The Birth of Baby Girl. A Story I Will Never Forget.
There are some enquiries that make you do a little happy dance, and this was definitely one of them.
When Nicol first got in touch to ask if I would photograph the birth of her baby, I was absolutely over the moon. Birth photography is something incredibly special to me. I have photographed births before and every single one has left a mark on my heart. There is something so raw, so emotional and so unbelievably powerful about witnessing new life come into the world.
Being there isn't just about taking photographs. I become part of the support team. A calm face in the room, someone to encourage, reassure and quietly document every incredible moment.
Nicol was expecting her fourth baby. She already had two gorgeous boys and the sweetest little girl. This baby was going to be a complete surprise, which made it even more exciting.
She told me all of her other babies had arrived late, so naturally we both assumed this little one would keep everyone waiting too.
As her due date got closer we spoke almost every day.
"There are a few little twinges."
"I don't think it's anything."
"Maybe tonight."
Every message had me checking my phone with excitement.
Then finally the message came.
They were heading to hospital.
And would you believe it...baby had picked their actual due date. I don't think any of us expected that.
I actually arrived before they did and sat waiting with butterflies in my stomach. It never gets old.
Once they arrived we made our way up to the birthing suite.
It was such a lovely room. Soft lighting, a comfortable bed, a sofa and a huge birthing pool. It felt calm and peaceful, exactly the sort of environment you hope for.
Labour started gently.
Well...gently might not be the right word because the contractions were very real, but there was time to chat between them.
Ben was incredible from the very beginning.
He barely left Nicol's side. He encouraged her through every contraction, rubbed her back and made sure she knew she wasn't doing this alone.
Then came the star of the evening.
The massage gun.
Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen one used in labour before, but Nicol swore by it for helping with her back pain. It became everyone's favourite bit of equipment for a while.
Between contractions we chatted about everything and anything.
One of my favourite conversations was about baby names. They had the cutest list and because nobody knew whether baby was a boy or a girl, every name felt like it was still in the running.
As labour progressed Nicol decided to get into the birthing pool.
It was definitely the right decision.
She began using gas and air as the contractions became stronger and much closer together. Ben stayed beside her the whole time, gently rubbing her back, speaking quietly to her and reminding her just how amazingly she was doing.
Watching them together was beautiful.
You could see just how much love and admiration he had for her.
At one point we all started guessing what time baby would arrive.
Every single prediction was somewhere between ten o'clock and midnight.
Safe to say...
We were spectacularly wrong.
I remember sitting in front of Nicol while she was in the pool. At one point a single tear rolled down her cheek.
It completely got me.
She was being so unbelievably brave. Labour is hard. There is no pretending otherwise. Watching someone work through that amount of pain with such determination is incredible.
By about twenty past eight everything changed.
The contractions suddenly became much stronger and much closer together.
The room shifted.
The midwives quietly started preparing for delivery.
Hang on a minute...
What happened to our midnight predictions?
Everything suddenly became very real.
Nicol's wonderful midwife, Terri, was amazing throughout. She was also very happy with the little light I use on my camera, which made it much easier for everyone to see what was happening while keeping the room lovely and calm.
Then came the moment.
Baby was crowning.
You could see Nicol digging so deep, listening carefully to every instruction from the midwives, controlling her breathing and giving everything she had with every push.
One huge push and baby's head was here.
Terri calmly explained she could feel the cord, so the next pushes needed to bring baby safely into the world.
Push.
Push.
And at 8.44 pm this beautiful little baby arrived.
Terri helped Ben gently guide baby through Nicol's legs.
Then we all noticed something that made us smile.
The cord was sitting over baby's shoulders like a tiny pair of braces.
Baby was making quite the entrance.
Terri carefully lifted the cord away and baby was placed safely onto Nicol's chest.
The relief in the room was instant.
The emotion was overwhelming.
Everyone took a breath.
Then came one of my favourite moments I have ever photographed.
