Alycia shed tears of joy as she watched her son being lifted out of her abdomen. Beautiful, sweet tears of joy. I’ve seen tears of happiness, tears of disappointment, tears of tenderness, tears of uncertainty, and tears of love. I’ve seen women cry in their moment of strength and their moment of “weakness.” I learn something new at every birth I photograph. And every family session. To all my women clients, Thank You for being you. You are strong, you are beautiful, you are loving and compassionate, and you help me be a better person.
5:49am
6:55am
7:37am
8:00am
8:12am
8:49am This was Alycia’s fourth cesarean, and she knew what she wanted. Just because it is a surgical birth doesn’t meet the mama has no say in anything! The doctors and staff were very accommidating in helping Alycia have the birth she wanted. The drape was lowered so she could watch her baby being born and he barely left her side after he was born. When he was getting cleaned up and weighed, she could see him the entire time. She even got to carry him back to her room, as pictured below. And not to mention, she had a birth photographer in the operating room! 😉
9:03am
Congratulations!
Many thanks to Dr. Steven Harter and the staff at Centennial Hills Hospital!
Beautiful as always Jessica!
Thank you for more beautiful memories. These are wonderful.
Well written Jess! Teared up reading it and seeing pics. I must say when I am in this situation, they are tears of joy but also relief that this unpleasant experience of major surgery we have to go through to get our baby is going to be over and behind us soon. Seeing the baby lifted out is like reaching the peak of a summit. You still have a long ways to go to get to the end of the hike, like a month, but at least it’s all down hill from that point on. For anyone who ever has to go through this experience, you can inform your doctor before hand that you will be holding a mirror during the surgery to hold straight above your head and angle so you can witness the baby being lifted up into the world. Your belly is in the way enough to where you don’t see you own incision. Witnessing this helps me feel more part of the birth of my child.