Midwifery Center at DePaul in Norfolk, Virginia
Precipitous labor | December 23, 2019 | 2:30 am
Stella arrived just in time for Christmas. Her entrance into this world was so rapid and fierce that her mommy barely had a chance to make it inside the hospital. So quick, in fact, that I hadn’t arrived yet. SO FAST, that her daddy had just dropped mommy off at the ER and was still parking the car when baby girl decided it was time to make her appearance. Yes, daddy missed her birth, too!! But none of that mattered because Stella was here – happy and healthy.
Precipitous labor: extremely rapid labor and delivery. It is defined as the expulsion of the fetus within less than 3 hours of commencement of regular contractions. Well, my amazing client, Sheena, birthed her baby girl naturally and unmedicated with labor lasting barely 1 and a half hours. Her water broke in the wheelchair as they wheeled her up to her room from the ER and she began pushing immediately upon entering that room. 3 primal pushes later, Stella was born. Several minutes after that, her dad, Seth, walks in the room, shocked! And I walk in witnessing him skin-to-skin with his brand new daughter while Sheena smiles the biggest smile in the world and we begin to laugh. I probably said “omg” a million times. I’m pretty sure I’m still in shock, but couldn’t be happier for the Phelps family. I returned a few hours later to photograph Bret meeting his new sister and those are probably my favorite photos, ever!
Midwives: WomanCare Midwifery
Virginia Beach Documentary Photographer, Hampton Roads Birth Photographer
Take a look at a home birth I documented earlier this year https://camillecamacho.com/2019/07/06/sonja-home-birth-story-virginia-documentary-birth-photographer/
Gear: Nikon D810 + Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art lens
