First Time Dads | Fathers at Births | South Florida Birth Photographer and Videographer

This past month of December I decided to showcase a series of images I captured as a birth photographer (and birth videographer) at births I attended in 2017. Several of the images captured with of first time moms having their baby at Boca Raton Regional hospital. However, I also traveled between Jupiter Medical Center, Broward Health Coral Springs and Broward Health Ft Lauderdale, as well as home births in Coral Springs, Parkland, Boca Raton and even Wilton Manors. 

I wanted to showcase a specific series of images from births that feature dads, partners, spouses, significant others at births.

In the image below, I was attending a birth at Broward General in Fort Lauderdale with Dr. Delisa Skeete, where mom transferred into her care in the third trimester because her previous OBGYN would have preferred to deliver her baby boy that was on the larger side via cesarean section. However, having no other health risks involved, this first time mom really wanted her best chance at a vaginal delivery and was so happy Dr. Skeete's practice accommodated her.

Daddy couldn't be present for his first child's birth because he was serving our country!

But I worked the hardest I've ever worked to honor them with the most beautiful photographs and film so that dad and mom could both feel like he was with them through the entire labor and birth!

I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.

So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer
#thisismywhy

Doing the first newborn diaper | First time Dad

grandma and mom were busy with post-birth care, meanwhile dad was doing his first newborn diaper ever, focused, proud, and now this precious family has this memory to hold onto forever.

I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories. As a birth and newborn photographer in south Florida, it is why I fight so hard for you.

So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer
#thisismywhy

Hypnobirth at Boca Raton Regional Hospital with Orchid Nest

She was away on a retreat when she heard the news that her wife was in labor six weeks early. She nearly flew from down to Boca in a hurry. Here she waits patiently, reminding her wife I am here for you, I am with you, while captivated by meeting her daughter's face for the first time...

I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.
So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended in 2017 as a birth photographer in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Ft Lauderdale and in south Florida to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer
#thisismywhy

First Time Mom | Jupiter Medical Center Birth with Dr. Dudley Brown

I was so excited to meet Erin and Tad when they first reached out to me. I had never met anyone before who permanently lives in an island and I was excited to meet this couple from the Bahamas about to have their first baby (a baby boy) in Jupiter. 

Jupiter Medical Center is one of my favorite hospitals to work in as a birth photographer in south Florida. I love that somehow, all my births at Jupiter Medical have been overnight. The drive from Broward to Jupiter overnight is always calm, quiet, with empty highways, and good vibes as the highway lamps light the road every few yards.

The hospital is always so calm and quiet during the night. But it's not a creepy feeling like some of those hospitals that have empty, desolate wings that look like they're decades old. 

Everything about Jupiter Medical Center, especially their Labor and Delivery unit is so modern, clean and vibrant. You walk in and you feel the positive energy in the air. It's a happy place to be.

Jupiter Medical Labor and Delivery Nurses are some of the best I have worked with.

Every single one of them is filled with optimism, has a reassuring smile, is well versed in caring for laboring mothers, and easily adaptable to all forms of laboring from unmedicated to inductions, and even cesarean births.

I hope you enjoy these hospital labor and delivery photos from this beautiful first time mom and dad's birth...

Falling in Love with baby girl | Boca Raton Regional Hospital Birth Photography

They were so lost in her, dad had no idea how desperately he would fall in love the moment he met her and the love just kept growing over the first hour.

How would they have captured this (wanting to have only their birth team with them at delivery), this moment would only stay in their memories (like my own birth stories are) without this photograph

I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.
So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer
#thisismywhy

Home Birth with Peaceful Pregnancy Pathways in Loxahatchee, Florida

Just LOOK at dad holding her hand, eyes on caressing her delicate shoulder.

He never left her side through her entire labor. (in the background you can see grandma and their son eagerly waiting to meet the baby, affirmations on the wall reminding her she is a warrior, she is loved)

I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.

