Earlier this spring (and I’m using the word “spring” liberally here…), I had the pleasure of photographing the birth of Keturah and Mark’s third child at Bassett Army Community Hospital, located on Fort Wainwright.
Keturah spent months carefully planning her first all-natural childbirth with the help of Bassett’s amazing midwives. And I have to say – when the moment of truth arrived, it certainly seemed that all her preparations had paid off. The morning of birth started off mellow enough – enough that though Keturah had woken up with contractions, Mark still went to work because they weren’t sure if it was “the real thing” or not (only to be called home an hour later, of course). At that point, things began to pick up pretty quickly, and we made arrangements to meet at Bassett. When I got there, it was clear that things were progressing in earnest, but Keturah and Mark met every stage of labor with calm, premeditated grace. The labor ended up moving fast (much faster than the under-manned staff on the maternity ward initially anticipated – there were some expressions of surprise), but even through the intense moments, Keturah remained centered with Mark’s steady support. Their connection was palpable, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to capture some of their shared moments on film.
Ezra Nehemiah was born not too long after the sun finally came up, directly into the arms of his mother. It seemed like the sun was just pouring through the windows…the morning certainly didn’t need the weather to make it any more beautiful, but I will at the same time admit that it did seem appropriate.
Welcome earthside, Ezra Nehemiah, and thank you, Mark and Keturah, for having me there at your birth.
