The Birth of Carly Fae – August 24th 2023
I had the honor of attending my first Birth as a Birth Photographer just over two weeks ago, and it was everything I had dreamed it would be – just with one missing piece in this fast paced birth story…
Being on-call was exciting, nerve wracking, and complicated all at the same. It will definitely take a little getting used to and be the hardest part of this job, especially the childcare aspect for 3 kids under 6! But hey, this is my dream, so we’ll make it work.
Courtney, my first beautiful Mummy giving birth, had an 'almost induction' at 38 weeks because of high blood pressure, but it ended up not being needed so we both went back to waiting for her sweet girl to arrive.
The days leading up to her ‘Guess date’ had me mentally preparing that it would be any day now, and making sure our weeks at home were quiet without too many plans, just in case.
I then woke up on the morning of her due date with a text at 6.30am saying her contractions were a go and she would continue laboring at home for the next hour/s. The time has come, exciting! I already had all my bags packed, so just had to call my Mum to come round and watch the kids, and got myself ready waiting for the next update from them. This was her first baby, so I was thinking I still had a decent amount of time before I would hear from them, and that it might not even be until later that day that it would be time to head in.
I got a call from Conrad (Dad) at 7.30am saying the midwife would be with them in about an hour to check her blood pressure so they can decide if they go with the original plan of birthing at Warkworth Birthing Centre, or if blood pressure was up then would go the North Shore hospital. So we agreed that once I knew where they were headed I would leave and meet them there.
Next call I get is at 8.20am saying to come now (to their house) as Baby is coming now!!
WHAT! I jumped straight in the car and headed to their house which was 30 mins away from me. Praying on the way that I would arrive with 10 mins spare before baby was born (hoping that ‘Baby is coming now’ meant she was only just starting to push). I may or may not receive some speeding tickets from that journey… but anyway, I got there ASAP and even got my camera all ready to go when I was stopped at traffic lights along the way!
I park, jump out the car, start power walking/jogging with camera ready in hand. Noticed the ambulance outside the driveway, hoping that was just a formality for when baby did arrive. Walk into the house, and there was Mum on the floor with midwives, paramedics and family all around. Yusss, I thought to myself, might have just made it! But then almost instantly I realized it was too quiet for labour… look to my left and there was her gorgeous wee girl on the couch being looked over by midwives. I missed it by the amount of time it took me to drive there, 30 mins! BUMMMMMERRRR.
So now I know, ‘Baby is coming’ really did mean BABY IS COMING LITERALLY RIGHT NOW.
Courtney's contractions started around 5am, and baby arrived at 8.30am! First baby, right on her due date, and from start to finish was here within 3.5 hours! That’s called a precipitous birth – so fast! OR maybe it just seems super fast to me in comparison to my 5 and then 3 day labours with my first two babies haha.
When I was talking to Courtney later on in the hospital, she mentioned that while she was in labour she was thinking to herself ‘am I doing this wrong, because I don’t think it’s supposed to be like this yet, it feels like I'm dying’! I can’t even imagine how intense that must have been. What an incredibly strong women to go through that sort of experience with labour.
So, I started taking photos straight away, and captured all the firsts and details in those beautiful few hours after birth. It was fast paced for me as everything needed captured at once, as not long after I got there Courtney was helped into the Ambulance. Unfortunately she ended up with a 3rd degree tear from little Carly’s super speedy arrival. The Midwife was talking about it later how she didn’t even crown, there was no visible head and then all of a sudden, the head was out! As expected with a very fast birth, little Carly was also quite 'mucousy' to start with (because usually they have that squeezed out during the birth, but with very fast births they don't get that as much), but she was doing fine by the time I arrived
Conrad, the Midwives and I hung around while they got Baby Carly dressed and ready to head into hospital not far behind Mum too.
I drove over at the same time and met them in the hospital. This gave me time to document the first breastfeed, skin on skin time with Mum/Dad, Grandparent cuddles, and Courtney’s experience of getting prepped to have her tear repaired. My heart went out to her having to go through the process of getting an epidural and being in theatre, even after getting her all natural birth. I could feel her strength holding herself together despite that process not being pleasant for her at all. Her husband Conrad was by her side every step of the way helping to make the decisions and having lovely skin on skin time while Courtney was in theatre.
I left the hospital at 11.30am and was buzzzzzing! Buzzing with my own adrenaline from being part of such a special moment in this family’s life, buzzing from being able to work alongside the lovely care team, buzzing from excitement of attending my first birth (well, sort of, the after part anyway, but even that was still amazing), and buzzing because I forgot to have breakfast before I left so was shaking a little from that too haha.
I got home and loaded the photos straight away, making sure they’re all backed up, and I couldn’t help but have a quick squiz through them to check out the magic captured, even though my children were jumping all over me asking questions about what they see on my screen! I love that I can raise them with awareness and normality around the miracle of birth.
So anyway, it’s safe to say that even after this experience, albeit incomplete, I am hooked and cannot wait to make a career out of this. It doesn’t even feel like a job at this point, more like a privilege!
You were amazing Courtney, what an amazing and inspiring Mummy little Carly Fae has. Thank you for inviting me into this incredible journey with you and I wish you and Conrad all the very best raising your gorgeous girl. Welcome to the world Carly Fae.
Can’t wait for the call from my next Mumma due! Let’s just hope she’s not quite so quick, ha!
