Have you ever witnessed another person give birth?
What was it like for you?
For me, every time is the single most precious experience I’ve ever had other than my own children’s births. It just overwhelms me, and I cry through my lens because it’s so beautiful. It’s a good thing I’m not in the photos!!
Allison is a local doula, certified lactation counselor and former LPN, so she knows her way around birthin’ babies. She already has a two year-old little guy, and her husband is a musician (pretty cool, right?!) I met with her and her own doula, Michelle King, a couple weeks before the birth, and we determined each other’s roles and such. I reassured them both that my job is just to observe and document the process and the journey and to be as unobtrusive as possible but be as involved as they would all like me to be.
I got the text message from Michelle at 0500 on January 17th that Allison was in labor, and I headed to CCMH around 0930, but only after getting my blueberry scone and tea latte from Starbucks, haha.
I met Michelle in the parking lot, and we headed in to see if Allison and Nick were there yet. She labored a long time at home before coming into the hospital, but we had perfect timing and we saw them walk in. She’s such a rock star mama and was at 6 cm before she came in!
I finally got up to the room around 1100 and was in and out capturing Allison laboring and the love between her and Nick.
They are perfect for one another. The room was very serene and calm. There was soft music, lavender and occasionally peppermint in the essential oil diffuser and just a mom and dad working as a team to bring their baby into the world. Allison was so quiet! I was so impressed with her. 
When it was time for Allison to push, she gave it her all, and kept repeating, “We can do this, I can do this,” while looking at Nick and asking for encouragement. It was pretty crowded in the room, so in order to get the best view of when baby Hyrum made his entrance, I stood on a stool and the back of the head of the bed!
Look at the emotion in all of these images. This is why you want a birth photographer. So this can be captured.
See the love?!!!
Then it was time for big brother to meet little brother, and life will never be the same. If you want information on a birth photography session, click HERE
“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. ” Psalm 127:3
Sarah Creal is a professional Richmond, RVA, and Lawton, OK family, maternity, newborn, and birth photographer, specializing in natural, connected photography for growing families. Her clients come from across Central Virginia and the Lawton, Oklahoma area for relaxed family sessions, maternity portraits, newborn photography, and birth photography. Sarah frequently photographs families at well-loved Richmond locations like Maymont Park, Belle Isle, Pump House Park, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Midlothian Mines Park, and Rockwood Park. Contact Sarah to chat about your next session.
