Louise David ~ Birth Photography

Wollongong Birth Photographer... 

Louise David Lactation Consultant.

Many people less appreciative of the birthing process than i ask, "why on eath would someone have a birth photrapgher present at their birth?". Our inability to comprehend each other is equal. Them, why you'd have one? and i, why you wouldn't? ...

To me, as a mother and a practicing midwife and Doula, birth is an unequivocal event in ones life. The anticipation of months of growing up and dreaming of this little life inside you is shared by your partner and loved ones by your side. To think you could fall so much in love with something you've not even laid eyes on yet.

Finally the physical and emotional preparation for the labour and the birth pay off as your innate birthing ability takes over. The lounge room, bedroom, bathroom, hospital room or operating theatre is overpoweringly taken over by emotion. Palpable raw energy of this powerful process that is going on. Finally, inevitably the baby arrives. The feelings that those witnessing would have thought couldn't get much more, explode exponentially! There are always tears... happy ones.

This is why one would want a birth photographer. 

To capture this magic. 

Im so excited to offer my service to women of the Illawarra. 

Whether your birthing at home, Wollongong hospital or out of the local area, consider inviting me to join you. For someone who respects birth and birthing women so much it would be an honour to capture you in your finest moment.

"I love to look back over my birth photos, i see a photo that captures the pain of a contraction and then a photo that captures the moment of his birth and i can relive that extraordinary explosion of feeling relief, pride and every other exquisite emotion all at the same time... I'm so happy i have my birth journey captured, it really is my finest moment"

Sarah on the photography of baby Taj's home birth

Click on the link below to see the photo montage of Hannah's labour and Eden's birth.

Edens Birth


I was so humbled to be present at and photograph the birth of my oldest friend as they welcomed their first baby to the world.  Hannah was such a goddess as she stayed strong through the relentless hours of contractions. The lack of fear and the control she possessed made me so so proud of her. She reminded me why i am a midwife, why i love birth and home birth and why i want to immortalise these moments in time by doing this.

 Wollongong Birth Photographer - 

Louise David Lactation Consultant

Take a look at my website for more of my work. You can see more photo montages and find out about birth photography prices and what i offer.

You can also find out about the other services i offer including home visit lactation consultation, breastfeeding education, Doula services and postnatal midwife services.

Don't hesitate to call or email me to find out more.

Until next time, 

Louise x

Milk sharing ~ a little joy for you, a lot of life for another.

“These babies must only have breast milk. They are not to be given formula” Says the big authoritative neonatologist to the wide eyed scared first time mum. This is me; babies only 6 hours old after a long difficult labour and birth of baby twin boys born 9 weeks early. I didn’t question the man and without any more words exchanged the importance of human milk for these little boys and babies everywhere was concreted in my brain forever.

Over the next days and weeks as my sick babies fought to grow ex utero, I struggled to express enough breastmilk to keep up with their needs. The words of the big stern doctor rung loud in my head as I looked at the measly 20ml id managed to painstakingly squeeze from my breast. Fortunately for me, I wouldn’t have to go against the doctors orders as each baby took turns being sicker and would both be nil by mouth and this would buy me some time to stock pile some milk. I would pump every spare moment I had.

These early mothering experiences laid foundation for my later experience of milk sharing. How much pressure this new mum would have been free from had the neonatologist been able to say to me “these babies must get breastmilk, don’t worry if you cant pump enough to start with, we have a plentiful store here in our milk bank”. If only. If only for all sick babies everywhere this was the norm. The very first option after his mothers own milk. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case and still isn’t. Milk banks just don’t exist in (all but one or two) towns and cities across Australia.

Busy with my baby twins, I breastfeed the months and years away. I learn more, I study, I become a lactation consultant. I learn of all the struggles some mums go through to make sure their babies receive the little breastmilk their mum can make. I am inspired by these mums and want to help.

I give birth to a healthy full term baby boy and breastfeeding is a breeze. I realize that for me to feed my little baby with out a second thought isn’t fair. Its not fair to the next mum who is pumping, comping, on medication, using supply lines and struggling with the thought that she still doesn’t have enough milk for her baby to be exclusively breastfed.

