A Race Against Time: Welcoming Their Baby Girl

Nov 26

One of the most common questions I get is, “What if you miss the birth?” It’s a valid concern, especially when things move quickly. This family’s story is a perfect example of how even if I arrive after the baby is born, there’s still so much beauty and emotion to document.

Mid-October, I got a message from a dad saying his wife had just started having contractions. They were early but consistent, so they gave me a heads-up. No one—myself included—could have guessed just how fast things were about to unfold.

One hour later, I got another call from dad. This time, his voice was urgent: “I think we need to go to the hospital.” I grabbed my gear, threw on my shoes, and was out the door in less than five minutes. I drove as quickly as I could, parked at the hospital, and ran up to L&D. But as I walked into their room, their beautiful baby girl had just been born—mere minutes before I arrived.

What followed was a whirlwind of emotion: relief, joy, disbelief at how fast everything had happened, and so much love as they soaked in the first precious moments with their daughter. I stayed for several hours, documenting the immediate postpartum period—the first cuddles, the little details, and the overwhelming magic of those first hours as a now family of four.

Every birth is its own story, and no two journeys look the same. While I wasn’t there for the exact moment this little girl entered the world, I was able to document the moments that followed—a chapter of their story that is every bit as meaningful.

To this sweet family, thank you for trusting me to tell your story. It was an honor to witness the beautiful chaos of your daughter’s precipitous arrival.