Pregnancy, Birth and Newborn Photography in Chelsea, Michigan
Early in the year, my clients reached out to me about birth photography in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They had recently moved from Texas to Ypsilanti, Michigan, and were planning a homebirth with one of my favorite midwives, Savannah from Magpie Midwifery.
We chatted on the phone and I liked them right away, sometimes you just ‘click’ with a family and this was one of those times.
We scheduled an early summer pregnancy session and it was beautiful! I love meeting with my birth photography clients prior to birth because it gives us a chance to talk, connect and get to know each other before the birth.
My clients cuddled, kissed, and snuggled as we took photos and talked about the plans for their birth. It was such a gorgeous morning and I could have taken photos of them all day <3 Anyone who has done a session with me knows that if the light is right I could take pics all-day-long!
Scroll down to see more of their gorgeous session and then to read about their birth story.
If you want to read more, click here and read some reflections on my clients birth story as well as images from their postpartum herbal bath.
As we neared their due date, a medical condition forced my clients to transfer their care. Instead of a planned homebirth, they needed to go to the hospital and deliver with the midwives at University of Michigan. It’s always hard to transfer and change birth locations. You’ve planned for months, youve created a team that you feel comfortable with, and then everything is ‘up in the air’. Both of my own births were transfers to the hospital and it crushed me each time. I felt so badly for my clients. Despite the transfer, University of Michigan gave them the freedom to labor alone, without interruption. A nurse came in once per hour to do routine checks, and that was it! At one point, the midwife overnight checked in and gave a ‘thumbs up’ and said “labor on!” I’ve never seen such freedom given and wish that it was the norm each time.
In the middle of the night -big storms rolled through with impressive lightening that occasionally lit up the room. My clients were connected and loving toward each other, and all that oxytocin is great for baby and contractions!
The night turned into morning, and shift change. Anne Rosa, one of the best midwives at University of Michigan came back on shift. We were all so grateful to see her. Every time she steps into a room, especially with my clients who need to transfer, I know it will be a positive and patient led birth. This birth was no exception, she understood my clients had a previous relationship with their own midwife, Savannah, who had been there all day/night with them. They worked as a team to support my clients wishes and give them the best possible birth. I wish every transfer could be like this and I hope to see more of it when transfers have to happen.
The Michigan Homebirth Midwives that I work with are safe and they transfer when necessary and because they put their patients first. Almost every homebirth midwife will transfer to the University of Michigan to the Midwives (unless emergent.) This is how it should be! Midwives should transfer when needed and the hospital should welcome the patients and their team with open arms. It CAN be that easy and I hope it continues to be.
Here are some of the most intimate birth photos that I’ve ever taken and I’m grateful to my clients who have allowed me to share these and some of their story.
This is birth.
Magpie Midwifery, Savannah Stone
University of Michigan, Anne Kathryn Rosa
