Half-term Halloween themed day’s out.
Read MoreFinley's newborn session and mum's story.
Our pregnancy was something we had looked forward to and planned. It wasn’t quite what we had expected with a global pandemic putting us into lockdown shortly after sharing the news with loved ones and us not being able to attend the scans and antenatal appointments together, but it was a cherished time and we feel lucky that we didn’t receive any news that would have been hard to stomach on my own.
At the beginning of my pregnancy I was quite sick with ‘morning’ sickness, and the push toward working at home enabled me to continue working more comfortably rather than facing a commute that was becoming harder to manage.
At our 20 week scan I was told I had Placenta Previa, which is quite common but would be something that could have affected my options of a natural birth if this had not moved by 36 weeks. Due to this and the Bracken Unit still being closed for refurbishment due to the pandemic, I was quite late in deciding what my birth preferences were. I opted for a water birth and was very lucky that when the time came, the only pool on the labour ward at Musgrove had just become vacant.
The actual labour was far quicker than I expected and was 2 days before my due date and the first day of my maternity leave.
(Baby is safely on the posing bed in this image and NOT actually suspended- SAFETY FIRST!)
At 7am I woke to my waters breaking, but I did not have any contractions. I called the hospital for advice and due to not having contractions at the time, they said to have some breakfast and a shower before coming in to get assessed. By 7.30am the contractions began and very quickly escalated, by 9am we were on our way to hospital and the pains were becoming hard to talk or walk through.
Due to the covid restrictions I had to enter triage by myself and my partner had to wait outside. About 30 minutes after arriving my partner was allowed in after being told I was already 7cm dilated. I was moved to the birthing pool room on the labour ward and was in the pool by 10.20. At 12.30 our ‘little’ 9 lbs 13 oz baby boy was born. Finley James. It was an amazing experience and we were soon ready to return home.
We had already made contact with Karen prior to the birth after seeing some of her work being recommended on a local Facebook page, we knew straight away she was who we wanted to book. The booking process was easy and after the birth we were soon able to confirm the actual session date with Karen.
On the day, despite amended protocol, Karen made the environment very relaxing for Finley and us, and took her time to ensure he was comfortable. This allowed us time to feed him and get him sleepy for the perfect pictures. There was plenty of choice with props and set ups and our favourite parts of the session included seeing how good the photographs were coming out on the camera and how good Karen was with him. This confirmed that we had made the right choice of photographer. Karen took her time to make sure everyone was happy and I would always recommend her to other parents.
Thank you so much to this lovely family for taking part in these pregnancy and birth story’s blog posts and for your kind words, it means the world :)
Karen x
Nicola's breastfeeding journey
Nicola’s breast-feeding story -
Ever since being pregnant I was sure I wanted to breastfeed. I tried not to put too much pressure on myself as I know people often find it difficult. But I was amazed from the start of our journey, despite Florence having a lazy latch this was soon overcome and she thrived. I was proud to know that I could still provide everything she needed.
I was introduced to Healthy Babies and signed up to be a breastmilk donor and managed to donate many litres of milk whilst exclusively feeding our daughter which went to a local neonatal unit. Breastfeeding for us was straightforward and suited us both perfectly, knowing we could go out and not have to worry about bottles or formula was a huge bonus.
Now at 20 months old Florence doesn’t feed so often but it’s there if she wants it and I will always treasure our journey and the bond we have developed.
Elsie's newborn photoshoot and mum's birth story.
Daniel and I were both very excited to find out that I was pregnant with our second daughter, despite our first daughter only being 4 months old!
At first I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry! We had planned to have two babies quite close together although it still came as quite a surprise to happen so soon.
My pregnancy went smoothly - 4 months of it were spent in lockdown in that time we moved house and did a complete renovation project, whilst looking after our 1 year old! We were so busy my pregnancy flew by.
