We not only birth our child, but rebirth ourselves as a mother
Any mom will tell you that the day she became a mother was one of the most powerful days of her life. Pregnancy is a journey and it doesn't end when we welcome our baby into this big beautiful world. Birth is really just the beginning of the greatest adventure. Labor and birth is not easy, but when is anything rewarding easy?
This post is a special celebration of one incredible family and my first chance to document a birth. Any birth is special and should be celebrated, but getting to watch Misty and Maggie of Ohana Midwifery Services support their dear friends as they welcome another sweet baby was such a gift. They helped me bring my little guys into the world too so getting to witness all the love and care they pour into their birthing families was a treat that brought back memories.
Being that this was my first experience documenting birth I wasn't sure what to expect so when labor started I immediately packed my bags and hit the road. You probably know that birth is unpredictable, it can start and stall , it can be slow, or it can be intense and quick. I wanted to be nearby to be available in a moment's notice. I don't think any of us truly slept on that windy night under the full moon. I sent Misty a text around 3:00 am checking in to which she replied, "Take a nap, we are all sleeping." There must be a special kind of sleep midwives get that walks the line of both awake and asleep.
Finally, around 5:00am after trying to calm the butterflies and nap while my mind was imagining how labor was progressing I figured Starbucks must be open and decided to get my caffeine fix earlier than usual. Sitting in a quiet corner sipping hot coffee and thinking back to slow dancing with my husband through contractions only made me more excited and curious how things were progressing, but I was not about to bug the birth team again. So I found ways of distracting myself until succumbing to sleep around 2:30 pm when I finally received the message I had been waiting for, "it's go time mama!" In eight minutes I arrived at the house where wind painted the blue sky with wisps of white cloud and made the trees dance in anticipation. It was calm, but energetic when I walked inside to see Misty's brilliant smile welcome me with excitement.
As I rounded a corner I could hear the tell tale signs of active labor. The primal moans that emit from a laboring mother are a power all their own. If you are a quiet person it may be difficult to understand that when you are in labor there are forces and energies beyond you, instinct and generational wisdom sown into your DNA will lead you through birth. Inside their peaceful bedroom Matt held Krystal as they swayed through a powerful contraction. The birth pool was nestled in the corner surrounded by windows with thin streams of sunlight breaking through the blinds adding a warm comforting feel as Krystal rested on the side of the pool while Matt gave her loving squeezes steadfast in his support. When you have a supportive partner to labor with it makes a world of a difference. I can remember feeling so exhausted during a contraction and feeling the firm strength of my husband holding me up, taking my weight for that moment. Knowing he was there sharing his love and energy gave me the strength I needed and his adoration and confidence in my and our baby's ability to birth gave me confidence. I could see all of that in Krystal and Matt also. The way he looked at her and held her with both hands even with the pool between them and his loving words of encouragement throughout the labor was heart melting. While there was so much transpiring between Krystal and Matt, Maggie and Misty were also quietly working. Maggie provided counter pressure as Indie made her way past mama's hips as Misty prepared for Indie to enter the world. I snuck behind Maggie just as the whole face was visible and was so excited to get one of the shots I had hoped to capture. Krystal somehow had the awareness and presence of mind to catch her sweet baby all on her own! It gives me goosebumps thinking of that moment now. She held her tight and leaned back to breathe it all in with the biggest smile, gently stroking the newest member of their big, beautiful family. It felt as though time froze as her and Matt just stared in wonder at this miracle. Every birth feels just as magical as your first. Bringing life into this world will always be miraculous.
After sometime, everyone settled into the bed. Misty and Maggie made sure to bring snacks for mom and dad as they began aftercare and Krystal happily chatted as she nourished herself and Indie. Some of the sweetest moments though were the siblings getting to meet their new sister! If anyone can handle two babies under two it is this incredible mama. This will be one of my favorite experiences forever. My heart is full having Krystal and Matt's trust and the honor to document Indie's birth.
