Brady Marek | Langley Birth Photography

Four years ago, I captured my first birth on camera.   It was Ali and Joel's first son, Caden and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  A couple of years later, I was able to photograph the arrival of their second son, Cole. Although I wish I could do birth photography full time, I can only do about one per year as it's just too hard to be `on call' with three kids and a photography business with weddings (aka inflexible dates!).  One day maybe.  I told Ali, my long time friend of 12 years, that I would do my best to be there but couldn't promise anything.  

On Thursday, May 16th, at 7 am, I got the phone call!  Ali was in labour and headed to the hospital.  Last time I arrived just in time so I knew we didn't have much time.  I was able to get my kids off to my sister's house (thank you Maria and Pam!) and was at the hospital by 8 am.  Ali did not want any pictures of her labouring, just the first few minutes with babe.  So, I spent some time with them as she laboured and then I went to the waiting room to wait for the `she's pushing!' call :)  It was a tough one and it's so hard to see a friend going through it.  She was amazing and tough and she did it!   I have never pushed a baby out (oh, did I try!!) and I am in awe of the strength of their minds and bodies every single time.  

At 9:20 am, I entered the room as mom and dad met their newest son!!!!  They didn't know what they were having.  What a beautiful baby boy.  8lbs 6oz.  Great lungs. Brown hair.  Cute. Very cute.  I let out a sob or two (how can you not?!) and then captured some photos of them celebrating his arrival.  

Welcome Baby Brady.  You are so loved.  You are such a blessing and I cannot wait to get to know you!  Way to go Ali and Joel, you did it!  What a wonderful addition to your family.  Love, Louise

Baby Jack

I became an auntie for the 14th time just a couple of weeks ago...it never gets old:) I thought I would post some pictures here while I'm working on wedding photos this week.

My sister Jan had a successful VBAC (yahoo!) and welcomed 8lb Jack Lucas on his due date. He did end up having to stay in the NICU for almost a week as he had an infection but all are doing well now. Here are just a few photos from his first couple weeks of life...

{The ones below are at 10 days old}

Love you Little Jack! Glad you are home now safe and sound. Your little cousin should be here in about a month!

Cole Evan Franklin | Birth Photos

Wow, what a sequence of events! Friday night I got an email from my good friend Ali saying that it felt like she would be pregnant forever. Saturday morning, 4:38 am, there was a phone call from Joel saying Ali was 4-5cm dilated! I packed my camera bag and went back to bed, assuming it would be a whole lot longer before I got the next phone call. I usually ask for a second phone call around 8cm so that I can make it to the hospital with time to spare. Well, 5:35am came around and Ali's nurse and friend, Kirsten, called and said, `You better come now! She's pushing!'. I was out of the house within one minute. This isn't about me, but I would never go out in public the way that I was looking:) I made it there in about 10 minutes. As I approached the room, a nurse came out and said that the baby had just be born. I was sad to have missed the first 2 minutes as those are my favourite, but, I was so happy that baby Cole was here! This is the first thing I saw....

{Cole was 8lbs 7oz, a whole pound less than his big brother Caden. Ali was sort of in shock that everything went so quickly and so was I! Last time she had pushed for about 2 hours so this was definitely a whole lot different. Her whole labour was less than 5 hours. Cole just laid on momma's chest while Ali and Joel called all their family members. What fun phone calls to make as no one even knew she had been in labour.}

{Ali then breastfed Cole for about 20 minutes and it went perfectly! Those pictures will be left off of here, but lots of great photos of momma and babe.}

{The doctor, who I actually beat to the hospital, then checked Cole over. Yes, the doctor didn't even make it in time. Cole was delivered by the nurses!}

{Then daddy Joel had some one on one time with Cole. Cole's first middle name, `Evan', is also Joel's middle name. His second middle name, `Franklin', is after Joel's dad. Frank passed away several years ago and shares the same birthday with Cole. Pretty special.}

{Cole kept sticking out his tongue, it was pretty cute:) Then, the grandparents arrived! I loved seeing their faces when they meet their newest grandson.}