I had a planned cesarian at 39 weeks which was absolutely amazing! We arrived at Musgrove in Taunton at 7:30am, by 9:00am we were walking down to theatre and our daughter was born at 9:56am. The whole experience was so calm and organised and all the staff were so lovely!
Holding your new born baby for the first time is the best feeling in the world. The instant rush of love is a feeling you can’t explain.
We called our daughter Elsie Mary Ellen. I’ve always loved old fashioned names and Elsie has always been a favourite. Mary is my husbands mothers middle name, and Ellen is my husbands grandmothers name. When thinking about names we wanted to choose names which were sentimental to us.
Our first daughter Ivy was 13 months old when Elsie was born and she didn’t take much notice of her at first. As a couple of weeks have passed she’s started to show a bit more interest and tries to give Elsie her dummy when she cries which I think is so sweet. I‘m sure it won’t be long before they are both toddling off playing together!
Our fur baby is a Shih Tzu called Nelly, she’s 3 years old now and is taking to our growing family really well. Poor Daniel is becoming more and more outnumbered by girls!
We chose Karen to do our newborn photographs simply because her work is amazing! Not only are her photographs absolutely beautiful, she’s the most welcoming, warm person and instantly will make you feel at ease.
Karen did Ivy’s newborn shoot in 2019 and Elsies newborn shoot in 2020. First time around we didn’t know what to expect so naturally was a bit nervous and worried about it, wondering if your baby will ‘play ball’. Second time around we knew what to expect so we were more relaxed, Karen is very patient and calm so I knew we were in safe hands and just let Karen do her thing!
I would say to any parent looking to book a newborn shoot, go for it! It’ll be one of the best things you do.
Thank you Rosie and family for sharing your pregnancy and birth story here, it was a pleasure to see you all again and meet your new little girl 💗
Maisy's Newborn photoshoot and her mummy's pregnancy and birth experience.
I just love it when I have families returning with their new bundles of joy! This lovely family came back with their precious new little girl.
Thank you Nikki for sharing your pregnancy and birth story with us, over to you! x
When I first found out I was pregnant, the first thing that ran through my mind was - Wow...Jesse was right (he had told me 4 days before that there was a baby in my tummy and it was a little girl) & then absolute joy!! So much so that I burst out laughing & when I told Brent his first reaction was also laughing!
We both knew we wanted a third baby & she came at the best time - we hadn’t specifically chosen to “start trying” as we wanted to be relaxed & didn’t want the added stress of checking every month & getting wound up or upset if it hadn’t happened.
In the beginning of my pregnancy I struggled with awful morning sickness & during the third trimester I had major hip discomfort, but other than that it was absolutely perfect! I loved every second of it & will really miss those little kicks & the feeling of her being in my tummy.
Being pregnant during Covid-19 was a very strange time as I had to homeschool as well. There were 2 sides to the way I felt. I was exhausted most of the time & really learnt the value of teachers and school in general. I did feel that I lost those “alone” moments of being able to prepare for our little one, and have days where I could curl up with a good book or just nap. Having said that, my husband was amazingly supportive and allowed me time when I really needed it, just to go and have some time out. The other side that I found was that since I wasn’t rushing around doing the every day life sort of stuff, there was less expectation which did mean we could relax a bit more.
I was due to have a caesarean when I was 39 weeks pregnant but Maisy decided to come earlier than that!
I started having contractions when I was 38 weeks and 3 days so they decided to bring the surgery forward. She was born 12 days before her due date.
I was initially apprehensive about the caesarean, but the team at Musgrove were absolutely incredible. They brought me to the front of the queue for surgery & I was surrounded by the exact team of people I needed to keep me calm and perform the surgery. It was the most amazing birth, but the surgery was really tough. The consultant has advised that since it was so hard, we shouldn’t have anymore children.
Every time I think about the birth I want to cry! I am still so overwhelmed with gratitude for how amazing everyone was & how the surgery was one of the best experiences out of all three that I’ve had! It really was incredible.
