It is always tricky around the holidays to take on new clients. I wonder if it will mean I will end up at the hospital rather than with my family Christmas Eve or Christmas day. What will it mean for me to postpone the holidays with my husband and children? Will they understand? Does it make me a bad mom if I admit that I would be OK with it? That I feel such joy being present and capturing a birth even if it interferes with family life?

These were some of the thoughts rattling around in my head when I met with this couple at the coffee shop for our initial consultation. I knew the due date was within a couple days of Christmas. . .and I wondered if I should let it matter. But with births I have learned that things tend to work out with my need to intervene, so I wasn’t surprised when I received the call that labor had started almost two weeks before Christmas. I was able to witness a beautiful birth with an awesome, loving couple, amazing doulas and a supportive hospital staff AND spend Christmas with my family uninterrupted. Life is good!

Lots of love to Tabitha and her moms! It was a beautiful day.

Last year I was able to capture the peaceful home water birth of this sweet little boy. His mama is a doula herself as well as childbirth educator and co-founder of BabyLove. Along with midwife Aly Folin and her team from North Star Midwifery, this baby was greeted by dad,big-sister, grandma, an aunt and friends.

Things I loved about this birth:

• The look of peace on mom’s face as she labored in the tub
• Dad supporting mom in labor – even getting in the birth tub himself
• Pictures of the baby being born into the water and emerging from water into his mom’s arms
• Mom’s face after the birth
• The delight on big sister’s face when his saw her brother

Thank you to Brittany and her family for inviting me to share in such a special day!

In the wee hours of the night I received the call to come to the hospital. I was excited for several reasons. Mom was a nurse and knew the birthing process well. It was likely to be a water birth – my first captured in a hospital setting. The couple were very down to earth and kind. I was excited to be able to capture the birth of their third child and first son.

Side note – when the midwife walked in I swore I knew her from somewhere, but couldn’t instantly place her. When I was about to leave, it hit me. She had been the midwife at my second birth seven years earlier. Small world!

2012 was a great year for births at Megan Crown Photography! I was honored to be asked to capture fourteen births. Here is how it all broke down:
Singletons: 13
Twins: 1
Girls: 7
Boys: 8
Home births: 5
Planned hospital births: 7
Transfers to the hospital: 2
Planned midwife attended births: 13
Planned OB attended births: 1
Births attended by midwives: 10
Births attended by doctors: 4
Water Births: 6
Vaginal Births: 13
C-sections: 1
Inductions: 2
Non-medicated births: 9
Shortest time at a birth: 3 hours
Longest time at a birth: 35+ hours (I lost track after a while)

Some “firsts” for me in 2012 included the birth of twins, a breech birth and attending a hospital transfer. Thank you to all my birth clients who invited me to be present to capture such a special event. Thank you to all the midwives, doctors nurses, doulas who were supportive (or at least tolerant) of my presence. I can’t wait to see what 2013 brings – a birth center birth perhaps??? PRETTY PLEASE =)

When I met this couple, they were expecting their fifth child. In talking with them it became clear that birth was a family event that was cherished and celebrated. Their other children would be there, each having a role at the birth of their brother. Mom wanted something she hadn’t been able to get at previous births – beautiful photographs of this special family event, tender moments laboring with the support of her husband, the joy & excitement on everyone’s face when meeting their new family member, each person’s participation . . . I left thinking how awesome it was that I might be able to not only witness such a lovely event, but that I could provide this family with something they could look back on for years and years.

Baby Ethan was welcomed by family, friends and the wonderful women of Trillium Midwifery Care. The birth day was FULL of amazing moments. I will try to touch of some of the most poignant. . .

Look how happy this mom is. . . this is what birth can be like! Love it!

Sibling getting a little special time with their new brother. . .

Each child had a “role” at the birth – videotaping, cutting the cord, giving brother his new little hat and weighing the baby!

In anticipation of the birth, mom baked two apple pies. Everyone got to sit in the bedroom and eat a piece!

One of the funnest moments was witnessing the youngest girls’ reaction to the midwife student describing the placenta. After watching her, they wanted to check it out for themselves – so they put on gloves and explored!

I leave off with this image. It shows exactly what I imagined this mom wanted to be able to look back and remember – her surrounded by her husband and all her children, marveling over the birth of the newest family member. Welcome baby Ethan!

I was so excited when this couple contacted me about photographing the birth of their first child.  I had met them at Twin Cities Midwifery event about a month before. It is a little embarrassing to admit that the photographer in me saw them and instantly thought “What an attractive couple – they would look great in pictures.” Upon meeting them I found that they were also nice, generous and well educated about birth. What an ideal client!

I was excited about this birth –a home birth – possibly a water birth – with a midwife who has been nothing but supportive of birth photography – with wonderful clients. Now all I had to do was wait for the call to come which it finally did early in August.

When I arrived, mom was in labor – doing great – working with her contractions. I got situated and started doing what I do, quietly following, snapping shots as I went. Things continued this way throughout the day – Mom having contractions, working so well through them – Dad supporting her. Things seemed to be progressing slowly but surely.