{Great job Ali and Joel! I'm looking forward to seeing Caden as a big brother and also seeing the two of you as parents of two wonderful boys. Having two boys is pretty awesome, I'm definitely a fan. And Ali, just like last time, so proud of you! Little Cole, I'm looking forward to getting to know you over the years to come.}

Baby Amarys | Birth Photos

On February 28th, at 8am, I got the call I had been waiting for. Melissa, a good friend of ours, let me know that today would be baby's birth day! Melissa and Brent have three beautiful boys and on this day they would be welcoming baby number four. Melissa is a lover of all things birth related and is a doula and aspiring midwife. She had hoped and prayed for a home birth, but due to having insulin dependent gestational diabetes, to the hospital it would be. She had mentioned that this was all great professional development having such a variety of risks in her pregnancy and just such a variety of births (C-section for breech, adoption, VBAC):)

She had a fabulous support team which included her husband Brent, her mom Nancy (a maternity nurse), and her midwife Cathy. Her kids, in laws, and best friend were also in and out during the labour, offering love and support. I will try not to include too much information as it is Melissa's story to tell, but I have been given permission to share photos and a bit of that wonderful day and evening.

I went to Melissa's house in the morning where she was relaxing and fueling up for the day ahead. Her mom was there cleaning and two of the boys played with my boys. Melissa made some phone calls, took note of contractions, and just relaxed. I left an hour later so she could go on a walk and then, I waited:) It's always hard to know how a birth will go. Melissa anticipated that it would go quickly, but this baby's journey was nice and slow and steady.

We were all excited and I was just hoping and praying that I would be able to capture the birthing journey in a way that was non intrusive. I didn't want to be in anyone's way and I didn't want the click of the camera or the flash of the camera to be noticeable in any way. Melissa had mentioned that last time she was very aware of noises and light and needed them to be to a minimum. For any photographers out there, I was using our Canon 5D with the 24-70mm f/2.8 the entire time. I used the 580 EXII external flash (ceiling bounced) when needed during the wee hours of the morning. Otherwise, I just worked with whatever fluorescent lighting there was:)

The next time I saw the whole family was at 8pm at Surrey Memorial Hospital. In came the midwife, Melissa's mom, Brent, the three boys, and Mel's friend Rowenna. The boys spent time watching mom get checked in and read some books. There may have been a few timbits involved too:)

The boys spent most of the time in the next door waiting room (cubicle) but freely walked in and out of the room to see mom and dad. Melissa was doing really well and just had her mom or Brent apply counter pressure to her lower back.

Melissa started on the bed getting her IV drip and then proceeded to the birthing ball. Once her IV was done, she went to the bath tub where she would spend the next two hours or so.

Melissa talked with us in between contractions, and during them she used her hypnobirthing techniques to stay calm and relax. She was so relaxed, I was falling asleep:) The picture below show her face tensed up which rarely happened so I knew she was getting close!

Around 12:30am, Melissa had to be given her second dose of antibiotics via an IV. This was difficult as she had to get out of the tub. We had all hoped she could deliver before the second dose. As soon as she got out, it was clear that her body was ready to push. They attempted the IV while she was sitting in the bathroom but then moved to the bed/birthing stool as it wasn't going to work at that time. Her mom and Brent held on to her, and in between contractions, Melissa and Brent rested their heads together and it was just so beautiful.

Melissa then laid on her side to get more comfortable. She was being a superstar and asked for what she needed and talked with her midwife about what she should be doing. I know this isn't about me, but this part was the hardest for me. I just needed to know that everything would be okay and I was actually just sitting on a stool, trying to stay calm, and saying a prayer or two:) At 1:54am, after about one hour of pushing, baby's head was out and in the next push, out came the baby! I was so excited and openly started sobbing.

Melissa's mom, Nancy, looked to see if it was a boy or girl and then started jumping up and down. Obviously they would've been so happy with another boy, but wow, is was so exciting to see that they had just had a baby girl!! Melissa said she had a feeling it would be a girl, but apparently she felt that way with Ayden and Riley too:) Below is the first kiss from mother to daughter, I was ecstatic.

