Kind Words

Marissa Harman

"Isabelle was the first member of my birth team to arrive. She entered my birth space stepping lightly and carefully, almost floating above the floor. She settled down next to me as I labored in the tub. She said, "hello" gently. Her presence was so welcoming. It was magical to have some female energy in the room after laboring for a few hours with just my son and husband. She complimented my birth space and told me I was doing great. She floated around my bathroom careful to respect my space.

As the rest of my team arrived, I nearly forgot about her being there although her photos let me know that she was indeed right there with the team capturing so many moments from so many angles. When I was aware of her presence, she was in tune with my needs. At a point, the flash bothered my eyes in my very dimly lit birth space and she instinctively knew to wait to capture more. She doesn't know this, but when I was tuned into her being there, the gentle clicks from the camera shutter gave me a form of strength. In my head, each click reminded me that I must be doing something worth capturing. Isabelle caught what I call the "Ad for home birth." I was laboring in the tub while my daughter was crowning, my husband enveloping me from behind and my midwife kneeling next to the tub hands clasped. All of us have the biggest smile on our faces. That photo alone reminds me of my joyful birth, the exhilaration I felt, and the anticipation of love that was about to come forth with my daughter's life.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words but these photos will forever keep the story of Mika's birthday alive. I'm so very thankful of Isabelle capturing the moments when the veil between our worlds is so thin. The photos are something I will forever cherish. If you're looking for someone to capture the magic of your baby's birthday, I could think of no one I'd recommend more. "