I wanted to share (with permission) two beautiful pictures from a recent birth. Emily’s first birth left her feeling disappointed by all the interventions that were used and lack of support surrounding her. We talked about how a natural birth does not mean you have to grit your teeth and just suffer through it! For her second birth, she chose to stay at home for most of the labor. Here she is in active labor experiencing a contraction.
Yes, she is smiling. I have many more pictures of her smiling through contractions. She said to me, in between the waves, “Each contraction I go through and stay calm, I gain confidence.” And she pointed out that this experience would become a wonderful memory to savor.
Soon, we felt it was time to head to her birthplace. She paused a moment before rising from the tub to gain even more confidence from her labor.
Emily had been adamant that she did not want photos of her labor. I’m so glad she let me change her mind!
Beautiful.
Inexplicable Ways 