As you know we welcomed our 3rd daughter, Claire, at the end of May. I have had several requests for some more pictures from her birth. There are already two posts on this blog about birth photography, Birth Photography: 10 Lessons learned and 6 Tips to Photography your Baby’s Birth, so this isn’t a how-to post but more of a picture share and a place for me to record her story.

I have been blessed with many amazing friends at our current base and one of them, Aspen of Aspen Burke Photography, we kind enough to take birth photos for us.

If you are thinking about having someone take birth photos for you, I HIGHLY recommend it. It was so nice to not have to worry about getting photos of this once in a lifetime moment. Plus, my mom and husband didn’t have to feel the pressure of capturing the moment and could be there to enjoy and be in the moment.

Here’s Claire’s story:
*Disclaimer – I am a HUGE wimp. I have had only one with my previous two pregnancies (one induction and one c-section) so I was hoping to get my epidural before I was in too much pain*

2:45am – I woke up with contractions that were 4 minutes apart. Since this was my 3rd pregnancy they told me to come in when the contractions were that close. We waited until about 3:30am, woke my mom up to let her know we were leaving and headed to the hospital.

We went to triage and got hooked up. After about an hour they said I was only at 3.25cm and could walk the halls or go home for 2 hours.

5am – I decided to go home.

9:30am – Contractions were getting worse and I really wanted my epidural. We headed back to the hospital.

10am – They told us all the rooms were full and I was only at a 4cm. I needed to walk around for another 2 hours. My contractions were every 3-4 minutes and were miserable (remember I’m a wimp). I was learning to breathe through them but I really wanted the epidural.

11:45am – After walking around for almost two hours, I couldn’t bare it anymore and we went back to triage to be checked again. Ian was such a trooper and was so supportive the whole time! My poor mom was sitting in the lobby just waiting for them to check us in.

I was at 5cm and that meant I could stay! Yay!! We just had to wait for a room. After a little while, a room opened up and I put on my fancy hospital gown (Thanks Trisha and Tracy!). I was so happy to be back in a room and know we were that much closer to meeting our little girl.

2:25 pm – I finally got my epidural! 12 hours after the contractions had started. Remember, I only had one contraction with my previous too, so that seemed like FOREVER. My mom asked if I didn’t want to just keep going without an epidural. I think I gave her a look like she had lost her mind!

7:30pm – I was 10cm and ready to push. What is funny is, they kept telling me what a great job I was doing. I couldn’t feel anything and all I was doing was holding my breath while I was “pushing”. ha ha When they said, “good job, keep pushing.” I just held my breath longer ha ha. I finally turned to Ian and said, I’m not pushing, just holding my breath. Ha! Well, it worked!

7:42pm – She is here!! She is perfect! 7 lbs 9 oz and 20 inches.

Talking to my Dad :O)

Meeting Honey for the first time.

I don’t remember the times after that as it was all a wonderful blur. Lots of tears of joy! We were just so happy to have our 3rd daughter here, healthy and wonderful! The hospital staff was A-MAZ-ING! I can’t say enough wonderful things about the staff!

We came home the next day and have been loving her ever since!

Thank you Aspen for these priceless images! I will treasure them always and I am so thankful you were there to take them for us!! Thank you!!!