Apple Blossom Families

Going down memory lane this week. I recently attended a birth with a nurse who had been in training during a birth I attended a few years back. It was such a stand out birth because the big sister was helping catch her new baby when the waters broke right in her face! She still talks about it with pride. :) http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//third-baby-born-bc-w/

Lighting candles for all the babies and pregnancies who’s lives ended too soon. Join me for the 7pm #waveoflight. I am sending all my love to all the families who have gone through tremendous loss. Your babies are not forgotten.

Pomegranate Community Midwives made this amazing video. For some reason it brought me to tears. These amazing people have been working though the pandemic giving personaized care to their clients day and night. They really are amazing people. Sending love out to all the birth workers who keep on going no matter what. https://www.facebook.com/239218404907/posts/10160210611349908/?vh=e

The current Covid-19 crisis does not discriminate, however some of us are more vulnerable than others. This is particularly true for pregnant women. As health care workers we need to ensure that we are able to continue to perform our vital roles and support and contribute to a safe birthing environment. Please help our Midwives and Doulas by keeping your family home and avoid interaction within the community. We are doing the same. Feel free to share this message. #corona #homebirth #viruses #worldhealth #stayhealthy #stopthespread #stayhome #appleblossomfamilies #vancouvermidwives #savebedsforsickpeople

Excellent! Book early I will be hosting interviews over FaceTime in the coming weeks. :)

The moment you are born it is always a wild ride. Caesarean birth is one of the most intense. The birthing person allowing and trusting someone to cut into their body while they are often awake. Anyone who says caesarean birth is the easy way out has never witnessed the 6 plus weeks of recovery while looking after a newborn. #cesareanbirth #bcwomans. Link to a caesarean birth story here http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//alices-birth-story-v/

Frank breech accidental home birth. When the mom exclaimed she felt a bum instead of a head in her hands the midwives stayed calm and hands off. Frank was born moments later up onto moms chest. #breechbaby #variationofnormal Link to the full story http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//meet-frank-vancouver/

Out and into her mothers arms. It is magical every time. I love the molding in this one. The mother was clearly pushy for a little while. The baby worked with her moms body to make it through her pelvis. Babies heads do mold to fit, sometimes they just need time. #birth #waterbirth

Breastfeeding crew. Finding a group of other parents to spend your days with can be so supportive and life changing. It helps normalize the ups and downs of becoming a parent. Where did you meet your parenting friends?

I love watching the first born getting big in an instant. Suddenly they are so grown up.

A little delayed cord clamping in the OR during a ceasarean birth. The baby still benefits from a little extra time. #waitforwhite #ceasarean #bcwomanshospital

Breastfeeding crew. Finding a group of other parents to spend your days with can be so supportive and life changing. It helps normalize the ups and downs of becoming a parent. Where did you meet your parenting friends?

Twins. One is always a little bigger Parents of single babes can you imagine having two babies to take care of?! How do people do it?

Sweet new person covered in vernix. Its amazing how the vernix soaks in of you dont rub it off right away. #vernix #waterbirth

Twins. One is always a little bigger Parents of single babes can you imagine having two babies to take care of?! How do people do it?

Sweet new person covered in vernix. It’s amazing how the vernix soaks in of you don’t rub it off right away. #vernix #waterbirth

I love this amazing postpartum bump and the mom for sharing the beauty of it with all of you. Less then two hours after her birth she showered and then went right back to skin to skin with her daughter. Did you know skin to skin should go on for days even weeks, it's not just for the first few hours. It helps the bond develop and supports easy access to breastfeeding. A win-win solution. #skintoskin #postpartumbody #appleblossomfamilies

This moment, gets my tears flowing every time. <3 It is such a transformational point in time, when your new little person shows their face and you know all the hard work of labour and pregnancy is finished. We are so lucky when my clients share these moments with all of you. It is a gift to see that birth is powerful and amazing. Thank you Michaela and family for sharing these intimate yet powerful moments.... @michaela.evanow shares her world of love, loss and faith on her blog and social media. If you haven't had a chance to follow her please do you will be forever changed by her writing. <3 #homebirth #midwives #birthphotography

My most shared and loved photo to date. Starting the weekend off with some kick ass woman strength. Birth is powerful, women's bodies are powerful and having the support to be powerful in the birth process is something everyone should have. <3 #birth #homebirth

Cutting the cord. Who cut your babys cord at birth? It is so lovely to be given the time to do so after giving birth. I love it when care providers #waitforwhite and wait for the family to be present. Often right after birth everyone is so full of emotion it becomes a rushed experience instead of a thought out calm moment. I am all for the quiet calm room after a baby is born to give everyone time to come back from the experience. #intactumbilicalcord #homebirth #familybirth #appleblossomfamilies

This little guy came blasting into the world this morning, joining a fun team of 3 older brothers! Welcome to the world little man.

Did you have your kids at your birth? How was it? #familycenteredbirths

I am so lucky I get to share in this moment with so many people. Thank you to my clients for trusting me to join them on their journey through #birth. I am pretty lucky to call birth work my job. Strathcona Midwifery Collective @divinechild #homebirth

Happy Friday! Just born and already smiling away. Don't let anyone tell you it's just gas. These smiles are there to help you connect and fall deeper in love with the tiny human you just created - I promise. :)

Check out my client catching her baby in the tub with a nuchal cord and sooo much #vernix. Her full birth story is here http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//vancouver-birth-phot/ .

