Joshua’s birth changed my life. His mama, a doula herself, trusted me very early in my birth photography/videography career to document her story. While I will always be learning, exploring and adjusting my methods and services, I was still so new and not completely sure of my true role in the birth space. With my degree in photography, the camera was my comfort zone – but I was still very much learning the ins and outs of the birth space.
The tub was in a room surrounded by windows and the birthing gods decided that the sun would be shining for this birth. Laura and Steve worked through labor beautifully together – a cohesive team. Laura gracefully eased into transition and as things intensified, she moved her hands up and out of the tub, towards me. A birthing mother, especially one in transition is simultaneously fragile and powerful as her body begins to roar. I didn’t know if I “should” or “could” touch her in this vulnerable moment, but my intuition took over and without much cognitive thought I reached out and clasped her hand, giving her any love, strength, courage, support I had. She accepted that support and I felt a surge of energy course through my blood. I felt so alive in that moment.
Josh was close but Laura needed to shift her body to allow more room for him to come out. If you have given birth, you may have experienced that moment when you think you simply cannot move your body in any other position than the one that it is in. So Steve supported the left side of her body while I supported the right side and together we turned her around, from all fours to sitting position. And that was all it took as the next surge came, so did Josh. As Josh emerged, Laura was still holding on to my left arm, so I grabbed my camera with my right hand, held it overhead and blindly – and furiously – clicked away. Not seconds later she let go to reach for her son and I continued documenting her story.
Crossing the threshold from documenting birth with the camera in between me and the mama … to physically providing her support, even if just for a few minutes … lit my soul on fire. It was yet another moment in my lifetime where I knew, without a doubt, that I was on the right path, pursuing my passion.
