1000 Miles for their Dream Birth | First Coast Midwifery
This is the birth story of Daphne Joy, the fifth little soul added to the family of parents Ashley and Jeff. To give a little background…I photographed their fourth baby, Jack, as a newborn two years earlier, and sometime after that, they moved out of state. I was surprised and delighted when Ashley reached out to me…even though they still live out of state, she was temporarily moving her whole family over 1000 miles so they could spend the end of her pregnancy back in Florida and have her dream birth with HER midwife! Wow! This birth took place in their Florida home before they sold it. Midwife Sam Crickmore of First Coast Midwifery Services here in Jacksonville was so excited for the opportunity to catch her fourth baby for one family, a milestone in her career. And I was thrilled to be part of this dream team! Here is Daphne’s birth story, told by her mother, Ashley. Enjoy!
“I glanced at my phone. It was 6:30 AM and I was woken up by an intense pain in my lower back. I gently sat myself up, wondering if I was in the beginning stage of labor as a contraction hit. I was in denial for a good 15 minutes, even sending a Facebook message to my midwife that read, ‘I think it’s baby day…’ because why would I call when I wasn’t actually in labor? Around 6:50 AM is when my husband, Jeff, stopped pretending to be asleep and asked what was going on. I don’t think either of us were ready for this! I walked out of my bedroom and started pacing around upstairs, waiting for my midwife and then my birth photographer to answer my call. Everyone was completely stunned that I went into labor all on my own after needing a little help with three out of four of my past pregnancies. I was so excited, scared, unprepared, and thankful.
I woke our four kids up with all my pacing and heavy breathing and phone calls, so we went downstairs for breakfast, which never happened. My contractions were gaining more momentum with each one, so I grabbed my birthing ball and slowly made my way back upstairs to labor.
Hudson, Caroline, Barbara June, and Jack threw on some clothes and went to their grandparent’s house, so excited to meet their new baby sister.”
I (Dallas) arrived just in time to see four kiddos padding down the driveway to grandma’s car, and I rushed to grab my camera out of my bag. They were full of energy, so thrilled for the exciting day ahead!
Upstairs, Ashley was peacefully riding the waves of her contractions in her beautiful master bedroom suite, the hazy morning light filling the room.
“Contractions quickly progressed as I leaned on my exercise ball and focused on breathing. Because I was expecting to have a baby the following weekend, I had nothing ready for the water birth I imagined. No hose, no stack of towels, no bowl for the placenta, and no birth kit because I had just ordered it the day before. What I did have was something invaluable, and one I knew I couldn’t do this birth without: my midwife, Sam.”
All of her previous babies had come near 41 weeks, so she truly was surprised to be in labor just two days past her due date! Ashley messaged a nearby friend to see if she happened to have a hose they could use. Although this was Ashley’s fourth out-of-hospital birth, she had hoped this would be her first water birth.
No worries, Sam to the rescue! She swiftly grabbed supplies from her car and got to work helping to make Ashley’s dream a reality.
“The familiar, calm force who I travelled one thousand miles to have catch my fifth child rigged up a hose from the laundry room to my bedroom so I could have the birth I wanted.
Standing in the water, I waited for it to cool down and held on to Jeff the entire time. When labor intensifies, I need that man as close to me as possible. He always complies and is the unwavering tower holding me up and carrying me through.
The water in the pool was still too hot…so girlfriend grabbed ice out of the refrigerator downstairs and tossed it in the water! Sam knew we needed to cool it down quickly because baby was coming soon!
The waves of contractions crashed over me again and again as I leaned on the edge of the birthing pool, holding Jeff’s hand for comfort.
During the quiet moments, I prepared my mind for the moment our little girl entered the world.
I told myself I could do it; I could bring this precious blessing earth side and I wouldn’t fear the pain.
As my daughter’s appearance drew near, I turned to face Sam and asked, ‘Are you going to catch her?!’ That silly question was my final plea for assurance that everyone was where I needed them, and once she gave me an answer that was probably a sarcastic one, I could focus on the final stretch of labor.
With my arms wrapped around my husband’s neck, I held him close.
Tears began to glide down my face, and a soft affirmation came from my midwife. ‘Yes, I can do this,’ I thought.
My daughter was ready, and with the next big contraction, I relaxed my body and allowed the wave to consume me.
Her head was out, and with one final push, our beautiful girl Daphne Joy was born at 10:41 AM.
Sam placed her in my arms and right there is where I wanted to stay, in that moment, soaking up everything that had just happened. I did it!
Daphne was so cheesy and her face was incredibly squishy.
Her lips were perfectly plump. Her head, full of hair. Our baby girl sat perfectly on my chest, Jeff kneeled behind us.
All I could do was thank God over and over for answering my prayers for a healthy baby and an uneventful, beautiful home birth.”
Ashley had all the time in the world to relax and greet her baby. No one rushed her out of the pool, and she was happy to rest after her hard work. After receiving the call from Jeff, grandma brought the two big sisters over to greet their littlest sibling.
The girls couldn’t contain their excitement! They draped over the edge of the tub, pointing out her tiny features and squealing with delight.
When she was ready, Ashley’s birth team helped her up out of the water and into bed, carrying Daphne tight to her side, as the placenta hadn’t emerged just yet. She laid down in bed and Sam helped her deliver the placenta and get warm and cozy under the covers.
Jeff made pancakes, eggs, and hash for everyone, a perfect Sunday breakfast and nourishment for mom’s hard work!
A while later, big brothers Hudson and Jack joined the crew and had the sweetest reactions to the tiny baby in mom’s arms.
After making breakfast, Jeff came up and sat in a rocking chair in the corner, smiling and chatting with Sam. I love this image because it was the moment he said aloud something along the lines of, “Wow…I can’t believe there’s actually five of them!”
Sam lovingly took Daphne’s measurements and checked her head to toe. She was just perfect! Everyone commented and debated on who she looked like, the kids searching for their own features in her tiny face.
This family is so special to Sam. As a young midwife, supporting a family through four pregnancies is an honor! She has watched them all grow up at prenatal appointments and births through this wonderful season of their family’s life.
The morning slipped into afternoon, with kids coming and going, playing and snuggling with mom. Daphne nursed and napped, nourished and calmed by lots of skin-to-skin. I snapped a family picture before I left to document their first moments as a family of seven!
And as always…a birthy selfie to remember my presence!
Ashley and Jeff, I can’t thank you enough for adding me to your birth team! Your swift, smooth home birth was an absolute joy to photograph.
And congratulations to midwife Sam for your first four-peat client! If anyone is looking for a birth center or home birth in Jacksonville or the surrounding cities, definitely check out everything First Coast Midwifery Services has to offer!
Pregnant and thinking about birth photography? Let’s chat!
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