The shock of a VBAC mama who just gave birth to her second baby. Amazing. <3

A little breech caesarean foot covered in vernix. #breechbirth #cesareanbirth

This picture warms my heart. Kids have so much love to give, especially at a birth. The full birth film along with the full birth story is here http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//home-birth-videograp/ Many of my clients watch this film to show their kids what birth is like. Thank you to my clients for sharing with us all. Grab a tea and a tissue sit back and enjoy the ride.

Everyone loves Frank. I love this cord burning picture from baby Frank's surprise breech home birth. The family decided after about 1.5 hours to burn Frank's umbilical cord instead of cutting it. It is such a wonderful ceremony to end a beautiful connection. http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//meet-frank-vancouver/

This birth story is one of my favourites. There is nothing worse then being splashed when you are trying to catch your baby sister. Sunshine bounced back pretty quick though. :) http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//third-baby-born-bc-w/

I still love a good birth story. I forgot how many I have on my blog. Get a cup of tea and enjoy all the inspirational stories. Be inspired. Birth is such a radical transformation. Enjoy. http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//born-on-the-hospital/

I witnessed 3 babies this week born in their caul. It doesn't seem to be so rare when care providers are not breaking waters. Thank you to the midwives I work with who patiently wait for the babies to be born even if it means sitting on your hands. :) Pomegranate Community Midwives Birth and Beyond <3

Today marks EIGHT years since I photographed my first birth. Thank you @ashleigh.fonseca for trusting me and allowing me to test out birth photography and @divinechild for connecting us. Happy birthday Sawyer And Apple Blossom Families.

Workin' Moms is such a funny show. I love this clip. It totally represents the world of the newly pregnant, the experienced parents and the educators. https://www.facebook.com/workinmomsTV/posts/1556162221152740

This is my amazing friend, mentee, and backup Kendal Blacker Birth & Photography Services. Kendal is a gestational carrier (oven) for a fantastic couple. I have been asked on this journey to both document and be a doula/partner, what an honour. Its pretty cool to see first hand the fertility process, science is amazing. I have already seen inside Kendals uterus, watch the implantation and today I was there for the ultrasound to see @thetiny_travellers little heartbeat. If you want to follow this littles ones journey head over to @thetiny_traveller. While you are there scroll back to find the uterus video its pretty amazing. #surrogate #gestationalcarrier #babymaking

Im lighting my candles tonight thinking about the babies and children who have died and the families that are on Earth dealing with the heartbreak. Florence, Oscar and Audrey are the little ones I have lit candles for tonight but my heart goes out to all the families that have had to deal with such deep heartbreak. Info about the wave of light: http://www.october15.ca/about/...

Yesterday my clients welcomed their second child into the world. This time it was an unplanned home birth, which was delightful for many reasons including moments like this. The meeting of the siblings moments after birth, before the cord was cut. Welcome to the world little one. Thanks for having me take part in your births @chrylk. Pomegranate Community Midwives Birth and Beyond

This is one of my most popular blog posts. Pregnant people like to know that birth works. They like to see that vaginal birth can be done. Let's be honest it is pretty unreal that we can grow a human then push it out into the world. http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//10-women-catching-th/

Saltwater, summer freedom, recharge. #offcall #familytime

Sunset marshmallows. #offcall #kids

Dawn has shared her thoughts on mothering Audrey, who was stillborn at 28 weeks 6 days. Dawn gives us a glimpse inside the mind of a grieving parent. Lots of lessons to be learned about death. https://www.facebook.com/464259993605556/posts/1955265397838334/

Get your tea and tissues ready for this story. It is full of love, family and a deeper understanding of perinatal loss. My close friend and favourite midwife in Vancouver, Dawn Henderson, Registered Midwife delivered her stillborn baby girl, Audrey, at 28 weeks 6 days earlier this year. Dawn has so graciously shared her birth story with you. ******... "We named her Audrey Megan Audrey has always been a favourite name of mine simply because Audrey Hepburn is awesome. I have sweet memories of singing and dancing along to My Fair Lady. A quick google search of names that mean brave or strong revealed that Audrey also means Noble Strength, something that seemed to fit our girl, and this birthing process. Megan is my middle name, and I like naming my babies after me!" ****** Thank you to Dawn, family, and Audrey for sharing your story. If you are looking to do something to honor Audrey please donate blood in her memory at your local blood services location and use the hashtag #givingbloodinmemoryofAudrey on social media to let Dawn and family know you are thinking about them. ****** http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//memory-audrey-megan-/

I love this birth story from years ago. Full of kids, family and so much love. Did you have your kids at your birth? Did you enjoy their presence? http://www.appleblossomfamilies.com//now-they-are-six-van/

This quiet moment between family members bringing their new person into the world. Everyone deserves this. #appleblossomfamilies #vancouverdoula #homebirth

Midwife in training. Just checking progress to see when her new sister is coming. Hands off midwives are the best. @pommidwives #appleblossomfamilies #vancouverdoula #homebirth #siblingsatbirths