I came across the human milk 4 human babies Facebook page. I posted that I have some milk in the freezer that id be happy to part with if any mums and babies were in need. I was connected with a few passing mums and babies here and there. Then I was put in touch with a mum who wanted donors to contribute milk for her baby on a long-term basis. This was something I could do. It took just 10 minutes of my time to help a mum and baby in such a profound way. I got into a sweet groove of pumping one breast while baby Rhys had the other boob. One pump per day would yield about 120mls. Rhys was sharing his milk, about 1 litre a week with another human baby, my milk would only cover a little over a days worth of the other babies needs but between my self and the other donors and her mother she was at times receiving wholly human milk.

Rhys with his sharing milk 

I got nothing other than the sheer feeling of doing something good for others out of sharing my milk. It wasn’t at all a selfless act because when mum and baby would make the couple of hour round car trip to collect milk, handing the little stash over in the esky felt wonderful.

It was becoming difficult to keep up my pumping, Rhys was big and wouldn’t share me with the pump as easily. The recipient babe was also now over one and mum was managing her demand much better with less need of donor milk, so I decided to stop pumping for donation.

There were still many occasions where a local mum would get in touch with our local natural parenting group at a time of need and ask for one off donations and if there was milk at hand id happily part with it.

I urge you to look up human milk 4 humanbabies, if you’re struggling with supply and keeping up with your babies need for milk than there are other options than just formula top ups. Maybe you have a freezer full of milk that your baby will never make his way through. Don’t let it go to waste, there are babies out there that need it, and mums that would cry to see it go to waste.

Breastfeeding, the choice....

Thanks be to you, a few mammas dear, for clarity in my head that is so so welcome. I wish for all mothers to be able to smile honestly at every other mother, not judge, enough with the judging….

My dear friend told me, after watching me with my baby that if she were ever to have another baby she would do so many things differently to what she had done with her first two. Music to my ears; I too, after meeting and observing so many natural mums along the way, was parenting my third baby so differently than my first. I was relishing in the delights of baby wearing, co sleeping and breastfeeding. To have my dear friend validate how good these things must be for mum and baby felt like a baby step towards the opening of the eyes of all mums to the goodness and wonder that is attachment parenting (for lack of a better term). Then a bombshell as she continued… “But… I still wouldn’t breastfeed”.

photo from: http://newsanchormom.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/breastfeeding-controversy.html

What followed for me wasn’t shock horror, disappointment or despair for this unborn hypothetical baby. It was understanding. A light bulb moment that finally allowed me to get my head around something that had only caused me mental torment until this moment.

The insight that came was that not all women want to breastfeed. That like all things from preconception till our babies are well grown, we have choices. But do women really know that to breastfeed your baby is to make a choice?

Breastfeeding is thrust upon women in prenatal classes and as early in hospital as booking in. Women are almost scared to say they so if they don’t want to breastfeed. Hence unenthusiastically they initiate breastfeeding but at the first opportunity they see as an out they take it. Cracked nipples, milk slow to come in, anything. If women only had the courage to really investigate how they feel about the feeding options available to them; and we as health professionals made it more clear that there are options; that it simply isn’t breast or bottle. There are a variety of feeding options that include breastfeed, pump exclusively, donated breastmilk, mixed feeding (breastmilk and formula), formula. When expectant couples are aware of the options it begins to become clearer that a real decision has to be made, it is not just as simple as turning to formula by default.

It is when these options have had little consideration and breastfeeding begins to hurt or baby is feeding a lot AND all night that the mother who doesn’t particularly care for breastfeeding, lets it go. Not realising she had just made a choice, its very easy for her to say, oh breastfeeding just didn’t work for me, breastfeeding is too painful, I didn’t have enough milk to keep my baby happy. This kind of language can be very detrimental to breastfeeding. This language puts breastfeeding up on an unachievable pedestal. But worse, it undermines the very mothers who choose not to breastfeed, it is an entry way for guilt. Mum feels guilty because breastfeeding didn’t work for her, for what ever reason mother inserts here. Why can’t it be ok for these mothers to say I choose not to breastfeed because it is not what is best for me and my baby at this time. Its not only ok, it’s very important.

