walks but they weren’t getting closer together. They were actually slowing down.
I hadn’t sleep much the night before so around 5pm I decided to lay down. Ben hung out with Grey and I was able to sleep pretty well.
I woke up close to 7pm and started having contractions again. I thought it might go the same as earlier, so I didn’t get too excited. My mom decided to come over to wait, instead of waiting at home. I started timing and they were 10 minutes apart for about 30 minutes and then got increasingly closer together. Around 11:30 I called Teri to let her know that it might be a good idea to head this way.
Around midnight, the contractions were 2 to 3 minutes apart and I felt like it was time to head to the hospital. We called Teri to have her meet us there instead of the house. When we got to Kaiser we went through the whole triage rigmarole and found that I was 4cm dilated and could be admitted.
After being admitted, I had my IV put in so I could have my antibiotics since I am GBS+. The contractions were pretty strong, but I was handling them well. I was still laughing and joking. I remember at one point saying, “Someone should update facebook and let everyone know how awesome I am.”
Soon though, it got hard for me to find a position that offered any relief. I was checked internally and was “only 5 to 6″. I was instantly deflated and saddened. I thought I would be much farther along.
Around 4:15am, Teri suggested getting in the shower. Unfortunately, the nurses wanted to monitor Winter for 2 contractions but were having trouble getting her monitored because I was “moving too much”. While standing by the side of the bed, with the monitors on, I suddenly heard and felt a POP! I thought it was Winter kicking, but then *gush*…my water had broken. I used the F word and a few other choice words. Very soon after that I was 9 CM. Most of what I remember was feeling completely animalistic and making noises that I didn’t even know I was capable of making.
I was on hands and knees on the bed, using the head of the bed as support. I was told at this point that I was complete and could push. So I did.
I don’t remember WHY I flipped to my back, but when I did I was checked again and found that I was actually still only at 9cm and was instructed to NOT PUSH. uh….I couldn’t not push! I was told to breath through the contractions, which were long and hard and only about 45 seconds apart…if that. Again, i was making noises that almost scared me. Mostly low and gutteral.
I decided to go ahead and get a dose of fentanyl in the hopes that it would help me relax a little and let my cervix get to 10. It didn’t help. I was at the point that I had feared all through my pregnancy and i felt like I would not make it through. I don’t know what I thought would happen but I felt like I could not take much more of what I was going through. Then I was told that I had swollen a bit and was back to 8cm. At this point, I opted to get an epidural. I needed it, in order to relax and get back to 10, because with every contraction I was trying not to push, but pushing little pushes and I could not help myself.
The Epi was ordered and it was going to be about 30 minutes before it could be administered. I kept apologizing to everyone and felt like I was letting everyone down. I was scared. I also questioned how in the hell I was going to hold still long enough to have the epidural put in.
And then…just a few minutes after agreeing to an epidural and being told I would have to wait about 30 minutes…Winter was being born. I don’t know why or how I felt the difference, but I just knew that this contraction was different. I said that she was coming and asked for that to be confirmed. 2 contractions and 3 pushes later, at 6:26am, WinterRose Elizabeth was born!
I could not believe it. I DID IT! with the exception of a dose of fentanyl, which did *nothing*, I had birthed my baby with out pain meds. The experience was SO different from what I went through with Grey. It was by far the most intense experience of my entire life. I am still in awe. I do not consider myself to be a strong person and i had so many doubts…but I did it!
My friend Michelle was on hand to take some pictures. The pictures are great, but I’m not quite ready to share the more intense labor photos. For now, here are some post birth photos. Taken by Teri. Then more photos taken by Benny and by myself.
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Slideshow ~ The Birth of Sebastian Henry ~San Jose Birth Photographer
Posted on March 9, 2010
The birth of Sebastian Henry – AKA: The slideshow that almost didn’t happen.
The forces of the universe were working against me on this one, and everything that could go wrong…did! Thankfully, all issues were smoothed out and I was able to upload the slideshow this weekend.
Music in the slideshow is by Renee and Jeremy, who have officially become my favourite children’s music artists. I am so thankful that they are open to having photographers use their beautiful music. I will definitely be using one of their songs for my own birth slideshow next month! I highly suggest checking out their site and downloading both of their albums.
Please enjoy:
- The Birth of Sebastian
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Sneak Peek: The birth of Sebastian ~ San Jose Birth Photography
Posted on January 16, 2010
I met Emily a few months ago through an online pregnancy/motherhood message board. When she contacted me to inquire about birth photography I was thrilled, excited and nervous. Nervous because I knew that she was having a scheduled C-section. I feared that I might not be able to capture the same emotion and anticipation that I have captured in some of the long labors that I have been witness to.
