
Sarah with her daughter Naomi, only a few minutes old
October 6, 2009
I'm excited to share one of the most beautiful events I've ever photographed. My good friends Sarah and
Brad Walters invited me to photograph the birth of their daughter. I was deeply honored to have been asked. When I got the call early Tuesday morning, I rushed to their home to document the stages of labor and the delivery. I had never seen a birth before, and it was a profoundly beautiful and emotional experience to witness.
Baby Naomi was born at her family's home, in a water birth that was assisted by Laura Luckett of
Baby's Breath Midwifery and her assistant, Dana. Sarah chose not to use pain medicine, instead opting for the comfort of a pool of water. Brad comforted her throughout her labor, and monitored her contractions with the help of an iPhone app. Sarah and Brad's parents were there for support and to take care of almost-two-year-old big brother Isaac. I observed quietly and documented events as they occurred around me.
I have been documenting Sarah's pregnancy since her first ultrasound. You can see my previous photos here:
First ultrasoundSecond ultrasoundThird ultrasoundI am grateful to Sarah and Brad for inviting me into such a private moment, and for introducing me to the miracles of childbirth. I would love to be able to photograph more births in the future, so if you or someone you know would be interested, please let me know.
I present these photos here on my blog with permission from Sarah. I will let the photos speak for themselves.
( More photos and a slideshow from Naomi's birth )For the complete story, you can watch their slideshow:
http://www.charlottegeary.com/slideshows/NaomiBirth/