Homebirth Pictures Thread

[sunflowergrrl]

Hi everyone, This will be my first homebirth and I need ideas for homebirth pictures. If you have a favorite pic, here's the place to share it!

I am due in 4 days and trying to keep my mind off of not being in labor yet. I want to make sure I caputure all of those precious moments. Having some ideas of great pics will be awesome, not to mention keeping me pumped up and ready for our birth.

[moonglowmama]

Well, I don't have a picture to post (none are digital) but, the ones I'm really glad to have are the labor ones. Because, let's face it, we labor a lot longer than we push the baby out. They showcase all the work, the energy, the love between me and my family members.

Also, that moment that happens as the baby is being born and right after where we realize we have a BABY!!!!

[sarahn4639]

Here's a slideshow of our second birth. I agree that I love the labor pics. I only have immediately after the birth pics from my first so I made sure to have people take pics the second time.

[LiLStar]

I don't find my labor pics all that interesting. Except when dd was playing in the pool with me. I like my crowning pics though. And with the head just out. Wild! And I think it was the apprentice taking tons of pics immediately after the birth which ROCKED! I pushed him out on hands and knees so I didn't even see him until I'd caught my breath enough to bring myself to turn around, so there's pics from before I even saw him. There's pics of the midwives wiping him down and trying to stimulate him to breathe (he took his sweet time) and giving him oxygen. Might be "uncomfortable" pics for some people, but its HIS birth, and I'm glad to have it documented entirely with all the ups and downs! The pictures aren't "pretty" but I don't care. There's blood and meconium all over the place. There's mec oozing between my fingers as I hold him for the first time. All these things make it so real!

Some others that I loved seem kinda artsy in a way I dont' think were intended. Like one with a close up of me holding ds for the first time, my hands and a midwife's hand on his back, and a couple other hands on me. Its zoomed in enough that you can't see anything but me, the baby, and all these hands on us. Its really cool. Another, taken by dh, was me holding the baby surrounded in a semicircle by the entire birth team (5 women) that kinda captured all the support that was there. My other faves are the first nursing. The apprentice was taking lots of ninja style pics because I was pretty oblivious to any cameras (which made for great candids) There's my nipple between his open lips, and then the next one is him latched on looking so content. precious!

I also have: the placenta, both sides. being weighed, first diaper, newborn exam, tilting him to help fluid drain from his lungs, cutting the cord, and the midwives cleaning the carpet! Little details like that that I would completely forget about if I didn't have pics of it.

Just make sure you have a well charged battery and a memory card with LOTS of space and tell anyone who is attending that if they found themselves with nothing to do, to pick up that camera and get busy!

[ellasmomma]

Here is a slideshow of my homebirth in March... It was amazing...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnifyd0rlI0

[sunflowergrrl]

Sarah and Ella - thank you so much for sharing those wonderful pictures!

and Lil Star - thanks for the reminder to have a clean memory card - I charged my battery but forgot about the card!

[Belle]

I have a slide show of our homebirth also. If you plan on videoing be sure that the designated person knows what they're doing. We've got some fantastic shots of somebody's sandaled feet. Fortunately one our midwives took some still photos that are almost as good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZOpQuyjiCk

[athenalove46]

Thank you ladies for showing these slideshows! How amazing. I'm sitting here bawling they are so beautiful.

[Comtessa]

I didn't get very many pics of our labor at home - I wish I'd asked my SIL to take more photos of labor (and not just the birth itself), because we were a hospital transfer and I don't have much record of those days and days of home labor and the HARD WORK it took to stay there that long.

My favorite photos from DD's birth are:
1) DH and I dancing through a contraction in the living room
2) my dad mowing the neighbor's lawn because he was so desperate to keep himself busy while I was in labor
3) the clock on the wall, showing the time of her birth
4) the front page of the newspaper for the day of her birth
5) a close-up of DD's face, all slimy and screwed-up in surprise, just as she was placed on my stomach

ETA: if you want to have photos of your birth, make sure you put that in your hospital transfer plan and get your doc's permission - lots of hospitals don't allow photos, I had to battle the nurses (while pushing!) to get my SIL and her camera into the L&D room.

[yaya'smum]

Ellasmama, it was very cool to watch your video, and see "my midwife". I can't wait to have pics of my own, a great inspiration!

[CrunchyMamaToBe]

There are photos from our homebirth on our photographer's website, in the Galleries tab.

Link.

[ellasmomma]

Originally Posted by yaya'smum

Ellasmama, it was very cool to watch your video, and see "my midwife". I can't wait to have pics of my own, a great inspiration!

So you have Sue as your midwife? She's amazing, she knew what I needed when I needed it... Love her!
Can't wait to see your pictures, I know you'll have a beautiful birth!

[ann_of_loxley]

I LOVE pictures! Thanks for starting this thread and thanks to all the ladies sharing!
I can't wait to have pictures of this birth. DS was a section baby and this baby we are planning a home birth. I will even be brave enough to put them up on youtube! lmao
I will be all 'look what I did world!!!!' hehe

[Lora0404]

I am starting to do Birth photography and am loving it! There are some pics posted on my page: www.loradentonphotography.blogspot.com

[Lynn08]

First off, congrats sunflowergrrl!

So, I don't have any pics of the actual labor and birth for a couple reasons. 1)I just didn't want them - I hate getting my pic taken at the best of times lol and 2) I only wanted dh at the birth and he was needed elsewhere (as a pp said, we danced thru early labor ).

These are some of my favorite pics from immediately after the birth.
Meeting our daughter
In between screams
First family photo
First nursing session
Proud papa (sitting on The World's Ugliest Couch)

There are more of family and friends visiting later that day, but I think you get the point. Good Luck!

[cocoanib]

Thanx for sharing ladies!
These are all fantastic.
I love pics and video, so I'm definitely having a couple of people designated to be filming and snapping away.

[ErinsJuneBug]

Heres the video montage from my HBAC in July.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site...edium=text_url

[sunflowergrrl]

nak

Thanks everyone for sharing! I had my wonderful homebirth 2 weeks ago. Here is a SHORT slideshow.

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=2efbd467.pbw

[ellasmomma]

Originally Posted by sunflowergrrl

nak

Thanks everyone for sharing! I had my wonderful homebirth 2 weeks ago. Here is a SHORT slideshow.

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=2efbd467.pbw

Beautiful!! Love the "So happy" one... You can feel the emotion! Congrats!

[threadbey]

I didn't want pics of labor the first time , which I then slightly regretted, especially when it came time for the second - I would have loved to have photos of the process for ds to look at. This time we have 150 photos of a 6 hour labor (and immediately after). It was during the day, the room was sunny, the pics are absolutely incredible. Maybe think about your lighting options?

I love the labor photos of me and dh together and the pic of the head coming out is stunning - and actually decent because I was squatting and the pic is from the side so all you see is the curve of my butt and her head hanging out! I also like the pics without me in them - like of the midwives watching me, the weather out the window, the birth supplies waiting, that kind of thing.

I was glad I was wearing a comfy nursing sleep bra because I got hot at the very end and ripped my shirt off but we still have nipple-less pics of me holding dd for the first time etc. On a similar note - think about what colors you look good in when setting out something to wear (if you're wearing anything).

I got a clean shirt in a great color on fairly soon after the birth and those photos are the ones we sent out in the email announcement. I'm not normally too concerned about my appearance, but those photos are amazing and it is too much fun to have everyone tell you you look like a movie star thirty minutes after giving birth . The lighting in the hospital makes everyone look a little green - definitely the important reason to stay home :P