Jennifer is now a Michigan birth photographer in the Ann Arbor Michigan metro area.

As many of you know, I recently moved back to Michigan after living in Colorado for 15 years.  I'm excited to move my business to the Michigan birth scene and I'm even more excited to know that there are, in fact, some Michigan Birth Centers.  Over half of my births in Denver were at a freestanding birth center.  I'm surprised there isn't a center in the Ann Arbor area, this city seems like the perfect place for it!   I'd love to see more Michigan birth centers so that women have more choices for their birth.

This birth story took place at a Denver birth center, Mountain Midwifery Center.   Dia and I met early in her pregnancy and I knew she would be an amazing client.  She clearly understood birth, and knew what she wanted her birth to look like.  We all knew that her birth was going to be fast, and it was!   I arrived at the birth center about an hour before baby was born.  Dia was in the water and doing amazing as she rolled through each contraction.  Once the contraction was over, she'd look up at her husband, who would offer her love and support.  It was wonderful to see how supportive and grateful they were of each other.

After less than an hour from when I walked in, baby was born.  The look of gratitude on her face, for her husband, blew me away!  She was so sweet to him.  They were so connected to each other. After baby was born, they waited a long time to cut the cord.  Look at how it's white the cord is below.   It has stopped pulsing, that means the baby has received all of it's blood from the placenta.  When we delay clamping and cutting the cord, we allow our baby to receive the blood that they are meant to have from birth.  The placenta holds part of their blood volume.   The Michigan birth centers facilitate true skin to skin.  Skin to skin means putting baby on mom's chest, first.  Not rubbing baby down with a towel, or putting a towel on moms chest then removing it.  True skin to skin is baby on mom's chest immediately!   The birth centers do an amazing job of this!  It's great for mom and baby!  Unfortunately, mom had some excess bleeding and had to transfer to the hospital.  It was a sad time for all of us, no-one wants to leave their newborn baby.  Dad suddenly had to care for this baby, by himself.  At first I saw the look of fear in his eyes.  Then he held his son, and put him against his chest and smiled and all was right in their world.

The Birth center does an incredible job of checking baby by doing a newborn exam.  This amazing midwife, Aubre, was on my own midwifery team for my first baby.  She is incredible and Denver is lucky to have her!  

Michigan Birth Centers