I was asked last minute if I was available to photograph a birth at the new Tourmaline Birth Center in Pacific Beach, CA where the birthing person was already in early labor. I was, so of course I said yes, because have you seen this birth center!?

the summons

I was made known that she was progressing and was in active labor at about 6:30 am so I let the midwife know that I would begin to get ready and head out as the birth center was an hour away from me.

It was a nice cool morning, definitely different than the blazing heat waves we’ve had in southern California multiple times during the month of July.

I stopped for an Iced Caramel Machiatto like I normally do on my way to births (need that caffeine fix) and arrived to the birth center at about 8 am and things seemed to have simmered down a bit. The birthing person was receiving a bag of IV fluids and resting on the bed. Apparently they had been up all night laboring with little to no sleep, and were running on very low fuel.

the pause

The next few hours were spent walking around, sitting on the toilet, laughing, eating, and chatting. It was filled with connection and emotion. Love and beauty. This couple journeying through the universe to meet their child was one of the most oxytocin inducing births I’ve witnessed in my 3 years as a birth worker.

By this time, it was beginning to get dark. The midwife brought up a few things to bring on some extra oxytocin, and boy did they work. Within 5 minutes, their surges became consistently 3 minutes apart and strong.

They were coping well from what we could see (I say that because we don’t know what is happening in the birthing person’s head, we can see calm, cool, and collected, but they could be thinking they are suffering and on the verge of giving up). Eventually they would get in the bath again, which would provide some relief. At this time, it was very very early in the morning. I had been there for almost 18 hours and was really needing some sleep, so I stepped out of the room to get some rest.

Their best friend would periodically rest in another room as well and same as the midwife, and their husband was always by their side. There was a rotation of support and relief. It was this constant ebb and flow of energy.

the morning

I woke up from a nap to the birthing person vocalizing a lot during surges. They were back in the bath. Things had slowed down again, and they were telling myself and their best friend that they were done. They were tired and over labor and just wanted to go to the hospital. So they got out of the bath and we followed them to the midwives office.

The midwives came out of their office and as the birthing person had a surge where they knelt to the ground, all of the midwives formed a circle around them and supported them through the surge. Validated their frustrations and offered advice and support, not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well.

The midwives had them go back to the room they were laboring in, and try sitting on the birth stool. There was a renewed sense of energy in the room.

the pushing

They pushed for hours. There’s no way around the facts that sometimes pushing can be hours. What we couldn’t see was baby seemed to be slowly working their way under the pubic bone. You could see some bruising on their forehead from pushing against the front of bone after they were born (which would also explain the pushing phase).

They were a fucking warrior.

They did everything that the midwives recommended. Seriously everything, with little to no rebuttal. They were determined as fuck to have this baby.

The Birth

And then at 11:37 am, baby was born while his mom was on all fours next to the tub, roaring his little body out into the world.

He cried while he was still half in his previous home and half in this realm. It’s always surreal when babies do that; cry with only their head born. He came out with a splash, right into his dads hands, passed through mom’s legs and then the birth pause happened. Where the birthing person pauses, and soaks in their baby.

It’s the “holy shit my baby is here. They’re really here. I can’t believe it” moment. And it’s always so amazing to watch in person, because it’s a pause no one in the room can fully comprehend. We’re not in the birthing person’s head. We don’t know what they’re energetically saying to their baby (I mean we can guess and I’m sure we’re close) but we won't ever know. This is a special moment just between the birthing person and their baby.

The Postpartum

After baby is on their chest, the midwives help them all to the bed to lay down to deliver the placenta and then get cleaned up.

Placenta was born not too long after, with no problems. And baby was hungry right off the bat! Was trying to do the breast crawl and was searching and searching for the nipple!

I left while they were snuggling on the bed, after 30 hours of being at the center.

Fuck man, birth is absolutely amazing 💕