When we first held our baby Maisy we were totally overwhelmed with love (& it all felt quite surreal)! She weighed in at 3.030kg’s or 6lb9oz
How we chose our babies name-
I prayed for a name for her from the moment I found out I was pregnant & I asked God to give me a name before my 20 week scan (so I would know if it was a boy or girl)
2 days before my scan the name Maisy popped into my head & at the exact same time my husband walked into the room and asked me what I thought about the name Maisy!!
The first few days at home was amazing, we were enjoying the peace after being in hospital. But on the 3rd day we had to call an ambulance for Maisy as it looked like she stopped breathing & she turned blue. We were then taken into a&e and had to stay in hospital over night while Maisy was monitored. It was the most frightening moment of my life & on top of that I was very emotional as my milk had just come in & I was very hormonal. It was made worse when the hospital staff tried to do a COVID swab on my baby who was only 3 days old. Thankfully, & by the grace of God, my husband was allowed in with me for a few hours when this happened. He had the presence of mind that I was lacking at that point to refuse the test. I was so grateful as I would have just gone along with what the staff said. The test was an adult size test & I imagine it would have caused a lot more harm than good.
Other than this awful experience, Maisy’s first few days were wonderful (& very peaceful due to the restrictions from COVID-19).
I have 2 older boys who have taken so well to being big brothers. My eldest is turning 9 & utterly adores little people, particularly babies. He’s very gentle with them & always wants to stroke, cuddle & love Maisy. My middle son, who is turning 6, is more of a deep thinker. He has spent hours just staring at his sister, totally mesmerised by her beauty. But not saying much. On our first night home, Maisy and I were having a nap. Jesse came into the bedroom, sat on the bed just staring at Maisy & after half an hour my mum walked in to find him. Jesse looked at my mum and said “isn’t she so beautiful Granny”! Both the boys are very protective over their sister & long may it last!!
Our house is a bit crazy with pets. We have a cat, a puppy, a hamster & a fish tank. When I arrived home from the hospital our 1 year old puppy sat very submissively on the floor, wagging her tail but not jumping up. This was the first time I have ever seen her so excited, yet so calm. And since then she sits at my feet all the time. She will often come over to Maisy and sniff her, but has never licked or jumped on her.
ABOUT THE NEWBORN SHOOT WITH KAREN KIMMINS NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY
I chose Karen as our newborn photographer as she had done Jesse’s photoshoot and I’d been watching her page ever since. She has come so far with her talent and I’ve always really liked how she is so passionate about babies.
The only thing I was worried about for the shoot was whether or not we were all dressed properly for the pictures to come out nicely. Turns out there was nothing to worry about! It was a very relaxed atmosphere and we felt we were in very capable hands! The best bit was after the family photos and the focus was just on Maisy. I loved watching how posing Maisy came so naturally to Karen.
Maisy had a feed before the shoot and was awake for an hour or so before we left, so was very ready for her sleep by the time we got to Karen.
My advice to someone getting newborn photographs taken would be to use Karen Kimmins!! Relax and let her do her thing!
Thank you again Nikki for sharing your story with us, for your kind words and for coming back with your newest family member, it was a pleasure to see you all again xx
Tor's breastfeeding story.
Tor’s Breastfeeding story -
I've had the most perfect breastfeeding experience and I've loved every single feed. (Minus the 2, 3, 4 and 5am hourly feeds)!
My daughter latched on within minutes of being born and hasn't left them alone since! They've not grown as much as I'd hoped, unfortunately still no need for a bra but it does make it easier to whip one out wherever and whenever she likes.
I've only ever received positive comments from family, friends and strangers about feeding. Much to my disappointment actually because I had multiple sharp comebacks lined up.
My boobs solve most situations in our house, (my husbands included).
I nurse my daughter when she is teething, wants a cuddle, hungry, bored, upset, the wrong temperature, unwell, before and after meals, when my favourite program is on so I can get two minutes of quiet. I even do the forbidden feeding to sleep.
