My Own Birth Photos with Bay Area Birth Photographer, Paige Driscoll
Every year on my birthday, my mom would tell me my birth story. She also had a photo album filled with pictures of the day I was born. I loved looking at photos from my own birth while I was growing up. During my birth, my dad and grandma supported my mom while my grandpa was on camera and kid duty (my older brother was in the waiting room at the hospital). I loved seeing her round belly knowing that I was inside and about to enter the world. It was clear that bringing me into the world was hard work, but I could also see elation and relief on her face in the images. I thought everyone had photos of the day they were born so imagine my surprise when I found out that not everyone loved the idea of birth photography ha! I knew even before becoming pregnant that that was something I wanted.
We were young when we had our first baby and needed to pay the birth center out of pocket so a photographer wasn’t in the budget. But we did it for our second baby and I love them so much.
I also wanted a doula for my hospital birth so I found someone who did both! We asked Paige Driscoll (Bay Area Birth Photographer) and I am so grateful for the emotional support and beautiful images she gave us.
Early labor started six days past my due date in the middle of the night. Things started out slowly and became intense early afternoon. Chris and Paige supported me as I labored at home until I felt like we should leave (I had a pretty strong feeling that if I didn't leave soon, I wouldn't be able to). After a fast and intense hour at the hospital, our baby girl was born after a few powerful contractions. Everything went so quickly and smoothly compared to my first birth and I had a great experience with the midwives at El Camino Los Gatos Hospital.
