fresh48
In those first 24 hours. It's all a magnificent blur. She'll never look quite this way ever again, so fresh and wrinkled and pure. That's what a Fresh48 is for.
As a student midwife, I also got to be part of the team that supported this amazing mama throughout her labor. She embodied good natured humor and perseverance across many twists and turns and a few days of hard work. So to see her holding and enjoying her baby is really, really satisfying.
Also, the HAIR on this girl! SO good.
Here they first laid eyes on one another, first called her daughter, first introduced her to her big brother. Here in these first 48 hours, magic and miracle happened, circled by grace.
The atmosphere has a distinctly sacred feel to it when you walk through the door where a brand new human has just entered the world. It seems like maybe one should slip off one's shoes, and sink into reverence. This is how it felt when I came through the front door of the home where Halo had just been born the day previous in order to do the Fresh48 session her parents had arranged.
Her daddy greeted me at the door, cradling her in his arms. But immediately I was struck with a crazy thought based on a simple observation. Noticing her legs pointed straight up in the air, I asked, incredulous, "Wait! was she born breech?!" I knew they'd had a home birth and breech home births are a rarity so I wasn't sure what his answer would be. "Yeah!" he replied, with enthusiasm, going on to tell me the crazy story of the moment when the midwife realized it was a BUTT rather than a head emerging from the birth canal. He had loved every moment of witnessing his daughter's unusual entrance, while his dear wife Karen was too in the zone to realize that she was delivering a baby breech. Probably a good thing, she says, since it might have made her unnecessarily fearful. Thankfully, their midwife is trained and experienced in helping babies come into the world in breech presentation, so the entire experience was more amazing than terrifying. :)
Walking into the bedroom where Karen lay resting, we got to work documenting their tender snuggles and tentative touches, all of them getting accustomed to one another, taking in Halo's beautiful face, perfectly round head, and sticking-up-legs (don't worry, they'll go to normal position in a few days). :) Such a beautiful baby she is, and with parents unabashedly in love with her.
And for those who are interested in birth-y details, you might like to see this next bonus image: Halo has a large bruise on her upper thigh near her butt cheek, as this is the part of her body that was leading the way through the birth canal. Just as a baby's head will often bruise and swell when born in the more usual cephalic presentation, so will a butt, apparently!
Just two days after I met with Jami and Adam about their upcoming home birth, she went into labor -- spontaneously and two weeks early! Being in denial that this was really "it," she put off calling me to come. And then suddenly it was all moving so fast and... well, she never did get to call me and so i missed this little one's remarkable home water birth. Such a bummer.
BUT, on the rare occasion when this happens, we always make up for it in other ways. Starting here, with a Fresh48 session in their home when their son was just a few days old. I found them looking fresh and energetic, and welcoming visiting grandparents. Their 3 year old son, Leo, had just returned home from spending a couple nights his grandparents and was keen to kiss and touch his new baby brother.
Without further delay, I give you baby Zeke. Brand spankin' new...
Every Fresh48, birth, and newborn session I do multiplies my excitement to have my own little squish this winter! Eeek!
Ruby Jean, born late one Saturday morning in February. Weighing 9 lbs 8 oz., she had the most luscious chubby cheeks from right out of the womb. She was born at her Grand Rapids home, and her birth made one of the best memories her mama and daddy have ever experienced.
The day after she was born, I popped over and made these pictures of sweet Ruby with her adoring family.
Fresh48 sessions exist for these surreal, magical moments of discovering and falling in love with a fresh new baby. After you've caught your breath just a little from the work of birth, you get to snuggle in with your people and have some pictures like these done. One hour, no posing, just resting in your delight.
december opened up with the birth of my newest nephew on the 2nd. i was there for his sunny-side-up birth, and was their birth photographer, holding back tears and grinning like a fool as this little boy (! -- his gender was a surprise) on whom i will have the honor of doting for many many years appeared through his courageous and long-laboring mama.
i also came back several hours after he was born. Mama and baby had been moved to their rest and recovery room, had been cleaned up and changed into clean clothes, and my brother was bringing their daughters, aged 6 and 3, to meet their baby brother for the first time. both the grandmas were also there (having also been at the birth).
this is essentially what we call a Fresh48 session, and many of you may not realize that i offer these. which is why i'm going to show you what one might look like. Also click here to read more about them.
As you can see, Fresh48 sessions are photojournalistic (as is everything i do), focused on a very narrow span of time and in a very specific place. it aims to capture in an unscripted way the vulnerability and tenderness of those first miraculous days with a new baby. For those who don't think they are up for full on birth photography, or who have smaller budgets, this can be an amazing option. please reach out, and we'll talk about what this might look like for you.
now leave a little love in the comments for this beautiful family.