Judah's C-section Birth After IVF | Pensacola, FL

It is always a tremendous honor to be chosen as someone’s birth photographer. Always. Birth is such an intimate, precious, actual ONCE in a lifetime moment. There is such gravity in being the one entrusted to capture it all. And that goes double…triple even…when the family has been thru a lot to conceive.

Rosalind and Steven hadn’t really planned on having kids when they discovered they were pregnant, just three months into marriage. They very quickly realized just how much they DID want a baby and how excited they were to be expecting.

Tragically, the pregnancy was found to be ectopic and ended with Rosalind loosing both of her fallopian tubes, crushing any chance of getting pregnant naturally. Rosalind told me, “Our only option was IVF and we were going to go through with it because now we did want kids! Whatever it took for me to get pregnant, I was willing to do. I wanted those crappy pregnancy symptoms back! I wanted to be a mom! Because we were pursuing IVF, it took us a while to save up for it. We, unfortunately, do not live in a state where it is covered under insurance so everything was going to be out of pocket.”

They saved diligently for THREE WHOLE YEARS for their first cycle of IVF in Pensacola, only to have it cancelled due to a complication. Still, Rosalind was resolved to do whatever it took to keep going. Thankfully, cycle number two was successful.

Knowing such devastating loss is enough to put a black cloud of stress and anxiety over pregnancy…an already stressful and hormonal situation. It can be difficult to push down the fear of another loss and the sense that you are utterly powerless to do anything but pray. It takes guts to even start to plan and prepare for something you want so badly, but are all too keenly aware may end with another bruise on your already battered heart.

Rosalind was so gracefully strong thru her pregnancy and thru a grueling twenty-seven hour induction…an induction that ultimately failed. With all the grandparents-to-be lending company and support (and Steven & his dad providing endless comedic entertainment), things trucked along slowly but steadily. Finally, with Rosalind at 9cm at her last check, we were all ready to meet baby Judah ANY minute. Until Dr. Lile came in and announced she’d regressed to 8cm. Who know that was even possible!?! Apparently so if there is swelling or possibly even as a fear/stress response.

And just like that, another dream was crushed as they prepped for a c-section. Thankfully, I was welcomed into the OR and graciously granted so much space to work and grab some epic shots that I hoped would be enough of a consolation prize for the less than desirable birth outcome…you know, besides the positively perfect baby boy, Judah.

Click play below to watch his incredible birth story…

I asked Rosalind is she would share a little bit about what working with me was like and she totally made me cry with her sweet response:

“I could write a novel about how much I loved working with you and how much my heart melts looking at the photos of little man's birth and newborn session. I feel so lucky that you were there for the birth of our rainbow. Your presence in the birthing room was unobtrusive but at the same time supportive. I am sure that anyone who has had the pleasure of your presence knows that you bring joy and peace with you; and that those are two things needed in any delivery, especially a long and trying one.

Seeing the birth story of our rainbow put together, I can’t even begin to describe how awesome it is seeing the love, exhaustion, joy, struggle, excitement, anticipation and laughter, from not only myself, but from everyone that was there. You perfectly captured the feelings and emotions of the day when we welcomed our son into the world and for that I will be forever grateful. We also couldn't be anymore proud that our son's first days were documented through a newborn session as well that we cannot wait to work with you again for subsequent milestones and births.“