I can't believe this adorable boy is 6 months old! Well he is 7 months now since I shot this session last month. I just love this family and I'm so honored that I get to watch Graeson grow. He has such a happy disposition and was a great model for his 6 month portraits.
Ever wonder what a home birth prenatal visit looks like? I do home birth visits right before I go on call if we haven't had a meeting in their home so that I can sneak in and document the birthing time without interrupting their sacred space. The amazing Carrie from Hatched at Home is her midwife and we thought it would be fun to document a home birth prenatal.
First there is lots of talking. A midwife spends much of her time getting to know you and your family. She might have joined you for dinner by now and most certainly been shown around by your adorable children. Most midwives do not operate out of an office, they come to your home each month and perform all the things a doctor does, although a home birth client must have two doctor visits for some tests.
A midwife will measure you, do a hands on to feel baby's position, listen to the heartbeat, and take your blood pressure. She will do all this while your children hop around and you lay on your comfy couch. Your adorable children will then play at being baby catchers which is by fast the cutest thing ever.
“Be like the cliff against which the waves continually break; but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.”
― Marcus Aureilus
I met this Mama back in the Spring at one my favorite coffee and cake places. We're both from the midwest and have sons with the same name. We talked easily and laughed and her calm demeanor and second home birth had me excited at once. We touched base via emails and then at her maternity session. She had gone early with her first son and this baby began giving her prodromal labor around 37 weeks, she felt sure he would come soon. The day I went on call I headed to the mountains. We had been communicating via text all week and she knew I would be an hour and a half away versus the 15 minute distance from her home.
And of course labor began.
I headed down the mountain on a bright hot Saturday morning, easy going, since it was still early labor. All day she used her hypnosis techniques to open and release her body. But second babies are not always fast and this Mama labored for a long 27 hours. In the wee hours of the morning she pushed with more strength and will than I've seen. This was a woman who met goals, made plans and followed through, whose inner calm and perseverance were mighty. When one would think she had nothing left, she gave more. And at sunrise baby Brian was tugged from the womb weighing a whooping 9 lbs, a much bigger baby than his older brother. This hungry boy took to his mama and they enjoyed a peaceful herbal bath after all the hard work of birthing was over.