We occasionally kick my husband out of bed and co sleep still latched when she needs to.
But they're just so good at their job, why would I not! Sometimes though they're too good at their job and start leaking for other peoples babies.
Anytime my Daughter wants a nipple she'll get one and I will continue to for as long as she likes!
Thank you so much for taking part in the breastfeeding project Tor x
If you’d like to see more of this breastfeeding project- click here
Charlotte's experience with breastfeeding.
Charlotte’s breastfeeding story -
I always knew I wanted to try and breastfeed, but I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself as I know a lot of mums struggle with this for all different reasons.
As soon as Sophia was born our midwife helped her latch which wasn’t easy as I had just had an emergency caesarean and the anesthetic meant I was shaking uncontrollably (my husband was very supportive and told me not to worry about the shakes as she’s now having her first milkshake). 😂 This didn't stop her latching perfectly and picking up this skill with ease.
The first 3-4 weeks consisted of me having to crunch my toes and take a huge deep breath on each initial latch. There was bleeding, itching, milk spraying EVERYWHERE and the use of A LOT of muslins which made it hard to want to continue, but as soon as we got passed that stage it became easier and easier and she is definitely happier on the boob now and seeing her smile mid-feed just proves her amazing development and our special bond. ❤️
Plus with her being an amazing feeder it means we don’t have to worry about packing additional feeding equipment. It is hard enough to leave the house on time with all her stuff.
I also had a lot of people questioning how I would feel when breastfeeding in public and to be honest I never saw this as an issue, if my baby needs feeding then that is what she will get, if someone doesn't like seeing it then I'm not sorry as that is their issue not ours and it shouldn't be frowned or questioned these days.
All I can say to you is to try and take each day as they come and don't stress about other peoples comments. It is you and your babies journey and you control that your way.
Thank you Charlotte for taking part in the breastfeeding project x
If you’d like to see how the breastfeeding project is developing , please follow this link to the dedicated page, Thank you - The breastfeeding project.
Emma's Breastfeeding story
Emma’s breastfeeding story -
I remember the first few times I had to breastfeed in public. I was so nervous and either hid myself away in a changing room or created a tent around me!
But the more I persevered with it (and realised that nobody was staring at me!) I started to enjoy it, the feeling that I was helping my girl to grow and the way it helped her feel safe and settled - it really helped with my overall self esteem. As my confidence grew I was even able to eat a meal and drink a coffee at the same time as feeding.
Second time around it’s been different. My daughters latch, the flow, the pain from sore nipples, it’s really thrown me.
I’ve come to realise that every baby is different but after 5 weeks I seem to have cracked it, you really can’t beat those little steps of progress and the bond you feel when feeding makes the sleepless nights and leaky nipples totally worth it!
Thank you Emma for taking part in the breastfeeding project and sharing your story with us x
If you’d like to see the more real life breastfeeding experiences, please click here to see my breast-feeding project in progress.
And if you’d like to enquire about a newborn photography session with me, hit the button below.
An amazing home birth story and Robin's mini photo shoot
Robin is my second baby. In my first pregnancy, they had wanted to induce me at 37 weeks because they felt she had stopped growing, however there was something on the scan that didn’t make sense so we held off. I eventually gave in at 41 weeks and had an induction which resulted in instrumental delivery, shoulder dystocia and a whole cacophony of intervention I hadn’t really wanted. Despite this she was born a really healthy 8lb wriggling little lady without any of the complications they had been worried about. It made me vow not to have an induction again.
When I found out I was pregnant with Robin it was after a nasty miscarriage and I was about to stop trying because I was finding it emotionally challenging. I knew straight away I wanted to birth at home but that it would also be a challenge because I would be classed as high risk. I was super fortunate to have an amazing midwife who was so incredibly supportive and helped advocate for me alongside some hypnobirthing and counselling from another amazing local midwife named Eleanor Copp (website here).
