A Gentle and Powerful Cesarean Birth in Denver, CO

When Mackenzie reached out to me about photographing her second birth, I connected with her immediately. We began talking over email, and she so generously shared her heart and story with me.

“ I just gave birth 11 months ago. My baby girls will be just 14 months apart. My last birth ended in a c-section after 36 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing. I felt as if my entire birth experience was taken from me, and I really struggled with the disappointment in having to have my section for many, many months. Since we got pregnant so fast again, my doctor has told me I have no choice but to have another repeat section due to my past issues (I had severe preeclampsia). I was devastated when I found out. Over the last few months, I have been using this as a learning experience for my own self-growth in accepting my body and this birth plan as it is. Because of that, I decided to pursue finding a photographer to document the actual process in an effort to show myself how powerful this is, but to also make a statement that planned sections can be just as magical and powerful.”

Mackenzie also shared that she struggled to find a birth photographer who was not only willing to validate her experience…but to celebrate the beauty and power of her upcoming birth. Birth workers - the words you use to talk about your clients’ birth MATTER. Eventually, she found me, and I felt incredibly honored to affirm Mackenzie’s beauty and strength. I knew the minute she hired me that we were going to create something special…that her second birth story was not only going to show Mackenzie’s own courage and beauty…but also go onto inspire many more people.

Of course, COVID-19 almost completely threw our plans out the window…but somehow…on the day Lailah joined the world…everything fell into place (thank you again to the staff at Skyridge!)

I’m so honored to share images and her birth film (watch at the bottom of the post) with you today. I hope it moves you as much as it moves me. And I hope you’ll share it with your friends and family…so that more people can realize just how powerful these stories are…