Birth of Eliana | Navarre Home Birth Photographer

Not all birth stories end in overwhelming joy and elation. Sometimes nothing goes as planned. This is one of those times.

Alyssa hoped for a redemptive VBAC experience after a devastating second-trimester loss. Living in Alabama where it is not legal to VBAC at home, she rented an Airbnb in Pensacola, FL for her dream birth with Margo and Kizzie of Practical Midwifery.

And nothing went as she hoped. The last day of the AirBnB rental arrived and birth plans had to be moved to an alternate location in Navarre. In the end, the midwives made the decision to transfer Alyssa to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center for a c-section. At this point in all of the COVID nonsense, that hospital was not allowing anyone besides the spouse/partner, so I was unable to document delivery.

But the story still unfolded beautifully and Alyssa’s thoughts are incredibly inspiring.

I cry every time I watch that film.

Here are some of my favorite still images from labor.