In our society where the biological normal feeding method isn’t the culturally normal feeding method a woman has to want to breastfeed for it to work, if deep down, even subconsciously she doesn’t want to breast feed it will eventually fall apart. Probably sooner rather than later. My evidence for this is in my practice and circle of friends even, women who have done everything and anything to hang on to their fragile breastfeeding relationship. I’m talking pumping, complementary feeding, herbs, medications, home visit after home visit, supply lines, donated milk, the works. Until one day the time comes when they can hold their head high and say, you know what, I really wanted this, I tried my absolute best and I’m damn proud of what we’ve been through and achieved. My point is if you really want it you can make it happen to the best of your ability.

Using a lactation aid - photo from

http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/induced_lactation/lact_aid.shtml

Standing up and making the choice not to breastfeed doesn’t make that mother anti breastfeeding, conversely it is acknowledging the value of breastfeeding and breastmilk and the importance of protecting and promoting it in spite of her own decision not to choose it for her and her baby.

The aim of this is to remove the guilt and pressure associated with feeding choices. The formula feeding mum so often refers to her feelings of guilt over the decision to not breastfeed and the breastfeeding mother so often struggles with trying not to make the formula feeding mother feel bad. We are all responsible for our own feelings so if it is guilt that the mother who chooses to formula feed is feeling; when another mother breastfeeds by her at the shops for example; it comes from no body but her self. If this mother can own her decision to feed her baby the way she has chosen, she has every right to hold her head as high, just as high as the breastfeeding mother does. The only person you have to answer to is your self. If you can’t hold your head high, if guilt is weighing you down then it’s going to take time to assess why. Does it come down to not making a truly informed decision about your feeding options? Did you explore all your options and choose what was best for you? If the guilt is truly crippling, is relactation an option? or do deal with it, come to terms and educate your self better for next time?

We need to stop judging and comparing, I often hear from breastfeeding supporters that they feel sorry for tiny babies when they see them being fed a bottle of what is assumed to be formula. That type of thinking is as harmful to mums and babies as asking the breastfeeding mother to cover up is. We don’t know what their story is, or what’s in the bottle even, maybe its donated breastmilk and the baby is adopted. We only know our own story. The only thing ever that we should think when we see another mum and baby is “oh what a beautiful baby. I’m sure that mum has her baby’s best interests at heart. I know she is only doing her best that she can do today and every day”

Till next time

Louise

xxx

Is he a good baby? 6 to 12 months.

As my little person nears the 6 month mark (insert sad teary face here) I thought to touch on sleep and feeding habits of the slightly older baby, the 6 to 12 month old. In this age of baby there is a much greater societal expectation of “good behaviour”, I think what they mean by good baby is a baby that is sleeping well (and through the night) and breastfeeding less (than when he was new), as well as taking good amounts of solids with out being fussy. Hmmmm expect much?

So what is normal for infant sleep at this age? It’s so very common for this still young baby to be “cat napping” during the day. Also needing comfort measures to get to sleep be them feeding to sleep, rocking or carrying or simply mum or dad’s presence. Night feeds are normal, and important. Night feeds keep up the milk supply and help with continued baby growth and brain development. To ignore your baby’s cry is to ignore its most purest emotion, that cry is your baby expressing his love and need for his mother, why would a baby simply switch this off at any particular age, just because culturally we expect him to.

Is he a good baby? Sure he is settled all night long, he has about 4 boobs through the night, some times more some times less, his needs vary.

This is how we roll, snoozing in the ergo around home.

Babies between these ages can go through many different feeding patterns. One baby may be feeding more than ever as he developmentally is needing the comfort the breast provides as circumstances around him changes (mum starting some part time work for example), or perhaps he’s experiencing a stage of separation anxiety. The next baby might struggle to have a couple of feeds during the day, as he is learning to crawl and experience the world around him, this baby will probably make up for missed feeds at night. They’re clever like that.

Is he a good feeder?  He’s really clever, if I just follow his cues he lets me know when he wants milk, breastfeeding is great like that.

The solid thing gets so much more attention than it deserves at this age, or any stage during the early years for that matter. Babies and children are very clever and regulate their intake to just the right amount for them, this is why feeing the baby according to his need (demand feeding) is all that he needs. Family foods in the second six months of life are all about a learning experience, baby learning textures and tastes and how this eating thing works. Nutritionally the solids between 6 and 12 months and in many cases longer mean very little; provided, once more, the baby is fed according to his need. Baby led solids is a fantastic approach to introducing family foods and is very breastfeeding friendly in that it doesn’t look at foods for this age as meals and maintains breastfeeds as the main nutritional intake.

