The closest I’ve EVER come to missing a birth, was this one right here. Rachel was a scheduled c-section but sweet Merritt had decided she was to choose her own birthday. I got the call that Sunday just before lunch. Admittedly in my pajamas, no make up and doing laundry at home about 25 minutes from the hospital, when my phone rang and I heard Rachel’s mom on the other end: Rachel’s in labor, they’re about to take her back, you’re probably not going to make it. I’ve never run through the house, put close on and grabbed my camera bag so quickly in my life. By the grace of God I was on-call for her with my bags packed and ready, and my husband was home to watch the kids or I would’ve missed it for sure. (Insert sage wisdom of a seasoned birth photographer right here —> this is why we charge the same thing for c-section births as labor clients, there are no guarantees that babies come on certain days).
I arrived at the hospital just knowing I wasn’t going to make it, but the wonderful staff at St. Francis, my family/home away from home, had a nurse at the entrance of the waiting room ready with a set of scrubs for me. They rushed me back, I threw the scrubs on, unpacked my camera, and I kid you not as I put it around my neck they called Justin and I back into the OR. From the time I arrived to baby being born was less than 10 minutes.
Rachel was grace under pressure the whole day… there were concerns in the hours leading up to the delivery, then sweet Merritt required a brief visit to the nursery for some extra help right after birth, and then Rachel experienced a rough patch as well when her epidural wore off precipitously. Her doctor, Dr. Stephens was phenomenal. He is always a calm voice, and a confident comforter. The whole day felt like a whirlwind for me, I can only imagine what it must’ve felt like for her and Justin. When the buzz of busy finally settled down, their precious twin boys (Their birth story can be seen HERE) came to snuggle and love their new sister. And as they tend to do, the bigs steal the show.
