My Return to Pensacola Birth Photography | Pensacola Photographer & Fairhope Birth Photographer
I am once again a birth photographer!
Ok, officially, I never stopped being a birth photographer, but I did have to stop offering those services for a few years. But, after a 5-year hiatus, you have no idea how happy it makes me to say that I’m once again offering birth photography in the greater Pensacola and Santa Rosa County, Florida and Baldwin County, Alabama areas!
Becoming a birth photographer was a part of my "ten-year plan" (10) years ago, and thanks to some wonderfully supportive local friends, the amazing women of Belly to Cradle, LLC (now Belly to Cradle and BloomWell Birth Center), and a couple of awesome on-call nannies, my dream came true 8 years sooner than planned back in 2018! I had the honor of holding space from the delivery rooms of all three hospitals in Pensacola, FL, a home in Gulf Breeze, Florida, an operating room in Pensacola, and a delivery room in Fairhope, Alabama, while documenting each of their unique birth experiences.
But, you’re wondering (as you should be) where I’ve been the last 5 years. Why did I stop advertising myself as a Pensacola birth photographer and turn away birth clients? Why did it take me so long to return? Why am I back now? If you’re considering hiring me as your birth photographer, you deserve those answers. Those answers are as important to getting to know me as making sure you love the quality of my work. I don’t want you to see my beautiful birth photography galleries and worry because they’re from several years ago. I didn’t stop all photography, just the part that required me to leave my house at the drop of a hat. I hope you’ll take 5 minutes and read the rest of this post. By the end, you’ll understand why I had to take the break, why it took me so long to return, and why now is the perfect time for my Pensacola birth photography comeback!
I photographed my last birth in February 2020. At the time, I didn’t realize it would be the last delivery I’d capture for years. I wish I’d known at the time, but I also wouldn’t have done it any differently. It was a beautiful birth – an intended home birth – turned hospital transfer, and my clients were surrounded by their support people and family the entire journey!
As we all know, the world changed in March of 2020. Without the ability to guarantee my clients that I could be there for their birth, I put a pause on offering birth photography. Just before this time, it had also become much more difficult to keep reliable childcare. There was also one additional reason that I haven’t shared publicly until now. Also in February 2020, my dad was put on the transplant list for a liver. He was no longer married, I’m an only child, and he was estranged from most of his family. Transplant coordinators require a possible recipient have a support person. Just like the organ recipient themself, the support person has to be able to drop everything for an up to 14-day hospital stay (UAB in Birmingham, Alabama, in our case) in the event a match (or possible match) is found. I was my dad’s support person, meaning I needed to put birth photography on hold longer. Against all odds, Dad received a liver in early June of 2020. I could write pages about Dad’s transplant journey, what lead to it, getting the call, the waiting, the surgery, the hospital stay, and the weeks, months, and years that followed, (maybe I will someday if it’s something people would be interested to read), but suffice to say that my life would never be the same.
Dad’s transplant actually went incredibly well! Soon, my husband and I were deciding whether or not to send our youngest back to in-person school for 1st grade at the end of summer. I don’t talk about it here, but I have several autoimmune diseases as well as multiple chronic illnesses. You can look at me wrong, and my asthma will flare. (Ok, not really, but it feels like that sometimes.) We knew that no amount of masking and handwashing would keep a 6-year-old from bringing home a disease that, at that time, could make me very ill. So, we signed him up for virtual school, and my birth photography return was pushed back farther.
Time went on. Life happened. My return to birth photography was always the “easiest” thing for our family to put on the back burner when I needed to be more available in other capacities.
In late February of 2023, my dad got sick, and on April 9, 2023, just shy of 3 years post-transplant, at the age of 69, my dad died of stage 4 metastatic melanoma. The immune suppressant meds required for all transplant recipients allowed Dad's body to hide the fact that the skin cancers the dermatologist was removing quarterly (they took off post-transplant) had also been working overtime under the surface. By the time anyone realized he was sick (himself included), the very first time a lab marker was slightly elevated, the cancer had already metastasized to Dad’s kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and colon. Without treatment, they gave him 6 to 18 months. He made it 6 weeks.
As I said above, after Dad’s liver transplant, my life would never be the same. You may have wondered why I used the specific wording regarding him getting the liver as “against all odds”. My dad was an alcoholic. He had alcoholic cirrhosis. I am not the one who pushed him to see if he was a candidate for the transplant list. I didn’t think they would accept him. I’m not sure I thought they should. One of his doctors talked him into it and helped him start the process. I appreciate that doctor for having the faith in my daddy and the system that I didn’t have because he would have passed sometime in 2020 without the transplant.
I lost myself after Dad passed. I didn’t take any clients for a bit, I stopped being active on social media and blogging, and my SEO tanked. I was (am?) a daddy’s girl. Two and a half years later, I still pick up my phone to call and tell him about something funny that one of the kids did or ask his thoughts on why my cornbread didn’t rise. I still have bad days. People don’t talk about that enough – how long grief lasts and how you’ll be fine and grief will walk up and punch you in the guts.
If you have ever lost someone and need someone to talk to, reach out! I’d love for you to tell me about them!
Now you know why I was away so long. So, why am I back now? To put it simply, it’s been ten years since I made that “Ten Year Plan”. Even though it seems my world fell down around me, things still fell into place as they were supposed to. Our “baby” (all 5’7” of him) starts middle school in the fall. He’s older and more self-sufficient now, and he requires a less specific type of childcare. Also, and this brings tears to my eyes, HE is my biggest cheerleader! He wants Mama back doing all of the photography that her heart desires, and he’s willing to do what he needs to do to help make that happen.
So - I’M BACK! Also, if you’re still reading – I owe you a cup of coffee. Holler at me when you’re in my area and let's meet up!
For me, giving birth was the most monumental, amazing, and terrifying moment of my life. It was like I was torn apart, and when I was put back together, I wasn’t the same person anymore – I was MORE! What our bodies can do - it's incredible!
Pensacola birth photography coverage includes:
- Pre-delivery date to get to know each other - We can meet in person, video chat, or just gab on the phone. I want to know all about what you hope for your “perfect birth,” your wishes, and birth plan, and just get to know each other
- Complimentary Maternity Mini Session
- On call status from 38 weeks until your baby’s arrival
- Coverage of labor, delivery, and at least 1 hour postpartum
- The edited, high-resolution images from your special day in a private online gallery for digital download and sharing (with print release) in color and black and white
- Sneak peek image from birth delivered via email within 24 hours of delivery (great for announcing baby’s arrival)
Head here for more details on hiring me as your birth photographer.
And, while I get my Birth Photography legs back, my first few birth clients get to book at my 2020 rates! Can’t say that about any other prices nowadays, can you?
I provide Birth Photography services for those delivering in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, Florida, and Baldwin County, Alabama - including but not limited to Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, and Milton, Florida, as well as Foley and Fairhope, Alabama.