"Do you want to find out what baby is?"
Nicol reached down.
A few seconds later came the words...
"It's a girl."
I cannot even explain that feeling.
I found out the gender of both of my own children before they were born, so I had never experienced that incredible moment of surprise.
Being there to witness it was honestly magical.
I don't mind admitting I was grinning behind my camera.
You would think this is where everything becomes calm.
Unfortunately for poor Nicol, her evening wasn't quite finished.
After a short rest the contractions returned while everyone waited for the placenta.
My heart really went out to her.
It took several minutes before it was finally delivered, allowing everyone to carefully help her move onto the bed with her beautiful new baby still safely beside her.
While Nicol got comfortable, Ben had the honour of cutting the cord.
Then came one of those lovely peaceful moments.
Mum, Dad and baby all snuggled together while clever little baby girl found her way to her very first feed.
It was beautiful.
Sadly the evening still had another challenge in store.
Terri needed to check whether Nicol needed stitches.
Gas and air helped as much as it could, but after such a quick birth, everything became a little overwhelming.
Suddenly Nicol closed her eyes.
Within seconds the emergency buzzer had been pressed and I don't think I have ever seen so many staff appear so quickly.
Ben cuddled baby while I sat beside him on the sofa, giving the midwives the space they needed to care for Nicol.
Thankfully, within just a few minutes, she was awake again.
Naturally she felt frightened.
But the support around her was incredible.
Everyone did exactly what they needed to do, calmly and kindly.
While baby had her newborn checks, Ben held her close with so much love.
She weighed a very healthy 3.56 kg.
Absolutely perfect.
And yes...there was still one final hurdle.
The stitches.
By this point it probably felt like the pain had simply never stopped for Nicol.
Yet somehow, alongside all of that discomfort, there was this enormous wave of love and happiness because their beautiful little girl was finally here.
Eventually there was a shower.
Tea.
Toast.
Lots and lots of baby cuddles.
The room became peaceful again.
It was time for me to quietly gather my things.
Before I left we shared a hug, and as always happens after a birth, I walked away feeling unbelievably grateful that this family had trusted me to witness one of the biggest moments of their lives.
The drive home was one of those journeys where you replay every moment in your mind.
The laughter.
The tears.
The unexpected jokes.
The strength.
The support.
The messy bits.
The beautiful bits.
Every single second.
I drove home smiling.
Every birth reminds me just how extraordinary women are.
The human body never stops amazing me.
It really is one of life's greatest miracles.
Why Birth Photography Matters
People often ask me why they should invest in birth photography.
My answer is always the same.
Because one day the tiny details will begin to fade.
You won't remember exactly how your partner looked at you.
You won't remember the first time you held your baby.
You won't remember the way tiny fingers wrapped around yours within seconds of being born.
You won't remember the look on your face when you found out whether you had a son or a daughter.
In the middle of labour you are completely focused on bringing your baby safely into the world. There is so much happening that it is impossible to take it all in.
Birth photography allows you to experience those moments afterwards.
It tells the story you were too busy living.
It captures the strength, the vulnerability, the teamwork, the laughter, the tears and the overwhelming love that fills the room.
These photographs become part of your family's history.
Your children will one day be able to see the moment they entered the world and just how fiercely they were loved before they had even opened their eyes.
For me, birth photography is never just about beautiful images.
It is about compassion.
It is about support.
It is about knowing when to quietly stand back and when to simply hold a hand.
It is about celebrating every birth exactly as it unfolds without judgement.
If you invite me into your birth space, I will arrive with wonder, kindness, calmness and an open heart. I will cheer you on through every contraction, quietly document the moments you miss and preserve your story with honesty and love.
It is the greatest privilege I could ever be given.
And I promise you this.
Years from now, when your tiny newborn has grown into a cheeky toddler, a teenager or an adult, these photographs will become some of the most treasured images you own.
Because there is only one first hello.
And it deserves to be remembered forever.
