When Kandace first asked if I did birth photography, my answer was that I hadn’t but that I was definitely interested in doing it. That was probably almost a year ago.
Fast forward to this summer, Kandace and her first sweet boy, Owen, took a walk to my house (we are very fortunate to live in the same neighborhood), to hang out and enjoy the summer sun, and Kandace surprised me with the news that she was pregnant!
I was so excited when Kandace decided to book both birth photography and a maternity session with me. I was thrilled to be invited to document such an important occasion in someone’s life. Kandace was planning for a homebirth at her home in Pasadena, Maryland, with a team of midwives and a doula. Baby Amos was due December 10th, so when November came, I made sure my bags were packed and ready to go the moment I got the call.
But Baby Amos was quite comfortable and took his sweet time coming into this world. December 10th came and went, and there were no signs that he was ready to make his way earthside. Kandace and I stayed in close contact over the next week, and she spent time trying to relax and mentally prepare for his arrival.
On Tuesday, December 17th, I finally got the message saying that she was having fairly consistent contractions since late that afternoon and that it might be the night! At just after 9:30pm, she let me know that her doula and midwife would be headed her way shortly. She said that it may still be a while but that she would be happy and more relaxed knowing that her support team was there. I arrived about an hour later, and soon met Kandace’s midwife, Brittany (Aglow Midwifery) and her doula, Hannah (The Nurturing Root).
Kandace had an incredible team of women by her side as she labored through the night. It was touching to see the connection between her and her husband, Lonnie, as he tried to lend comfort through the pain. Lonnie, Hannah, Brittany and Rachel (Kandace’s 2nd midwife - Rock Creek Midwifery) took turns rubbing Kandace’s back and just being a calming presence in the room with her.
I was impressed with the calm atmosphere that surrounded Kandace’s labor. There were even some laughs throughout the night. Lonnie was given the job of filling the birthing pool with hot water. He was told to make it hot because it would cool off as the night went on, before Kandace would want to get in. Well he made it hot! So hot that he had to run out and get two bags of ice to cool it off enough that Kandace could get in!
Right around 7am, big brother Owen decided to join Kandace’s support team. He lended some caring touches to let his mama know that he was there for her. As the minutes passed, and labor intensified, it was clear that the long night was starting to wear on Kandace. At the point where she expressed that she wasn’t sure she could do this anymore, we knew that meeting baby Amos was happening very soon.
And finally, at 8:12am on December 18th, we met Amos Lee. He was very content in his momma’s arms, and soon locked eyes with his daddy and then big brother, Owen.
The rest of the morning was spent bonding, monitoring mama and baby, checking all of little Amos’s stats. He weighed in at 8 lbs 8 ounces and was 21-3/4” long. He seemed mostly happy and relaxed as long as he was in mamma or daddy’s arms.
Being able to witness and document Amos’s entrance into this world was an incredible experience. I am so grateful to Kandace for inviting me into her birth space and trusting me to capture Amos’s birth story. I am thankful to Kandace, Lonnie, Owen and Amos for allowing me to be present for this momentous occasion. I am also grateful to Kandace’s amazing team of midwives and doula, Brittany, Hannah and Rachel, for allowing me to document them at their work, for educating me on various topics throughout the night and for completely including me.
Congratulations Kandace, Lonnie and Owen. May your new life as a family of four be filled with joy and laughter. May the struggles only make you stronger. And may you always have the support system that you need. I look forward to watching you all grow and being there for you, not only as your photographer, but as your friend.