Some birth stories just need to be shared, this is one you'll want to see.

Emotional Natural Waterbirth from Jennifer Mason on Vimeo.

Brittany and Bryan emailed me in the end of their pregnancy, they were looking for a birth photographer and videographer do shoot the birth of their daughter, Belle, who was due in early July.  The couple has a unique lifestyle, Bryan is a jouster for the Renaissance Festival, and the couple travel 11 months out of the year to perform.  They've done this for many years, so if you've attended the joust at the Larkspur renaissance fest in the last several years, then you've seen Bryan.

I kept in close contact with Brittany as her due date came closer and closer, then came and went, there were no signs of labor yet.   But at 1am on July 3rd, the phone rang and it was Bryan, he seemed a little nervous, but said that contractions had started around midnight and they were on their way to the hospital.    Its a long drive for them, and Brittany didn't want to be in the car when labor got intense.  Little did I know then, it was already very intense for Brittany.  Bryan called me back at 2:30am to say they checked Brittany and she was already 8cm dilated.   Woah!   I was on my way out the door in minutes.  

Later I found out that her first contraction started at midnight when she was playing with her cat, she said that one hurt.  Not even a half an hour later, she was throwing up and they were in the car, on their way to the hospital.   In total, her intense and fast labor lasted 4 hours and 50 minutes.

There is lots more about this story to share, but you'll read about it in my photo blog post, which is yet to come.

Birth of Belle - born into water and swimming, alert and ready to eat.

7lbs and 12 oz, 19 inches long.  Born on July 3, 2014 at 4:50am.

Welcomed by her parents Bryan and Brittany and her aunt Brooke.

Born into water at the University of Colorado Hospital with the Center for Midwifery; Leigh Golden was the attending midwife.

Her doula was Autumn Enderle from Dynamic Doulas.

Contact Jennifer if you'd like to chat more about your own birth story being photographed or filmed -- JenniferMasonPhotography@gmail.com, now booking for 2014/2015