Baby born in caul at home in water.

Christmas Home Water Birth ~ Abbotsford Birth Photographer

3/24/2015

My sister. I only have one sister… and we've always been close. She's been at both my births, and I've been to hers. This was a special birth because it's the last time she will travel this journey and experience these emotions. (I'm crying just typing those words.) Birth is hard. It's not "fun" but there is something about it that's magical. Despite the pain, women want to give birth. My sister is an amazing birther. She is in control in her labours, she's focused, she knows she needs back pressure, silence and water. It's been the same every time, so it was nice to know what to expect this time, except we didn't expect things to happen as fast as they did.

Rewind back to the holidays. All through Christmas we were waiting for this little babe to arrive. My sister was overdue and we were waiting… in anticipation at every family event. Finally on Boxing Day, after all the family events were wrapped up, she called me at 8:45pm to let me know things might be starting but were "early." I hurried to her house which was quiet and peaceful. It was a beautiful night for life to enter this world. The kids were all sleeping, and she and her husband were working together. The 3 of us offered up a prayer for safe delivery. Things moved quickly… the midwives soon arrived to set up and when they checked her, she was already 10cm. The tub was finally full and she crawled in and melted into the water… (oh, I remember how good that water feels.) 5 minutes later and another boy entered her family at 9:59pm, still in the bag of waters (you can see it slipping off him as the midwife pulls him up out of the water.) PS: Thanks to the midwives from Abbotsford Midwifery Group and West Coast Health Collective for being so awesome.

To my sister: Thank you for inviting me in to capture this birth and all your births. I've seen you at your strongest. You are such an amazing mama from birthing to potty training to home schooling. I'm so happy we live close together and raise our kids side by side.