Birth Photography happens in wet dreary weather too! It’s February and Los Angeles is off to a roaring (and dare I say extremely wet!) start. I had to take my own little boy to a class and then had to stop at Trader Joes for some of the best Black and White cookies ever to cross my lips. The rain made me think of my mom and how I wish she were here. We would bundle up and play board games while listening to the rain outside. I introduced board games to my son and he loves them.
Having your own mother around when you are giving birth can be a blessing. I sure wish I had that opportunity. This mother chose her mother to support and guide her much like a doula would. I was there to photograph the day as it unfolded. Dad waited patiently out of the room.
The Unmedicated Birth
An unmedicated birth is just that–a vaginal delivery with minimal interventions. This is not the journey for every birthing person. Unmedicated births have a lot of advantages. “For example, those who get an epidural have a greater incidence of risky interventions to get baby out, such as vacuum extraction, delivery by forceps, and emergency C-section, according to a study in National Vital Statistics Reports.” Mothers tend to be up and about and feeling better faster without drug intervention.
“An unmedicated childbirth is an entirely achievable and reasonable goal for about 85 percent of pregnant women. The other 15 percent have health complications that put them in a high-risk category, and they need certain interventions (such as a Cesarean section) to make birth safer for Mom or Baby.”
This mama is a prominent blogger here in Los Angeles. Giving birth with her own mother by her side, she chose The Birth Place- UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. She went with an unmedicated birth.
Laboring Positions
No need to take labor lying down anymore. Gone are the days where a woman is required to lay down on her back. “These days, expectant moms are encouraged to labor any way in which they feel comfortable, change positions as often as they like, and deliver in positions far different from the traditional flat-on-the-back pose”.
Lying flat on the back is the least effective delivery position of all. In fact, any position that enlists the aid of gravity is likely to yield speedier results. This warrior mama labored standing up and ultimately gave birth that way.
She gave birth to her second child and her first daughter. I believe her mother being with her was the best gift she could receive.
Are you ready to talk about your birth plan? Is birth photography part of that plan? If so, send me a message and we will talk.