I just wanted to say thank you one more time to all the families whose beginnings I was able to be a part of. This first full year has been more amazing than I could have ever hoped. I couldn’t have done it without your help in spreading the word and giving positive feedback. Witnessing and documenting a birth is a huge miracle and task I do not take lightly. I’m so blessed to have found this perfect fit.
I did a “best of” post a couple of weeks ago, not knowing I would be able to photograph one more baby before the year’s end. So I figure, I can’t wrap up 2012 without one more “best of” entry of sorts.
In 2012, I was invited to document the first hours of 8 babies (9 total, one in 2011). And they were all so different!
Funniest early labor warning: one mom’s water broke in the middle of pilates class!
Photographed one baby whose sex was a surprise (a girl!)
(The one in 2011 was also a surprise girl!)
4 girls, 4 boys this year
2 morning births, 4 afternoon, 3 late night/early morning (10p-2a). 0 late afternoon/evening births.
3 “baby brothers”
1 “baby sister” (2 including 2011)
4 first borns
Photographed 2 c-sections, one scheduled and one unplanned. Another was a planned c-section, and instead of documenting the surgery, I joined the family at the hospital several hours later to capture the moments when Big Brother met Little Brother for the first time.
One birth I missed by 10 minutes, due in part to a snowstorm, but mostly because mom progressed from 6-7cm to holding her baby in 32 minutes! And that was “my” quickest labor of the year!
Longest labor/continuous hospital stay: 35 hours
Longest labor/most hospital trips: 4 trips, 15 total hours? Mom was induced, kept for 3 days, released, induced again the following week. Unplanned c-section, returned the next day to photograph the family together.
Biggest baby: 9 pounds, 9 ounces
Smallest baby: probably right at 7 pounds
Community North: 4
Methodist: 2
IU North Carmel: 1
Community East: 1
2013: A couple of “new” hospitals, at least 2 home births (!!), and TWO REPEAT CLIENTS! I’m so excited!
Hope you all have enjoyed this year as much as I have. Hope everyone has a wonderful 2013!
I know you feel blessed to be part of these events, but I know the families are blessed as well for having those precious early moments captured forever. (Where were you when MY kids were born.
Oh yeah – LOL!)
What a great job you have, and what a great job you do!
“The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it.” –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I love that quote! Not sure I’ve heard that one. Thank you!
And well, if I could travel back in time, I would!