The anticipation part was hard, only because Emily was SO calm! Her blood pressure was steady and she was in such good spirits. I wasn’t allowed in the OR, and while waiting I began to wonder if I was really earning my keep here. That question was answered while Emily was in recovery. Capturing Sebastian’s first moments with Emily and Stephen was amazing. Stephen was able to engage, witness the first nursing session and be supportive without the added burden of trying to take photos. I was able to capture the little moments, like Sebastian grabbing hold of Stephen’s finger, just moments after his birth. Or Stephen stroking Emily’s hair as she fed their son for the first time. I hope these are photos they will treasure for years to come.
I hope everyone enjoys the sneak peek. Slideshow to come later this week.
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Slideshow: The Birth of Jonathon Reinhardt
Posted on September 20, 2009
Libby. What can I say about Libby that I haven’t said before? To say that she is one of the strongest people I know, would be an understatement. Photographing her birth was a rollercoaster of emotions. Though she saw herself with a large family, she had let the idea go that she would be the one in labor and giving birth. And here she was, birth plan in mind, contractions coming fast and furious. Her moment had finally come.
Every birth that I have attended has been so different. In Libby’s case, she went from 2 centimeters dilated to “9 and a lil’ bit” in just over and hour. It was intense, shocking, and exciting. Due to Pubic Symphysis Separation, Jonathon did need a little bit of help with entering this world. There was a flurry of people in that tiny birthing room, all there to make sure the little man was ok. Despite having a long and rough birth, Jonathon had apgar scores of 9 and 9…and was absolutely perfect. Quite literally one of the cutest newborns I’ve ever seen.
Please enjoy the slideshow:
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Slide Show; The Birth of Josephine Joy
Posted on September 14, 2009
I’m sorry that this slide show is so far over due. For those who don’t know, I myself am pregnant. 8 weeks today to be exact. To say that this first trimester is kicking my booty would be an understatement. That fact, combined with the fact that my techy husband (who helps me with things like slide shows) is out of town is the reason for my tardiness in this presentation.
I do hope you will forgive me.
Please click the thumbnail below to view the birth of Miss Josephine Joy
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Josephine Joy – San Francisco Bay Area Birth Photographer
Posted on August 28, 2009
On Tuesday, August 25th 2009 I was honored to witness the birth of Josephine Joy. After a long day of irregular contractions, a quick visit with an acupuncturist finally set things in motion. 5 hours later and after only 6 minutes of pushing, Josephine Joy made her debut.
I am so honored that Katie and Jason allowed me and wanted me to be a part of their birth team. Katie and I had talked in the past about birth expectations and she worried that having friends there might break her focus or cause her to be self conscious. So when she asked me to photograph the birth I was happily surprised. I was also happily surprised to learn that our good friend Teri would be on hand as her doula.
Here are a few teaser shots. I should have the slideshow up in a couple of days.
Beautiful Faith getting some snuggles
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The Birth of Baby Isabella – Slideshow
Posted on August 3, 2009
THE BIRTH OF ISABELLA CAN BE FOUND ON THE BIRTH SLIDE SHOW PAGE
I am so thankful that Evangelina has agreed to let me share the full slide show!
There are a few things that should be explained. There are some large chunks of time missing. This was a very very long labor (50 hours). There was a point during the process that the midwife decided it would be best for us all to leave (midwife, doula, photographer) so that we could all get some rest. I was gone for about 6 hours at that point.
In the end, after 4 hours of pushing it was clear that this baby needed help coming out and so E was transferred to her hospital. Unfortunately, when we arrived I was informed that it was hospital policy to not allow photography during the actual birth. I did not know how soon after the birth I would be allowed to photograph. Because of this I was not in a great position, nor did I have my light metered properly. One blurry, over exposed photo was all that I got of E seeing her baby for the first time. Lets just agree to call that one artsy ok?
This was such an amazing experience for me. Though it was a long, I am so pleased that this was my first birth shoot. A wonderful couple, unfathomable support system, getting to work with my friend Teri (the doula!). It was more than I could have ever dreamed of. and I can’t WAIT to do it again!
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The Birth of Baby Isabella – San Francisco Bay Area Birth Photography
Posted on August 1, 2009
This week, I had the honor of photographing the birth of Baby Isabella. E had planned for a home birth. She had a wonderful midwife and an amazing doula on hand to help her through this journey. What she did not plan on was a 50 hour labor (Yes, 50 hours!) and 5 hours of pushing. She did all of this unmedicated. I am completely in awe. She was so calm throughout the entire process.
I’m working on a slide show but am waiting on final approval from E and her husband before posting. Some images are very intense and involve nudity, so I want to make sure they are comfortable with sharing before I post them.
For now, here are a few of my favourite pictures from the day.
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