Serena had given me fair warning on how the birth of her first son was very quick and she expected her second delivery to be even swifter. As moms usually are, she was right! I received a text at 7pm that the doulas were headed to her home so I grabbed by already packed bags and headed out. Serena's house is as far as you can get from my house on Oahu so it took well over an hour to get there. By the time I arrived, there was 50 minutes to spare.
The room was ready- the Moses basket held the props for Aero's first appearance on mom's instagram feed, the lights were dim (oh so dim), and coconut water sat on the bedside table. As I got closer to the bathroom, I could hear mom breathing through the pain of a contraction. Serena sat in the tub, leaning over the edge with her head resting on her arms. Behind her sat her husband, gently pressing pressure points on her lower back. By the time I settled in and took out my camera, contractions were 1 minute apart and lasted a minute.
I can't express how calm Serena was, quietly determined, even when she started pushing. It was only a few moments before Aero made his debut with the umbilical cord loosely wrapped around his neck four times. Dad was equipped with his phone in hand to record the experience.
Mom and baby rested in the water for a few moments before moving to the bed to get acquainted with each other and settle in. Thanks to those dim lights, Aero was alert with his eyes open immediately. Every birth is an honor and I will probably say that in every post but it truly is! The last photo is everything. I love documenting the whole birth experience because at the end is the look of pure joy and accomplishment all over mom's face.
Happy BIRTHday Aero.
