July 1, 2011
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I was so excited when spoke to Joy about the possibility of photographing the birth of her first child. It is an amazing experience to be at the birth of a baby. It is one of those few times in our lives that are uncensored, raw and real. And it is simply a miracle – that mom and mom’s body knows that to do. That baby knows what to do. To watch it first hand is breathtaking.

I arrived at the hospital a little earlier in the labor than I knew I should with a first time mom – however I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it. It was clear that Joy was excited that the day was finally here. She looked great, happy. She wasn’t yet in active labor.

Over the next 15+ hours she would complete dilating, push for several hours, change positions frequently all with the hopes of moving baby down – however he wasn’t budging. By 5am it became clear that the baby needed to come out and it was going to be by cesarean section. It was a tough blow as mom really wanted to avoid this. I also knew that she really wanted pictures of her new baby right after his birth. Now with the c-section, my ability to get her what she wanted was in doubt. I am so grateful to her doula for finding a way for me to be in the O.R. so I could capture Cullen’s arrival.