Traveling Birth Photographer, Australia - Part 2

One of the honors of my career was flying across the world, to document a birth in Australia. I was beyond honored when Emma asked me to photograph her birth and I just knew that I was meant to be there. My family and I boarded a plane and headed to Australia, it took nearly 40 hours, but we made it! Emma was still pregnant and we did her maternity session that very day.
Labor started slowly and Emma worked really hard to get into active labor. She played with her son and spent time in her beautiful birth space, she walked, and took a shower…and I could see her sinking deeper into her zone as labor got more intense.

During homebirth, I usually feel comfortable, and like I belong. This homebirth was that and more. It felt so special to be a part of their family and to spend this birthing day with them. I got teary eyed about it a few times, that miiight have been partially because I was so sleep deprived, but I was really honored and felt so grateful. My favorite moments were when her son climbed on her, played with her and loved her.

Emma read the home birth book to her son, just like I read it to my oldest daughter. It makes me cry each time. So sweet <3

Emma decided to take a walk, and we stepped outside in the warm evening, and walked a path that she and her family walked, each day, while pregnant.

We got back home, and she went upstairs to be alone. In the quiet, her labor really picked up. She was playing her birth playlist here and got in the shower. I snuck in to grab this shot, it was a moment in the labor that I found so beautiful. She was by herself, in the darkness, laboring in her shower, listening to her body.