Not as planned, but perfect | Birth photography
They booked a ‘Fresh First hours’ session. That means that I start driving to them when mama starts pushing, and arrive within the first hour after baby is born. I don’t write a birth story (since I wasn’t there for the birth), but I take photos of the first moments getting to know baby, the newborn checks, the first feed, and any visitors. Very occasionally I arrive before the baby does. During our introductory meeting I always explain to the parents that there is a chance of this happening, and if it does happen, and they want me to, I can then also photograph the birth. Mariksa and Ronald didn’t want this. They wanted to experience the birth of their baby (they didn’t know whether it was a boy or a girl) together, as a couple, and once baby had arrived I could go into the room.
Their plan was to give birth in the hospital in Goes, but things went a little differently. At midnight Mariska’s waters broke and the the midwife came round 3 hours later, Mariska was already dilated to 10cm, and there was no more time to head to hospital. When I arrived Mariska had not yet had the baby, but Ronald immediately said, “come on upstairs. Everything is going differently than planned anyway.” And so, by pure coincidence, I was at the birth of their beautiful baby, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it for the world!
Mariska gave birth on the birthing stool, with her tracksuit sweater still on. 🙂 All the way through the pregnancy they thought they were having a girl, but it was a boy! 🙂
A beautiful birth!
Dear Mariska and Ronald, I wish you much happiness with your beautiful little boy, Tijn!
