Parenting

Mom Shares Home Birth With Her Daughters in 30 Stunning Photos

ParentingPublished May 25, 2017
By Jeanne Sager
home birth photosApple Blossom Families

When Morag Hastings shows up at a birth, the doula and photographer is always excited if she sees the parents have opted to keep their older children around for the event.

"I love attending births with kids," the owner of Apple Blossom Families in Vancouver, British Columbia, tells CafeMom. "It is such a beautiful, normal, and life-educational experience. They gain so much confidence from getting to be present for their siblings' birth. Even if they are a bit nervous at times, they often reflect back on the experience with positive statements like 'I helped catch the baby.'"

Every birth is special -- for both the mom and Morag -- but a recent birth turned into a true "family affair," with Mary and Konstantin's 5-year-old and 2½-year-old running around, and a special visitor at the end. Ever wondered what it's like to have your kids attend your birth? Morag (and Mary) shared the gorgeous photos with CafeMom!

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Laboring On
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Laboring On

With her second birth, Mary felt that she called her birth team too early. She had her contractions throughout the night and called Morag and her midwife, Dawn, in the early morning. The birth team arrived around just after 5 a.m., and baby Leah was born around 9:30 a.m.

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The Crowd-placeholder
The Crowd
Apple Blossom Families Photography

The Crowd

Mary and Konstantin's older kids, Sarah and Hannah, played quietly in the living room throughout the birth, but Morag says they were often "making their visits to the bedroom to check up on their mommy."  

"This family was so relaxed and literally have an 'open door' policy for visitors," says Morag. "They love having company over and sharing their space with family and friends."

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In the Thick of It
Apple Blossom Families Photography

In the Thick of It

"With this birth I felt that we were given a lot of space to do our own thing," Mary said. "I was able to feel and listen to my body."

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Look What I've Got!
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Look What I've Got!

"If everyone around them is calm and cool about the process, kids pick up on that vibe and just settle right in," Morag says.

More from CafeMom: 15 Breathtaking Photos of Babies Being Born in Water

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It's Me!
Apple Blossom Families Photography

It's Me!

Morag says this is her doula baby, "showing me her photo album from her birth, while we were waiting for her youngest sister to be born."

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Just Visiting-placeholder
Just Visiting
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Just Visiting

Not every mom has her kids at one of Morag's births, but it really comes down to parents knowing their kids, she says. "Parents prepare them for the sounds they'll hear and make sure they understand they're good and safe ones."

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Hand in Hand
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Hand in Hand

Sarah and Hannah were extra curious to see who their little sister looked like -- since Sarah looks like Daddy, and Hannah looks just like Mommy.

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Here for You
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Here for You

"I was glad my doula knew me well and was [able] to provide such a safe place for Konstantin and I [to] take our time to catch our baby into this world," Mary says. "I could distinctly remember and feel my baby as she journeyed her way through the birth canal. It was amazing."

More from CafeMom: 15 Magical Photos of Moms-to-Be as Disney Princesses

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Somebody's Tired
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Somebody's Tired

A home birth meant the older girls were right at home too, so they could take a break if they needed it.

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Checking It Out
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Checking It Out

Morag captions this one the "midwife in training." She's just checking in on Mom!

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Got Your Back-placeholder
Got Your Back
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Got Your Back

"They pretty much had a mini daycare in their living room with all the kids playing in the living room and roaming in and out of their bedroom!" Morag says. It made things easier on Mom and Dad.

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Some TLC
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Some TLC

Mary had a whole team helping her welcome little Leah into the world.

More from CafeMom: 17 Stunning Birth Photos That Will Change the Way You See Umbilical Cords

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Eagle Eye View-placeholder
Eagle Eye View
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Eagle Eye View

Mary's daughters weren't the only ones in attendance. A midwife's child came too. "The midwife's daughter brought binoculars to watch the birth. I joked that she might end up being more of a birth photographer than a baby catcher like her mom," Morag says.

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Here's How It Goes
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Here's How It Goes

"[Kids] just need a job and to feel included," Morag says. "They are great at filling water cups, getting cold face clothes, rubbing Mama's back, and being quiet during strong contractions."

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Putting on the Gloves
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Putting on the Gloves

Sarah pulled out gloves just in case her little sister arrived, and she needed to help!

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Daddy's Catching
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Daddy's Catching

But Daddy got the honors of helping the youngest little girl arrive!

More from CafeMom: 18 Dads Confess How They Really Felt in the Delivery Room

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Hello Baby!-placeholder
Hello Baby!
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Hello Baby!

Meet Leah Joy!

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Mom's Little Wonder
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Mom's Little Wonder

Leah's birth weight was exactly the same as her sister Hannah's.

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Nice to Meet You!
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Nice to Meet You!

"I love that Morag is a doula and a photographer," Mary says. "I don't think I would go without her."

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It's a Party
Apple Blossom Families Photography

It's a Party

"What I enjoyed most about having my kids there was that they were given an option to participate with the arrival of their sister," Mary says. "It was very important to me that they had the option and were able to see the birth of their siblings. That they understood the process of birth too. I didn't want them to be sent off to family [and] then arrive home wondering how and when their baby sister is now in their space. I found this a gentle and great learning opportunity for the kids and especially Sarah, who now had attended both of her sisters' births."

More from CafeMom: 27 Unusual Baby Girl Names Inspired by Beautiful Places Across the Globe

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Dad's Turn
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Dad's Turn

Someone loved meeting her daddy!

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The Cord!-placeholder
The Cord!
Apple Blossom Families Photography

The Cord!

A white umbilical cord typically means the blood has finished pumping through.

More from CafeMom: 17 Astonishing Photos That Show the Beauty of Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping

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Happy Mama-placeholder
Happy Mama
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Happy Mama

Mary says Morag "captures so many precious moments that I would simply not remember."

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Open Eyes
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Open Eyes

Like this one!

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Hey There!
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Hey There!

Morag captured little details along the way. 

More from CafeMom: The 20 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in America

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Proud Big Sister
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Proud Big Sister

Including what was going down for the big girls.

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Weighing In
Apple Blossom Families

Weighing In

And baby Leah's little tootsies!

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The View From the Crowd
Apple Blossom Families Photography

The View From the Crowd

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Happy Grandma
Apple Blossom Families Photography

Happy Grandma

But one of the most touching moments came at the very end -- after Leah's birth -- when Leah's grandparents arrived. "The grandparents came into the house and didn't know the baby had been born until they came into the room," Morag said. "It was the best surprise. Everything was all cleaned up and mama was snuggling in bed with her baby. This is just one of so many reasons why so many of my clients choose to birth at home."

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A Beautiful and Joyous Family Moment
Apple Blossom Families Photography

A Beautiful and Joyous Family Moment

"We had a very sad situation a few months prior with another family member experiencing a stillborn birth," Mary explains. "So heading into the final weeks of my pregnancy was very nerve-racking, and [it] was a very sensitive time for the entire family. Everyone was nervous that we still decided to have a home birth regardless of our healthy medical history and previous home birth. I actually lied to our parents when my actual due date was because I didn't want our parents to worry about our birth and being overdue. We had a history of our past two births being overdue. No one got a call when we were in labor. After the birth of Leah, we decided to call our parents over without telling them we had just given birth. Konstantin made the call as if we needed childcare for the morning since we wanted to surprise them when they arrived. When they arrived, our parents just did their normal thing and started playing with the kids while the birthing team stayed hidden in the bedroom with me and Leah. Out of nowhere Sarah yelled, 'The baby is here!' and our parents quickly ran into the bedroom overwhelmed with joy and slightly confused. Hence the reaction in the photo."

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