The Story of Sarah Ford’s First Birth at Home | Nashville Birth Videographer & Photographer

Man, I knew filming my close friend's birth would be a super big challenge but it was even bigger than I anticipated. I thought maybe I would struggle with camera shakiness and crying when she had her baby, but it was more that I was dissociating and came home and needed to talk with doula friends to feel connected to my body again. Birth is WILD and SO deeply emotional.

Birth Location: Home

Midwife: Shannon Smajda

A close friend and doula holds Sarah’s hand.

Even the least emotional person is likely to be highly affected. Many times, Im depressed coming off of the birth high. It's such a high high that you just naturally hit a low. and then level out. But I love every second.This was Sarah's first birth and baby. We filmed their sweet announcement of expecting a baby last year. Sarah did CrossFit her whole pregnancy and as a student midwife, did as many things as possible to prepare for birth. Going into this birth, she had a lot of muscle. We will find out that that muscle was indeed super needed for this particular birth. Her maternity session was so fun, capturing how they lived during their first time expecting a baby.

Sarah labors at home with her husband, Tyson.

Sara Rosser, Midwife and friend, fixes Sarah Ford’s hair during labor in the **Tubina tub.**

How they loved listening to baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope and just enjoyed the days of Sarah having a sweet bump. Okay, let's get to the birth part already...On the day she turned 40 weeks, she got a PR on her Deadlift at Crossfit class and then the next morning her water broke 🤣 So, maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere.🤣

Sarah Ford, midwife, laboring in a **Tubina Tub**

She let us all know her water broke because we had Saturday plans and we weren't sure how close she was to delivering. During the day she and I and her bff went on a walk to help labor move along and ate popsicles.I stayed home and nearby and was called to go over to her house (she lives 5 mins walking distance from me). She was indeed in labor but the midwives said probably around 5 cm. I got some footage between 7-10 PM and went home to sleep.

Sarah Ford was super annoyed and threw a basket of stuff that was sitting on the back of her toilet over her head onto the floor. Her midwife, **Shannon Smajda**, picks it up for her.

I came back the next morning around 5 am and it was really picking up and she was at 8 cm. Perfect timing. I got footage of early labor and got to sleep all night! What a dream! Sarah was hoping she would have as sunrise baby 🤣 That's high hopes for a first time mom! By 8-9 am it was very apparent that this last cm and that pushing was not going to be easy at all. She had this one last centimeter that just kept HANGING ON.

Sarah Ford, Midwife, sitting on the toilet, trying to finish dilating.

Once baby arrived, we learned why. She also felt SO frustrated because she was honest to God pushing SO hard when it came time and it was like pushing against a brick wall.She at one point, called us all delusional for thinking she could do this at home 🤣 But the two midwives, the doula and the rest of us were all VERY confident that baby was progressing, just slowly. She was so frustrated.

Her midwife, Shannon, tells her - as you can see in the video - if you aren't making progress in the next bit, I will take you in. This was a reverse psychology threat 🤣 as she knew Sarah would get more determined than ever.

Sarah Ford, Midwife, calmly laboring in the shower during her home birth.

Around 11:15, baby was finally born MILITARY OP position, which is the hardest position to get out. Everything then made SO much sense. This position keeps baby from fully engaging which keeps that last cm from fully opening and makes it feel SO hard to get baby out. But Sarah did it and honestly, her muscles from all the lifting made a huge difference. If she had been in a hospital she likely would have been c-sectioned.
If you want your own birth filmed, you can find more information here and contact me here!