So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer
#thisismywhy

I love being a birth photographer in south Florida. I work mainly in Boca Raton, and I hands down recommend Boca Raton Regional hospital as my favorite hospital. 

The experience there is amazing. Their staff and nurses are so sweet, caring and not pushy or judgmental of your birth preferences. They are use to caring for moms who are planning a schedule cesarean as well as moms who plan on having an unmedicated, least intervention as possible hypnobirth!

Immediate Skin to Skin | Breastfeeding within one hour of birth in Boca Raton

He knew her #1 birth preference was to do skin-to-skin & breastfeed within that first hour of birth.

This doesn't always happen, and often it is due to a clerical hospital matter, such as a shift change, understaffed hospital, etc.

Often times, it isn't about the state of mom or baby's health.
He fought so hard, despite meeting so many obstacles to make it happen for her. 
This is baby's successful first latch with only the help of daddy.

Shout out to all the hero dads out there who fight so hard for their babies and partners.

As a birth photographer in Coral Springs and Boca Raton, I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.
So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer
#thisismywhy

First time dad | Falling in love with his newborn baby boy at Jupiter Medical Center

Look at dad!
Look how he is resting his cheek on his hand, drawing back the hospital blanket to really take in his newborn son's face for the first time.

I see these emotions in my client's partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.
So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this first image of a series of photos from births I attended as a south Florida birth photographer in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with.
#southfloridabirthphotographer

MY WHY'S | The Reasons Why Birth Photography

It’s a beautiful Monday and there are 23 days left until Christmas, and for the next week (or maybe rest of the year) I’m going to share with you my personal WHY:

There's a few reasons why birth photography.

Why I am so passionate and devoted to my birth clients, and the very first one starts with partner:

I have no idea what my husband's emotional reactions looked like during the highs and lows of my birth stories. If you can relate to this give me a "I feel ya" down in the comments, but my husband is not a very emotional guy so I would do anything at this point to go back in time and be able to see all the emotions on his face ranging from nervousness, boredom, excitement, blissful joy, pride and the ultimate relief that she's finally here.

I see these emotions in my clients partners and spouses and I have a deep desire for my own birth stories.

That's why I fight so hard for you.

So you can have what I never will.

Now you know my first why.

Enjoy this series of photos from births I attended in 2017 to see how I captured my first why for the families I work with as a hospital and home birth and newborn photographer in south Florida.

R1 Coffee Company | Where Friends Meet to Unwind

My partner and dearest friend Lena and I meet every week for a couple of stolen hours to unwind away from motherhood, home and errands.

This week we found a classy & elegant modern styled coffee shop in the heart of Boca Raton.

Our lattes were adorable ~ expert made.

I took my first taste and said to Lena "are these sweetened?" 

I honestly had never tasted such a smooth cup of coffee in my life. And I am pretty obsessed with the deliciousness of coffee.

It makes you wonder, when you've tasted something this good, how in the world you've ever spent ten+ years of your life indulging in anything else.

I didn't even wait. As Lena was taking notes for our epic event we are hosting in February, I completely downed my latte with delight.

If you haven't been by this delightful coffee shop, we highly recommend it!!

They have a location off of Dixie Highway and Palmetto Park Road (which is where we stopped by and met Sebastian, the charming barista) and another location on Federal Highway just south of Spanish River Boulevard that we can't wait to visit! We heard the owner hangs out in one of the two locations and we are excited to meet him. We love their mentality behind working as a team, planning as a team, because it reflects Lena and my mentality for our partnership. And we hear that they are opening a third location off of Military Trail!!

And their food is out of this world - totally did not expect that from a coffee shop. Typical coffee shops have croissants and pre-made breakfast sandwiches, but it was overwhelmingly clear when I took the first bite out of an egg bake with a fancy name I can't remember: three eggs baked into a chimichurri sauce with mushrooms, spinach and feta cheese. I am pretty sold on the idea of making this my regular breakfast spot.

I hope you love these sneak peeks of this phenomenal caffeine boost!