This is the story of little Ethan’s birth day. It started with natural contractions at 4am on December 29, 2011 (only a few hours before an induction appointment!), and ended with the strong first cries of a healthy baby boy at 5:40pm . The journey may have been long, but the feeling in that room was consistently peaceful and serene.
Now, this was my first birth experience ever and Rachel tells me it may not have been a proper representation of most. Not great “birth control” as she calls it ;) . Just another reason the day was God-ordained and protected, and why I was so thankful to be a part of it.
My husband and I adopted our only son three years ago, so I have never given birth myself, and had certainly never been in the room while anyone else had. When Rachel and I talked about the possibility of me being there for her third birth, I think we were both excited, but apprehensive. Neither of us was sure what to expect. Births themselves can be so unpredictable, how would I fit into the mix? Would the intimacy be too awkward? What if something went wrong? I was particularly worried about two things: getting in the way and how I would react. What if I couldn’t handle the…’reality’ of the birth? What if I fainted?! What if it was too emotionally hard? Really, there were plenty of reasons not to try, that thinking back, it makes me so thankful that we both were able to put aside our fears and go ahead with it.
The experience of being able to photograph a person’s very first breath and early moments of life is almost more than I can really wrap my head around. I think being behind the camera almost gave me a bit of an emotional barrier. Not that it wasn’t awesome; it was a good thing, I think, for the end results, that I wasn’t overwhelmed to the point of not being able to focus the camera! J The real multitude and enormity of what I had been allowed to be a part of came later, as I watched Rachel look through the album. Her face and words and tears were so real and meaningful as she was transported back to those moments: those special details and angles that she may have missed or not quite remembered in the excitement of it all. Knowing the photos are something her and Jeremy, and hopefully their boys in time, will treasure and have forever, is so rewarding and very overwhelming for me.
Rachel and Jeremy – thank you so much for trusting me and letting me into one of the most intimate and wonderful moments of your lives. I will never forget it…and will never let Ethan forget it either! ;)
"To witness the birth of a child is our best opportunity to experience the meaning of the word ‘miracle’." - Paul Carvel
Sarah - beautiful, beautiful photos!! What a great experience that must have been. Photographing a birth is one of my biggest "photographer dreams", and you've provided such wonderful inspiration. Job well done!! :)
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Sophie, thank you so much for your wonderful comment!! I am so flattered. I was so nervous about what I would be able to capture and how the session would go, so to hear positive feedback like this is so reassuring and inspiring in itself! I hope you get your chance soon, I know you'll do great!
ReplyDeleteSarah... thankyou So much for capturing the most incredible moments of my life in such a beautiful and tasteful way. It was an honour to share these moments with you, and a gift to see them through your lens. You were a great support through the labour, and I will never forget the granola bar rewards after contractions ;), and thanks to your skill and bravery, I will never forget any of the other moments either. Knowing that Ethan is our last child child makes this even more special as a treasured keepsake. It moves me to tears still to look through all the photos and I have a feeling that the emotion doesn't fade with time. Thankyou thankyou thankyou from the bottom of my heart... I am forever grateful, Love, Rachel xo
ReplyDeleteOh Rachel, I'm so glad I was able to be a part of this memory! It was such an honour and something I'll treasure forever! Your so welcome!!
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