After a bit of a lull in late afternoon, evening came and things picked back up. She was working hard through contractions, resting in-between, eating, drinking, moving, changing positions. Doing everything right to get baby to move down and out. It seemed like any moment she would be complete and feel the urge to start pushing.

It was a long night and that feeling never came. Come morning I did the math. Mom had been up for almost 48 hours with just little naps here and there. Though both baby & mom were looking and sounding great, labor was taking its toll. I wondered if mom could continue. I didn’t think if I had been in her situation I would have had it in me to continue.

However mom gathered up her energy and rallied. Still positive, she worked with the team of midwives and chiropractors to do the things needed to move things along. I kept thinking she was so close and at any moment it would be time to push.

Finally in the afternoon, without a major change happening, it was decided that she would transfer to the hospital. Hopes of a peaceful home birth gone, I continued to be amazed with the wisdom and strength this couple showed.

At the hospital mom received fluids, an epidural and pitocin – but most importantly, she got some sleep! I received the call to return early in the morning. Not too long after I arrived, mom gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Due to meconium being present, baby was taken quickly from mom to be suctioned. In fact, he would spend the next couple days in the special care nursery.

This birth was difficult for me to write about. I knew it wasn’t the birth this couple had planned and hoped for. Just about everything they wanted – home birth, little to no intervention, skin to skin right after birth, delayed cord clamping – none of this happened. Why? This couple had done everything right. They prepared their minds, educating themselves. Mom prepared her body, doing prenatal yoga and having chiropractor visits. They prepared themselves so well and yet it seemed like it didn’t matter. This is hard to process.

This birth reminded me of how each is remarkable. I am so completely impressed with this Mom.  I would have given up so quickly under the circumstances – and she didn’t and she kept fighting for what she wanted. She was so strong! I didn’t realize before that women in labor could be this strong. So often we are told or shown they are not; that laboring moms are screaming, mean charactertures. This couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I loved when she was at the hospital faced with the exact birth experience she didn’t want and caregivers whose philosophies on birth were radically different, she continued to be flexible and kind to those around her – even when that open-mindedness and respect was not always returned.

This birth was an amazing process to witness. Though my heart breaks that things did not go the way we all hoped – I am grateful to have witnessed power and humanity on this level. I am thrilled to say that everyone is home, together and doing well now.

I received the text in the middle of the night but didn’t see it until morning. It was from one of my September birth-center photography clients. Mom was in labor and they were at the hospital. This mama was only at 29 weeks, so I assumed they would be able to stop labor. I don’t know all the details, however when I called in the morning I found that they were giving her the medication to develop baby’s lungs. Baby was coming despite everyone’s best efforts.

That afternoon I went to the hospital ready to shoot a birth. Not too longer after arriving, labor stalled. Amazingly mom & her body was able to hang on for another day and a half, ensuring all the medicine to develops baby’s lungs had a chance to work. When labor started picked up again, I received the call to come back to the hospital.

Baby Rowan surprised all of us by arriving @ 29wks 3days weighing 3lbs 6oz! Rather than being born at the Birth Center the parents’ had chosen, he was born in a hospital O.R. with a NICU staff of five waiting for him. He came out looking great, getting just a little oxygen but needing nothing else. He was able to be held by mom and dad for a few moments before being taken to the special care nursery.

About three weeks after Rowan’s birth, I went back to the hospital to take a couple more shots of this family all together. Though not out of the Special Care nursery yet, he is gaining weight and looking fantastic!

Much thanks to this lovely set of parents for letting me share in their special day!

It is always miraculous to be at a birth; this one was no different. In particular I was excited because this was by first water birth to photograph. I have had moms labor in water, but none had had water births until now.

Baby Hazel was born in water at home in the wee hours of the morning with the wonderful women from Dearborn midwifery attending. It was a beautiful sight to see! Congratulations to mom, dad and big brother!

It is always such an honor to be invited into a home to take photos of a brand new baby. This session is my second of my newest offering – Fresh48 – where the session happens within the first 48 hours after birth. Little Quinn was just two days new! He was welcomed by big brothers and a big sister with lots of smiles and enthusiasm. I am sure in no time he will have them all wrapped around his little fingers!

I am so excited to not only announce but SHOW my newest offering – Fresh48 sessions. A Fresh48 session is for those who do not want the entire birth photographed or just want high-quality, documentary style photography of their new baby. This session happens during daytime hours within the first 48 hours of birth. Just like a birth session, it’s done documentary style with me coming to wherever you are – be it the hospital, birth center or your home. Fresh48 sessions last about an hour and include a disc of 20+ fully edited high-resolution images on a disc with print rights as well as a 5×7 proof of each image.

Here is a session I shot just two weeks ago for a family who had a lovely home birth just 24 hours before the shoot. I love the excitement the two older brothers had when they got home and were reunited with their new little brother!