Birth of Baby Calvin - Evergreen Hospital - Kirkland, Wa

October 23, 2023 Morgan Petroski

The birth of Calvin.

He arrived faster than anyone expected. I think he was just ready to meet everyone. Inductions are typically long, sometimes they can even take multiple days. Amy’s induction went from a second dose of misoprostol to birth in about 6 hours! As her contractions built, Jeff supported her every step of the way. As the moment of birth neared, Jeff gloved up and stepped in to help catch their baby. There’s something extra sweet about a partner catching their baby. After birth, Calvin had a very short stay in the NICU for observation while he cleared some fluids but soon the entire family of three were reunited back together in postpartum. Little Calvin weighed 6 lb 8 oz at birth and was born at 10:32am on October 21st.

Welcome Calvin!

(P.S. - Check out the cutest little swirl of hair I think I’ve ever seen.)

Birth of Baby Golden - Puget Sound Birth Center - Kirkland, Wa

September 28, 2023 Morgan Petroski

The one truth about birth. Every birth is different. Even when this is your third birth. They still manage to surprise you.

Labor began during a crazy thunder storm on Monday night. We all headed to the birth center only a short time after a heads up, as Diana’s last birth was a quick one. However, Golden had other plans. Her mother worked so hard throughout the night, then night turned to morning, then morning to afternoon. She was exhausted. But the amazing thing about birth is sometimes you surprise yourself. With the care and encouragement of her midwife, her mother, and her husband she gathered all her remaining strength and roared Baby Golden out on September 26th.

It’s safe to say with a build up like that everyone was more than ready to meet this little one. Welcome Golden. You have the strongest mother.

A mother in labor, holds her belly up as she works through a contraction outside under the night sky as her husband touches her belly and supports her.

A midwife supports a mother in labor at the Puget Sound Birth Center.

Husband lovingly kisses his wife's shoulder as she lays in a bed at the birth center while in labor.

A pregnant mother is framed in a doorway during her labor at Puget Center Birth Center.

A husband reaches out to support his wife in labor in the birthing tub at Puget Sound Birth Center.

A family gathers round a birth tub as a mother labors.

A mother grips her husband and mother between contractions while pushing out her baby at Puget Sound Birth Center.

A mother roars as she pushes out her baby.

A mother and father look down lovingly at their newborn daughter immediately after birth at Puget Sound Birth Center.

Puget Sound Birth Center midwife cares for baby and mother immediately after birth.

A newborn baby rests on her mother's chest immediately after birth.

Big brother, big sister, and dad, gather round and admire a freshly born baby as mom and baby rest in bed.

A midwife at Puget Sound Birth Center beams with happiness as she holds a freshly born baby.

Mother and baby take an herbal bath together fresh after birth. Baby is still connected to their placenta.

A newborn baby cries during an herbal bath after birth. Herbs and flower petals float around her in the tub.

Newborn baby nurses while in a herbal bath with her mother while her placenta is still attached for delayed cord cutting.

Entire family takes an herbal bath together postpartum at the Puget Sound Birth Center in Kirkland, Wa.

Newborn baby is swaddled on a bed at the Puget Sound Birth Center only a few hours after being born.

Black father kisses his newborn daughter on the forehead only a few short hours after birth.

Family looks on adoringly at the new baby that was just born at Puget Sound Birth Center.

Birth location: Puget Sound Birth Center

Midwife: Amanda Ferre of Eastside Midwives at Puget Sound Birth Center

Birth of Baby L - Virginia Mason - Seattle, Wa

September 28, 2023 Morgan Petroski

After a few days of prodromal labor and then finally a quick, beautiful, and peaceful labor on the morning of September 25th, Baby L was born. His mother strongly and gracefully birthed him in the water and then welcomed him into her arms. Welcome little one!

A mother labors in the dark on a birth ball at Virginia Mason in Seattle.

A woman hangs on her husband as her supports her through a contraction.

A mother labors in the birth tub while surrounded by her husband and midwife at Virginia Mason in Seattle.

A husband gently touches his wife's arm during labor.

A husband kisses his wife's forehead while she smiles between contractions and sits in a birthing tub.

A mother brings her baby up to her chest immediately after giving birth to him in a birth tub at Virginia Mason in Seattle.

A mother looks up at her husband while holding their freshly born baby with a look of astonishment and surprise about what just happened.

A father leans over the birth tub to take a close look at the baby his wife just birthed and is holding in her arms.

A mother looks adoringly at her freshly born baby in the birth tub at Virginia Mason in Seattle.

A freshly born baby looks up at his mother while still in the birth tub at Virginia Mason in Seattle.

A father cuts the cord of his newborn baby at the hospital.

A father smiles and looks down lovingly while holding his newborn son in his arms.

A mother smiles at her husband from the hospital bed with their newborn son in her arms.

Baby Elliott - Fresh Newborn Session at Home - Shoreline, Wa

September 13, 2023 Morgan Petroski

A quick sneak peek from Elliott’s in-home fresh newborn session! What’s a fresh newborn session? Sometimes even with the best laid plans a Fresh 48 Session turns into a home Newborn Session that we schedule as soon as everyone is home and feeling good. I am pretty flexible when it comes to the unexpected and work with you when plans change. The bonus was, as a result, we got some cute photos of their pup with baby as well!

Welcome baby Elliott!!

Birth of Baby Waylon - Puget Sound Birth Center - Kirkland, Wa

September 7, 2023 Morgan Petroski

It’s a pretty special thing when the stars align on a birth. This little guy will always have a cool birth story that begins with… Well, I was born on my parent’s anniversary…

More to come later. But for now, here’s a quick sneak peek from Waylon’s birth this week!