Unmedicated Hospital Birth at Castle Medical Center | Kailua, HI | The Birth of JJ

UNMEDICATED HOSPITAL BIRTH AT CASTLE MEDICAL CENTER | KAILUA, HI

THE BIRTH OF JJ

This family of avid hikers had their first daughter via adoption 2 years ago. When we first met in person, they told me their plan had been to expand their family via adoption all the way and that finding out they were pregnant right after moving to Hawaii came as a huge surprise!

Their story is so beautiful that my heart was in it from the start. We planned their maternity shoot by a waterfall so that their love of hiking would be a part of the shoot.

When it came time for the big birthday, their awesome doula Jenna Clarke was in close contact with me giving me all the updates. After a trip to the hospital and finding out that Mandy was only 2-3cm dilated, they decided to head back home (to Kapolei!) and labor at home.

A few hours later, on a Sunday morning, Jenna texted me saying Mandy was probably close to transition and they were rushing back to Castle. I was at church, all the way by Pipeline, but thankful I had brought my camera bag with me and could go straight to Kailua.

JJ was born a few short hours later. Welcomed into the earth by her daddy crying tears of joy, her mama (a birthing warrior!) in disbelief that she had finally made it through, and under the loving gaze of her grandma. It was a powerful birth surrounded by love and support and I am honored to have been there to capture it.

Big sister came in shortly after to meet her baby sister and our hearts melted with the way she carefully touched that tiny nose and held her baby sister.