Navy Medical Center Portsmouth
Wendi reached out to me about a week before she gave birth…so like, two weeks ago, lol. It was pretty crazy how this all worked out because I had just booked, what I thought would be my first birth, for June before Wendi contacted me about her pregnancy! So having this birth fall in my lap like this is beyond amazing. As if the universe was answering my call, my itch to document something real & meaningul.
Here is Wendi. She is our hero of the story. Her whole demeanor during our consultation at Dunkin Donuts, two days before she went into labor, made me want to be her best friend, right away. She & her husband, Alex, were over-the-moon excited to talk about their son, Oliver. His name, already picked out & in their daily conversations. So sweet. What made this story even more impactful was the fact that they had given birth before, to a baby girl named Margo. She sadly didn’t make it, but they didn’t give up on the idea of having another baby. My heart was so connected to this entire experience that I cried throughout. I bawled when he arrived & had to keep telling myself to keep shooting. I think I actually said it out loud, “keep shoooootinnnnng”. Wendi succeeded with getting the birth she wanted. Unmedicated.
I got the text that she was heading to the hospital with contractions 5 minutes apart, around 11:30 pm. I slipped on my shoes, checked & rechecked my gear one thousand times, & waited to hear more. I ended up heading to the hospital right before 3 am & instantly falling in line with the rest of the family playing support & documenter all at the same time. Baby was born a few minutes shy of 9 am & I was back home by 11. Would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Hampton Roads Documentary Photographer, Virginia Beach Birth Photographer, Coastal Virginia Newborn Photographer, Navy Medical Center Portsmouth
Beautiful❤️