Austin & Jimmy were so excited to welcome Baby Owen into the world in early March 2020 via a repeat scheduled c-section. Her 9am appointment got bumped to noon and then to 2pm and finally after what seemed like DAYS, Austin was wheeled into the OR at 3:30pm. Hungry, excited and a little nervous, she had the best staff who was joking about “getting dolled up” for the photographer (ME) and they were excited to see the images of them hard at work.
Everything went amazing until baby Owen took a gulp of fluid and needed a little oxygen. He was immediately brought over to be looked at by the on call pediatrician and taken moments later to the nursery for observation. Everything turned out great and Owen is just fine but my heart ached for this mama who was unable to even see her baby until the next morning.
The nurses and doctors atExeter Hospital were AMAZING and gave access for me to capture so many “firsts” that she may otherwise have missed – big brother meeting his new best buddy, Owens first cries and everyone in the waiting room who was holding space. (This was all pre-pandemic of course).
After many tries to get out of bed to be wheeled in to meet her baby we knew it was not going to happen that night so with the help of a little technology (FaceTime), Austin was finally able to see baby Owen.
The next day, we captured their reunion and one of his very first feedings. It was magical! Birth is birth no matter what and we can’t always plan for the outcomes. In this case, mom & dad were so grateful for a happy and healthy baby and I was happy I could help to fill in some of the rest.
Today little Logan turns ONE and I can’t believe it. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was meeting his mom and dad as they patiently waited for his arrival. Most birth clients book me around 30 weeks but this mama well into their third trimester when we met. Dad had seen one of my birth’s on Facebook and said “WE NEED TO HIRE A BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER”. I was so happy when they called.
These newlyweds were so excited to meet this little man and I was secretly hoping he would make his appearance on my birthday, January 11th (which was also his due date) but mom had been having pre-term labor so we all believed he would come closer to Christmas.
On January 7th, I got the call I had been waiting for…”I think I might be in labor, but I am going to go walk the mall so I can get these contractions regular”. BABY TIME! Around 9pm they got to the hospital and things were progressing nicely.
I arrived at St. Joseph’s Hospital at around midnight and Alicia was riding the wave of contractions pretty hard. With the help of her mom, husband and an amazing nurse she was breathing through these very powerful contractions.
Laboring through the night and into the morning hours with no progress, on January 8th, the decision was made that Logan would be born via Cesarean Section. Unfortunately, this meant I would not be permitted into the OR but dad was up for the challenge. Justin gowned up, got a quick camera tutorial and was ready to take on photographing his wife deliver their son in the OR. I have to say, he and the head nurse did a great job!
Many people ask me about photographing a c-section and I always say that I would LOVE to be in there but it is ultimately up to the doctors on call. With this being said, I think it is EXTREMELY important as a Birth Photographer to be there for all of it even if not at the main event.
For my c-section mamas, it is so amazing for them to see how strong they were and also, they get to see ALL the things that they may have missed due to being in recovery. Daddy meeting baby, those first cries, and any measurements that may have been taken. It is always my goal that mom can relive EVERYTHING from that day and if I can help do that, I have done my job.
With all c-section moms, I offer to come back the next day or two days later to do a Fresh 48 session since most of the time after the long time in recovery, they just want to sleep. I was so excited to head back a couple days later to capture Logan’s Fresh 48 Hospital Session.
Stay tuned for part 2 of Logan’s Birth Story later this week…
As a Seacoast NH Birth Photographer, I am honored to be a part of your birth story no matter where it takes place. Hospital, Birth Center, Home and even the OR. If you have questions or would like to learn more about Birth Stories by White Wave Photography, CONTACT ME today. I would love to chat more about your vision.
Are you a new mom looking for other moms to lean on?
I made this PRIVATE (moms and expecting moms only) group not only to share my birth and newborn work, but also to moms to connect with other moms and be empowered by each other. As a mom myself, I am always leaning on other moms for support. The expressions, “IT TAKES A VILLAGE” is so freaking true and I wanted to create a place where mamas (new and veterans) could come and support each other.
Hi I’m Jennie and I LOVE babies! Their smell, wrinkly little toes and adorable chubby cheeks just light up my soul and make me run straight for my camera. Although I’ve photographed many different people and events over my 15+ year career, my favorite clients are the smallest clients, which is why I specialize in maternity, birth and newborn photography.