I researched a lot and was so supported I felt empowered to make informed decisions about my care. I decided not to have my GTT test but tested my levels throughout the pregnancy. I chose not to see the consultants or to have growth scans but carried on seeing my lovely midwife and had a scan to check my placental position and it’s function. Everything I’d read and heard, supported my belief in myself to have a natural non-medicalised birth.
At 41+1 I started thinking this isn’t going to happen and I’m going to end up in hospital being induced again but woke at 4am ish to a niggle. I had a very quick and gentle labour so much so I never thought I was in established labour! 45 minutes before he was born I was on the phone to triage chatting away! After that, I had 3 strong surges and lay on my bed. The tightening stopped and I thanked my body out loud for the break. The next tightening was 10 minutes later and it felt different, like it was pushing of it’s own accord. Cue I bit of panic and surprise – the pool was only half full, the midwife hadn’t arrived yet and we still didn’t really believe my labour was even established. Robin was born on the tiny ensuite floor less than 3 hours after I’d first felt anything and was caught by his Daddy just as the midwife knocked on the door. I never actively pushed, my body just did it all automatically. It’s definitely a story we will be telling for a few years and I’m in awe of women’s bodies!
( This gorgeous cloth nappy is from Baba and Boo , and there’s a friendly Facebook hangout group to accompany the brand)
I’m so happy I got the gentle homebirth I had been hoping for. I did go to hospital after the birth because about 5 hours after giving birth I started to haemorrhage- again my lovely midwife was there for me. This would have happened wherever I was and was just something that happened randomly. Robin is such a cheeky, happy and calm baby which I think was helped by his gentle entry to the world.
We loved our shoot with Karen and that she’s captured the cheeky playful side of our children and it is a wonderful way to mark our new addition (even 10 weeks after his arrival).
I also had my photo taken for her breastfeeding project which will be a very special celebration of my own personal feeding journey.
Thank you so much Sephi for sharing your incredible birth story with us.
Mini sessions can be adapted for slightly older babies or I offer sessions for babies aged between 3-6 months- see here. If you’d like to book a mini session or older baby photography session with me, hit the button below!
A newborn mini session and pregnancy story.
Francesca’s pregnancy and the birth and newborn photography session of gorgeous baby Arthur.
We found out we were expecting last September, we were quite taken a back that it happened first time for us. We were meant to be going travelling for 3 months over Christmas which we then had to cancel, oops.
My pregnancy unfortunately wasn’t the greatest experience made worse with the pandemic. The first trimester was pretty rough with morning sickness and tiredness, second trimester wasn’t too bad as the sickness subsided a bit, the third trimester I developed preeclampsia so had lots of additional scans and check ups all without my husband. Little Arthur stopped growing at 35 weeks so they induced me at 37.
Arthur Gilbert George was born at RD&E Hospital on 11th June, day of induction at 20:48pm weighing 5lb3oz.
It all happened pretty quick....I was induced at 2pm and contractions started at around 6pm. I was in active labour for 45 mins.
Unfortunately we had a two week stay in hospital with Arthur being on the neonatal unit. The support of the Drs and nurses was excellent and luckily Dads were allowed to visit and stay which took the pressure off.
Gilbert George was Chris’s grandfathers middle names.
We are enjoying life at home and he is feeding really well and gaining weight rapidly!
We have a dog Tilly, she’s a little put out by the new addition to the family but she appreciates her new toy & bed.
I found Karen from a google search, her website looked very professional and I loved her style of photography. I liked that she did a smaller package of just natural shots, I’m not so keen on all the props.
We were a little apprehensive about the shoot as Arthur suffers with colic, so we were expecting the worse. I gave him a quick feed and nappy change whilst there and he settled well. He loves to be swaddled so I think this also helped.
Karen was brilliant at making us feel comfortable and relaxed and was excellent at handling Arthur.
The images we received are amazing and I would 100% recommend Karen to anyone looking to have a newborn shoot.
Thank you Francesca for sharing your story with us xx