I was so excited to be invited to Emilie’s birth!  Emilie attended the birth of my 4th child as a student midwife and since then has completed her education and is in practice herself!  I can’t wait to film births she attends as well!

So alert!

I got the call in the wee hours of June 27th.  Emilie was sure it was labor (we’d had a false alarm a week previous, but that’s OK!).  When I arrived, Emilie was chatting and smiling between contractions.  All of a sudden, she didn’t speak between contractions anymore and she started moving to different positions.  I could tell by the sounds she was making that things were progressing really quickly.  Her husband never left her side.

She labored in the family room for awhile and then moved to their spacious master bedroom where she had set up a birthing station (being a midwife, she was prepared!) with a birth stool (low chair) and waterproofing around it.

Labor moved quickly and soon she was feeling the urge to push.  During labor, she explained that she really wanted to not push and just allow the baby to slip gently down, but I could tell that as the urge became stronger, she couldn’t help but submit and give little grunty pushes.

As her baby crowned, she reached to touch his fuzzy little head.  I don’t know how to describe what happens to a mom when she feels that head, but it’s like her entire body fills with strength and she is more focused and confident.  My midwife friend Jenny West says that women who feel their babies crown and birth with their hand on the head are less likely to tear.  I can see why!

Emilie’s other children watched in excitement as their teensy baby brother emerged.  And  Daddy was pretty darn excited as well!  I love how he caresses her, kisses her softly and whispers “Thank You.”

They chose to cut the cord by burning it.  I’d never seen this done!  It was very interesting to watch.

I enjoyed spending time with the family as they adored their newest member.

And just a note:  Emilie was one of the main sponsors of the Empowering Fearless Birth event!  She gave away a complete prenatal package to a lucky winner!  And I’ll be doing a film with her for that birth.  We’ll post that story together next spring!

Thank you, Emilie for allowing me to film your birth!