Virginia Baptist Birth PhotographerThe Birth of Maxx

There are so many elements to this birth story at Virginia Baptist Hospital that have made it one of my all-time favorite birth experiences I've ever captured. I was connected to this family through another amazing photographer, Kristen. Parents, L & J, booked me literally days before labor started. Mama was admitted into the hospital just months after the painful loss of her sweet girl, Gabrielle and I arrived shortly after they had settled into triage. Arriving while they were still in triage gave us a wonderful window of time to get to know one another. We laughed, prayed, and waited patiently. After a few hours of minimal progress, they decided to go home and get some rest. Before we knew it, we were back again, and labor was in full swing! 

This was mama's first epidural-free delivery! It was also the first time, after four other healthy deliveries, that she did not know the gender of the baby making his or her arrival. This was also the longest gestational period she had experienced as well. Whew - what a wait!  

Observing this birth story unfold was both bittersweet and absolutely beautiful. I have such admiration for L and her love for her family. She was nothing but eager to hold her littlest baby, and her lack of hesitation throughout the painful process was an absolute inspiration to me. There were so many unique elements to this story and at one point, the nurse who was present during the birth of Gabrielle came in to greet this mama and hug her. Whew boy, the tears just started flowing! By the time mama delivered her baby boy, both the midwife and the nurse who were present during Gabrielle's birth were present in the room, helping her to safely deliver her beautiful rainbow baby. 

Amazing, right? See for yourself through the pictures. <3 

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Are you expecting and considering hiring a birth photographer? I am currently booking births for late summer and early fall of 2017. I book a very limited number of births, so if you are considering hiring a birth photographer, please get in touch soon. If you would like to meet in person, birth consultations at the studio are free of charge and carry no obligation. I don't want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to have this short and sweet season of life documented. Contact me today to reserve your birth month.

Roanoke Memorial Birth Photography | Brand New Baby Session

Each time I meet with a prospective birth client, we go over all the details and the "what-if's." One of these questions is What if I Miss Your Birth? I remember my own experience, when we were planning a home birth, and my midwife sat us down at an appointment and said "Now. This paper has instructions on what to do if the baby gets here before I do. Let's discuss." And my jaw dropped, you guys! Because what?! Why would you miss the birth? I quickly realized that it is a complete possibility... otherwise women wouldn't be having babies in parking lots and riding down highways all the time! Am I right?

So when this Roanoke mama booked me for her birth she was planning to have here in Lynchburg, we had the same conversation. When the birth day came, Erin texted me throughout the day saying she was "having false labor contractions." I remember reading that and thinking she must be in denial because usually one doesn't label contractions false until they stop! Erin kept in touch and after a few hours she let me know she would definitely be heading to the hospital soon. I was getting ready, putting my girls down for the night, and waiting patiently for that "we are on the way" phone call.

Finally after a few hours, I was a bit concerned and tried to call her. About five minutes after I didn't get an answer, Erin's husband called me. Their sweet girl came before they could get in the car! Oops! (Right at their front door... they were really trying to leave! Haha!) What a story!

We quickly discussed their options and decided since they were over an hour away, it would be best if I came the next morning to photograph their sweet girl and her big sister. Below are a few of my favorite pictures from our time together. Big sister was just SO smitten! 

Liz Cook is a wedding, family and birth photographer in Central Virginia. She loves to photograph emotional and discreet birth stories, the details of parenthood, and fun and easygoing couples in love. 

Launching The Birth Session Website

With the new year around the corner and the holidays in full swing, my mind has been on goal setting, reviewing what did and didn't work in 2013, and brainstorming ways to create a better experience for my clients in 2014. 

One thing that didn't work for me in 2013 was burnout. I pushed my boundaries quite a bit and learned from it. With that in mind, I started brainstorming ways I could find a healthier balance between doing what I love (photographing love) and paying the bills. There's a lot that goes into running a business that isn't always a ton of fun. But, it's necessary in order to maintain a career of doing what I love.

After much thinking and conversing with Tommy, we've decided to dive full force into bringing The Birth Session to life in 2014. I made the big announcement on Facebook this morning, but I wanted to make sure my blog readers didn't miss the news:  

I've launched a new website for the birth side of things,
and a new Facebook page.

Because birth is such a passion of mine, I didn't want my wedding and portrait photography business to become overwhelmed with birth pictures and conversations. While the two types of photography are similar in that they are both photojournalistic and full of emotion, they are also obviously different. So this is a great way to help keep things separate and to respect my brides, grooms, and families who have no interest in birth whatsoever. 

I hope you'll come over and like the new Facebook page. (And share it with your friends if you think they may be interested, too!)