procreation documentation

no, i'm not speaking of porn. haha! birth photography!!
my lovely friend paige asked me about photographing her home birth in a few months. i (maybe a little over-) ecstatically agreed. my mother had my last two brothers at home and i witnessed the "miracle of birth" (orwhathaveyou) twice by 10 years of age. popping out babes seemed like a pretty normal thing to me, but somehow at 9 years old i knew home-birthing was something a little more than bizarre to most people. but i was proud that my mom was a naturalist and i've grown to have the same ideas about birth (and life in general, really.)

anyway, i photographed my sister-friend rashel's birth nearly three years ago. it wasn't at home, but a birthing room with a midwife. it was warm and intimate and precious. no unnecessary medical intrusions, just a woman's body doing what it knows to do. new life, new love.

haha! i <3 nick. and rashel is probably gonna kill me for this one

 

i always figured i'd be a mother some day. i figured it would happen easily, undoubtedly and without hesitation. at 21 i would have predicted i'd have at least one or two spawns by now. but as the years passed the idea became more and more distant. as a young married female of 'prime reproductive age' i had revolted from any maternal ideas, thoughts, suggestions, etc. but even when i was proclaiming to the world that i didn't want kids, i still felt it. and then there was scout marley's birth. it was then, as i attempted to steady my camera with trembling hands and focus through teary eyes, that i could no longer avoid that maternal pull. since then i've been slowly letting myself accept that side of me that i've felt so prominent (but had hidden) my entire life.

now as i'm finally -publicly- admitting this i'm also fully aware how much further away this part of life is for me {especially now}.  regardless of my TypeA-control-freak personality i don't worry about what i can't control. there's no point. it will happen some day. at least i'm hoping. but for now i'm loving my ride. this life is taking me where i need to be. and i'm soo looking forward to documenting all these new sprouts that will be popping up around me. and soaking in my friends new joys. <3


(side note: obviously i know there are exceptions to the "natural" birth process. shit happens. and i'm not condoning unsafe practices or throwing all medical advice out the window. i'm just the chick who will go with nature when it comes down to it. to each his own.)