The Fast and Focused Birth of Phoenix

It’s been a while since I’ve made a blog post! I figured I’d pop in with a birth that was 7 months ago now, but still fresh in my mind.

3 days of dabbling in the world of maybe labor, through pretty heavy contractions each night starting at 3am, and 3 nights of adrenaline for all of the birth team, I finally received a text on Monday.

12:02am: (Partner, Tony) “Hey, things are progressing. I think.”

Being hesitant to head over immediately, with it being a 45 minute drive - I waited to hear word from the midwife. Jillians Doula was joining her side, saying that she was seemed to be heading towards active labor so I began filling up my car, grabbing charged batteries, and last minute snacks.

12:23am: (Midwife, Samm Magpi) - “I’ll let you know how she is when I get there, 10 minutes out.”

Trusting my gut, which I try to follow heavily for births, I get in my car about 5 minutes later.

12:39: (Midwife, Samm Magpi) - “Head over. Pushing.”

12:41: (Me, dumbfounded)- “Fuck. I’m on my way.”

Definitely not something that birth photographers like to hear, and for lack of a better visual? Pedal to the metal. I turned that 45 minute drive into 25.

12:54: (Me, completely upright and shaking from adrenaline) - “Still pushing?? Be there in 10!”

12:58: (Midwife) “Yes!! Doors unlocked, hurry baby is riiiight here”

At this point, I’m saying screw it to parking and basically park near middle of the road (very narrow street in the city) trip over my things, grab everything in sight and speed up the stairs. I swear half of my initial footage is unusable from how shaken the camera was. I bolted up the stairs to find her thankfully still pushing, hands and knees resting on a yoga ball with calming music and mantras playing over a speaker. An in the moment hilarious parallel to how my body was feeling. But thankfully, with birth being my comfort zone I was able to take a breath and meld into her space. Her husband cradling her and being beautifully present, her friend and doula completely filled to the brim with smiles, her midwives focused and looking proud.

She was centered. In her zone. Evident by the physical oxytocin realm that you could feel when you entered the room. She gently changed positions, and rose out of her peace to show a genuine smile at being able to feel her baby’s head as he was crowning, and we all admittedly got a bit teary eyed. Not 12 minutes after I arrived, Phoenix was born into the arms of his Mother.

I’ll let the film do the honors of showing the explosion of emotion. (At the very bottom of this page!)

After a bit of exploring her new little one, having her first after baby snack and the ones she loves giving her hugs - she discovered a really incredible port wine stain birth mark on his arm! From his shoulder all the way down to his hand, I’ve never seen anything quite like it, we all commented on how awesome it looked though her comment was best “He was born with a full sleeve!” Badass.

Her husband woke her older little, Isla, to come and meet her new sibling. She showered him with lots of tickles, kisses and love. The energy was all very calm, and serene. We all traveled upstairs to have her relax in the big bed, and to have newborn exams done. After, she turned on some insane space lights that made for the perfect ending to a crazy fast birth. Jillian has the energy to just make everyone feel comfortable, and laugh easily, her family is a complete joy to be around and being the one to document her growing life thus far has been some amazing.