lyla jane | dayton, Ohio birth photography

from the minute Christie told me she was pregnant, we started talking about her birth photography and newborn photography. I cried when I found out she was expecting, I cried when I found out baby was a girl (I got to go to that ultrasound, how freaking special was that?!) and of course I was crying buckets of tears behind my camera when baby Lyla made her grand entrance.

Christie was under strict instructions to not have this baby while I was in Florida. With her due date being the 19th, it was a major possibility. But they held on and she made her debut 5 days after I got home. Christie was updating me all week at her appointments so I was on edge and super excited. I got the news that they were going to induce her on Wednesday evening, I went into a frenzy trying to make plans for Savannah and getting my equipment ready to go. At 7 the next morning, she’d only progressed .5cm from the night before. Things were slow going in the morning while I was hanging out with my sister and nephew. Until I got the text from Mama Mary, she’s at 9cm but Lyla’s not quite all the way down yet. I kissed savvy goodbye and ran out the door. About 45 minutes after I arrived, she started pushing and about an hour 45 after that, baby Lyla was finally here at a whopping 9lb 5oz and 21.5in! Christie was so strong and did a great job with Mama and Junior by her side. Being there was such an honor and a privilege, its unlike anything else. Birth photography is not something I will ever take lightly.

The text I got the next morning included: “everyone should have a Jenny in their delivery room”. I’ll never be able to express how much that means to me.

I got to go visit Lyla yesterday and she’s beautiful and perfect and doing well. Mom and Dad are doing a great job with her and I’m so excited to watch this peanut grow! christie, I’m super proud of you, thank you for trusting me, again, with such an important time in your life! xxJBZ

I need to give a super special shout out to my friend and master birth photographer, Mel, who put up with all my questions about timing and whatnot. Without her help, I probably would’ve been sleeping at the hospital and annoying the Ross/Johnson families way longer than I already did. 😉