For Kale's birth I decided to invest in a birth photographer. After experiencing Sage's birth, I new firsthand how profound, moving, emotional, and life-changing birth is. Until you've been through it once, you just don't understand how incredible of an experience it is. So this time I wanted to capture the day artistically and professionally. I wanted it preserved forever, to be enjoyed over and over again for years to come. Below are the majority of the pictures taken on Kale's birthday. Some of them I can't post here - due to their somewhat graphic nature. :) So, below are just the ones appropriate for all eyes. And they tell my birth story beautifully, without the need for words. I'm excited to share them with you. (I might throw in a little interesting tidbit here and there...but I want the pictures to do the talking for me.) Enjoy!
You are going to see this position a lot. I asked Matt to push my hips inward for every single contraction. EVERY SINGLE ONE! I promise you, he was never allowed to be more than a foot away from me. When he pushed my hips inward, he would reduce the intensity of the contraction by 30%. It was incredible. And I never would have made it through labor without his help.
Kale's heart rate dipped low early in my hospital labor. So I had to wear a portable heart-rate monitor for the entire birthing process. Two monitors are pressed up against my belly, and kept in place with a giant elastic belly tube.
The bottom graph shows the intensity of my contractions. Look at how some of them are flat-lining! I'm literally off the chart. That's how intense some of them were. They weren't even fully measurable! I'm thinking they should probably get a bigger chart. I can't be the only woman with such strong contractions.
The hot tub was incredible!
Except that it was possessed. I just wanted warm water to soothe my pain. But the tub's jets would turn on randomly...and completely on their own. This first happened during a contraction. And I nearly killed Matt, thinking he was the one who turned them on. Bubbles in between your legs don't feel good when you're in the middle of a painful contraction. Matt and my photographer scrambled to turn them off, as I screamed in discomfort. That's when we realized the tub did it all on its own. And would do so many more times.
My birth plan.
Pain. My body position says it all.
Walking through a contraction, Another great pain-relieving strategy.
My foot and my doctor's feet.
A painful contraction. Obviously....
You see that face of mine? That was the push that brought Kale into the world! I pushed through some crazy burning to pop him out. (And yes, I did tear a bit.)
One of my favorite photos.
Not sure how she did it... but I think I look like an angel in this picture.
(Is it ok that I say that?)
Also one of my favorite photos.
Daddy cutting the umbilical cord.
Had to share this photo in both black/white and color.
What a great shot!
And the next morning, my AMAZING photographer (Michelle Garey) returned to take photos of Sage meeting his baby brother for the first time.
We call it "the afterglow."
Kale gave Sage that toy Tayo bus. Sage was instantly won over!
Precious moments!
A unique high-five.
Is my toddler a monkey?
A beautiful story.
But it's not the end.
Just the beginning.
P.S. I will be changing the name of the blog soon...
Stay tuned!