As a New Hampshire Lifestyle Newborn Photographer, I love to capture natural poses and real details of my tiniest clients. Between 5-10 days is the optimal time to capture a newborn because they are still very sleepy and SO little. When photographing newborns, I have 3 main poses that I LOVE to get every time.
Simpler Diaper or White Onesie
2. Baby Burrito
3. Details – Hair, Lips, Eyes, Toes, Hands – GIVE ME ALL THE BABY TOES!
If you are interested in learning more about a Lifestyle Newborn Sessions by White Wave Photography, fill out the form below to set up a FREE Phone Consultation today. I would love to be a part of your Baby Story.
As a Birth and Baby Photographer located on the Seacoast of NH, I have the privilege of watching the babies that I photograph grow up. It is an honor to be invited into a birth space and I take that honor very seriously. To be present as a woman gives birth is amazing and when she asks you to continue that relationship and capture her son growing up, you get all the feels.
Thank you Ashley for the beautiful words to describe our time together and how much it means to you to have these photos printed to enjoy for a lifetime.
I am always hesitant about hiring Jennie to take pictures only because my husband hates pictures. However, Jennie has a magical way of making my husband feel comfortable. She keeps the pace fast and energy up so my husband doesn’t feel uncomfortable. The only other hesitation comes in when talking about price. Photography is an investment and it can seem hard to justify cost before you hire White Wave Photography. However, the memories Jennie captured are truly priceless. She has a way of capturing us and our personalities during each session and season of life.
My heart is instantly happy when I see my photos. I invest a lot in albums and am amazed at how the photos get more precious to me when I look at my albums. I must watch the birth video of my son at least monthly. Remembering the moment I became a mom (done by a professional!!) is one of the best gifts I have given myself.
Jennie has such a great energy. She is fun, creative, and flexible. When my son isn’t acting his best she has a way of working with his mood and delivering spectacular photos that capture him completely. Jennie has always been available to talk about outfit ideas or location ideas. She is so helpful to make sure I get what I had hoped for. The turn around time is so fast.
White Wave Photography is definitely worth the investment! My child is only a certain age once and it is amazing how fast the seasons of life go by. It is also amazing how fast you forget little nuances. Just looking at my photos reminds me what my son was into blowing raspberries for two months then one day he just stopped and was into something else. I have photos to remind me of that.
Birth photography is the best investment I ever made! I captured becoming a mom and my husband becoming a dad by a professional photographer who knows what to capture and all the right angles. White Wave Photography will be the only birth photographer I use. I never knew she was in the room while I labored and I have every single important moment of that day. I never once thought, “Oh, I hope someone gets a picture of that” or “I need a copy of that picture”. My attention could be 100% on my son and the miraculous moment we became a family. The photos make me look incredible even after labor. Jennie made my husband and I so comfortable. My birth video is one of my most cherished possessions.
~Ashley
Baby Sam is approaching his first birthday and I still can’t believe how fast it has gone by.
As a family photographer in NH, I specialize in Birth and Baby Photography but one of my favorite things is to photograph these babies years later when they are “big boys and girls”. I had the pleasure of being in the delivery room the day that Baby James was born and captured his birth story for his mama.
Austin and Jimmy have been so great to work with and their most recent lifestyle family session in their brand new home was no different. James is almost 2 (I cannot believe it) and it was so much fun the morning of our session. Right from the start he flashed me those gorgeous baby blues for the perfect shot that now hangs on their wall in the living room.
Just like with any “almost” 2 year olds, James quickly wanted to play. And I am down with playing. He took me up to his play room where he proceeded to have a blast making towers and knocking them over with daddy! There were some snuggles with mommy snuck in there once in a while too.
James is such a ham and his favorite things were jumping, running, rocking and chewing on mama’s hair – yup…he likes her hair lol. This is one of those things as a mom that you will look back on and it will tug at your heart strings. They grow up so fast!
Daddy’s mini-me was all about the snuggles with daddy which turned into wrestling…typical boys.
We could not forget the original fur-babies either. James and Daisy are besties and snuggled right up on the couch together. May would rather hang by herself and look from afar.
Austin just shared with me that every morning James will come downstairs to the wall gallery hanging on their wall and point to “mama”, “daddy”, and the doggies. This makes my heart sing! Thank you Austin for sharing your boys with me!
If you or someone you know is looking for a Family Photographer here in NH, contact me today and download your FREE CLIENT GUIDE below.
