Sage's birth story will always be one of my favorites. And this family...man, they were the most connected and loving family I've ever worked with.
I've told part of Sage's birth story before, through my images on social media. But I thought hearing it from her mama's perspective would be even more powerful.
The Backstory
[Sage] was a planned rainbow baby after a miscarriage. After years of thinking we were done, our lives changed again and suddenly a baby was on our radar. After losing a baby we got so incredibly excited for, we decided to try for real!
It took a long 10 months of heartbreak again and again to finally get pregnant! I was not sure I was ovulating and the three months before we conceived I went in for some blood work. It was cycle day 21 and I was getting ready for my blood draw and I always tested early. I couldn’t believe it when the test was positive! And the next and then a digital too! I hopped right into bed and woke up my husband with tear filled eyes and said “I ovulated!” With a test that said “pregnant” right on the front! We cried but were hesitant to get too excited…
Being pregnant after a miscarriage is tough stuff. And my brain wouldn’t let it go. We were super excited to tell our kids after we heard a heartbeat at 8 weeks. Their excitement was everything. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I couldn’t get excited! I literally didn’t buy anything the entire time. Felt kicks and still didn’t want to have my heart broken again. Finally, around 20 weeks I felt like I could breathe a bit.
We started prepping for our home birth. My 7 and 9 year old watched every video with me. We spent days talking about how we wanted everything to go. We were ready and our home birth would be perfect.
My oldest would catch with my husband.
Water birth.
Affirmation cards colored by my kiddos.
My middle would cut the cord and weigh baby.
It was going to be perfect!
Labor Day
It was May 3rd. After weeks of prodromal labor on and off, it was finally happening. I labored in front of my fireplace. My best friend was there, along with my friend who’s a midwife. We all just hung out. Around 5am my water broke. There was meconium. We had to start doing vital checks every 15-20 mins. But everyone was good. Baby sounded great. My vitals were stable.
I woke up my husband. It was go time. I wanted my girls around me. My pup Oakley wasn’t going anywhere but by my side. Clay was a rock. It was surreal. Best morning ever. I was worried about my labor stalling still, so I went to the bedroom with Clay and Oakley. I enjoyed that time with them. My girls came in from time to time and did counter pressure. I started laboring harder. Something was shifting and I wanted in the water!
The tub was great. But when labor shifted again I knew something wasn’t right.
I had the urge to push, which felt normal. But when I reached in to feel a head come down with my pushing my baby didn’t move. I felt stuck. I pushed and baby was definitely not moving.
I shifted positions. I knew I needed to keep trying different spots. Nothing was working. The contractions started coming right on top of each other and I felt my body change. I knew I needed help. And it wasn’t because it was transition. My kids were watching and my body wasn’t Cooperating. I asked for a transfer.
My team did exactly what I wanted them to do. Said no, encouraged me to keep going. But I had made a deal with Clay. I had promised to not ask for help unless there was no other option. I turned to him and said “I need to go to the hospital now. Something isn’t right.”
The Transfer...
I had a cervical lip. It wasn’t budging. But the half that was ok was fully dilated. So I was pushing against a half open cervix. My blood pressure was high due to pain.
After everything had calmed down and we fought the good fight with the doctors, we had a plan.
My kids were still going to be involved.
I still had my team.
My kids and clay.
I still had [Leslie].
And the time finally came…
Watching my first baby catch my last was amazing. All of my fears and trials didn’t matter anymore in that moment. And I was SO proud of my family and how they handled the entire thing. Like, I’m freaking blessed!
Every moment was memorable. I soaked it all in. The difference this time is I’ve done this before. I’ve blinked and saw how fast those days go with our older two. I wasn’t taking a single moment for granted.
My family is my world. The entire thing.
And the sweetest, most unexpected kind words ❤
"I'm glad you were a part of our story. You were amazing, and if I ever have another baby, I plan to try to twist your arm to get you to join us again one more time 🥰"
If you don't have a plan to capture your birth story yet, go download my FREE Birth Photography Shot List - with all of the most important moments to capture, along with some pro-tips for better, more creative images. Grab it here --> Birth Photography Shot List
If you're local to the Lincoln NE area and want to learn more about birth photography and videography services, let's connect! Your initial consult is always free so you can get ALL the info and ask all your questions before deciding if professional birth photography is right for you.
My goal is to help shift cultural perceptions about birth and parenthood through the power of unbiased support and visual storytelling. Our stories are powerful. Birth is powerful. The more we share our stories, the more we normalize birth and the struggles/triumphs of parenthood. Our stories shape who we are, and they have the power to show others that they're not alone. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to share this story with someone who it can inspire.