Below, mom and dad are looking at their brand new daughter to make sure that she fit her new name. They then announced that her name was Amarys Lukadia. Melissa cut the cord herself and just held baby Amarys for two hours, skin to skin. During that time, we waited for the placenta and for Melissa to be cleaned up before the kids came in. Brent went and told the kiddos that they had a baby sister and they were so excited. Amarys started breastfeeding around 2:30 am and didn't stop. She breastfed for a good hour before her blood sugar test which came back with great results! Yippee!

By the time the boys came in, only Ayden was awake. He was in a bit of a tired daze but truly amazed by his little sister. He held her hand and it was so sweet. The little boys just stayed asleep on the pull out cot next to the bed.

I love Brent's smile above, just taking in the sight of his baby daughter. Everyone came in to see the newest little addition and it was just so beautiful (hmm...how many times have I said `beautiful' in this post?!). Melissa had made a hat for her and it fit perfectly. We noticed her perfect little dimple which melted me. Later on she would be weighed and we discovered she was just 9lbs 1oz!! So exciting as Melissa had worked so hard on having a healthy diet to control her GD (her last baby was 10lbs 2oz). By this time I was pretty exhausted and I left around 4am.

What a beautiful journey. I am so thankful that I was able to take part in it. Welcome to the world baby Amarys, you are so loved!!

Baby Jacob | A Special Valentine's Gift

Remember this beautiful belly? Who knew that there was a 10lb 4oz baby in there?! Not these two parents:) I had mentioned after our maternity session how much Anita and I had in common, and now, a similar birth experience with big babies:) After labour starting so well at home and progressing at the hospital, she ended up with a C-section just before midnight on Valentine's Day. Baby and momma are doing well and are now home. Although I was prepared to be there at the birth, it ended up working out that I came the following morning and captured photos of big brother Ben meeting Jacob for the first time. It also included the proud grandparents meeting their newest grandson. Congratulations on the arrival of your gorgeously chubby baby boy!!!

{I got there right after his bath and just before big brother Ben was going to come in. Because baby Jacob had low blood sugar levels (just like my two boys!), he was both breastfeeding and being fed formula. Everyone got a chance to feed baby Jacob, even Ben did!}

{This family is all about the `smooshes'...I'd say that in almost every other picture, someone was kissing somebody:) So cute. Below is Ben just playing in the kid's waiting room before meeting his brother.}

{Ben came in excitedly with a present for Jacob. He waved hello and gave him a smoosh. Baby Jacob was given a Zebra and in turn, baby Jacob gave Ben a great new car!}

{The grandparents, who had eagerly been waiting to meet Jacob, came in and each had a chance to spend some time with him.}

{I love the scrunched up crying face while grandpa held him. It only lasted a second but looks so cute.}

{Ben helping grandpa feed Jacob. At one point Ben said,` Jacob out!' (meaning Jacob was out of mommy's belly). He was so gentle and such a great little helper already!}

{I love Jacob's huge pudgy hands...he had them clasped together most of the time. I love babies!}

{Congratulations to you all on the arrival of Jacob! Having two boys is so much fun and now there is another one to give and receive smooshes in that gorgeous family of yours:)}

Baby Jonah Kristopher

What a wonderful morning! Kathryn was 8 days overdue and was induced at 9am. I got a text at 11am saying that she was 8cm dilated! I quickly found a babysitter for the boys and went to the hospital just in time. Her total time for all labouring and delivery was just 3 hours! Kris and Kathryn were such a fabulous team and have added a very cute bundle to their family. Here are some pictures of them meeting beautiful baby Jonah and his very first hour of life! Check out Kris' face on the left...that's him seeing Jonah for the first time. I love taking candid shots and Kathryn didn't even realize I was there until about 15 minutes after he was born. Congratulations you guys! Oh ya, he was 7lbs 14oz and did I mention that he was ADORABLE?! I even got a chance to hold him:)