Is he a good eater? He loves exploring his food; he feeds himself lots of different foods as he plays. Food under one is just for fun.

Rhys looking pretty proud of himself after a play session with a mango seed 5 and a bit mths.

There is no such thing as a bad baby, babies are not manipulative, nor do they exist to have mum be the brunt of an evil baby led conspiracy theory. Our babies are little people we are growing, baby animals that need every thing we can give, love, comfort, food and affection. The freshest newborn needs these things to thrive and be safe and secure in this big wide world, the bigger baby and even bigger child needs them all the same, maybe even more but definitely no less.

Till next time

lou x

So Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week

This has been a long time coming, My birth story. I've been reliving this day over the last 3 and a half months and slowly put it in words to share. Its the start of a series of positive and inspiring birth stories im going to share here. If you have one i'd love to read and share, email me at louisedavidlc@gmail.com

Enjoy.

So Tuesdays are my favourite day of the week. I have a beautiful little community of mums and their little ones with whom we gather weekly and talk of all things birth and breastfeeding while we crochet.

                     my village...

I had planned a homebirth; my care provider was a beautiful midwife with the local hospital midwife program. In order for my dream homebirth to become a reality with this program I had to remain low risk, I had to not be GDM and be GBS negative, not preterm, not postdates, to name a few, these things I was and I declined a 34 week scan. I could have avoided this hoop jumping and had my homebirth lined up with out question had I chosen a private midwife. But for financial reasons I decided to go with the publicly funded option, and I committed my self to this fully until there was some reason for me to do otherwise, I had faith my body would manage this pregnancy and birth “normally” and it did.

my inspiration wall...

This particular Tuesday, a wet miserable day, I was 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant; I was so excited for this birth to finally happen and to meet this new little person. I slept like a baby the night before and woke up disappointed that it wasn’t going to happen today. Not because I was over it at all, just cause I couldn’t contain my excitement much longer. This excitement only grew as I found myself discovering the slightest ever pink show when I went to the toilet after I got up. I told my self I was getting my hopes up to think it would all happen this day, although deep down I felt it starting. I left the house for my crochet day. I thought, “Maybe I should take some spare trackies?” I decided no, that was wishful thinking.

The kids had just settled into play and the crochet was out, the coffee machine heating when I bounded off the couch, the girls laughed with delight when I told them my water just broke. My baggy genie pants caught all the fluid and I changed into Kim’s spare daggy trackies. I returned to my crochet and fresh cuppa and we joked that I should go get the pool and birth in the company of the girls, the kids and the crochet.

Soon contractions were coming gently but steadily and I was thrilled that this time had finally arrived. Once the contractions were catching my breath a little the girls encouragingly said “maybe you should make a move home while you can still drive” so they sent me on my way with some food and the big boys who were upset they were missing out on their play day with their friends.

On the short journey home I phoned my hubby and arranged my birth support Cindy and photographer Michelle to make their way over. I also phoned the kids grandma to come and pick them up so mummy could have the birth and mental space all to herself. At this time I felt ready to phone the midwife and let her know what was happening, she offered to come but I told her I’d phone when I felt I needed her. So with my birth support around me I kissed the boys and a teary grandma good bye. The boys concerned with what would be when they returned. Now I could enjoy the time ahead.

It’s about midday now, an hour and half from my membranes rupturing, and over the next couple of hours we plod around the house, tidying, plastic laying the couch, preparing as the time between contractions gets briefer and the contractions more intense. The midwife phones to see if she’s needed yet, I decline again, at this time we’re just filling the birth pool.

We said my labour established at 1pm. I had been coping well, breathing, moving all around the lounge room. Ty and Cindy massaged my back but the biggest help so far and as it turned out for the rest of my labour was my music. A small select playlist I’d been listening to for relaxation over the last months. Now it was my focus during the pains, Jack Johnson sings “this is how it’s supposed to be”, Renee and Jeremy sing “don’t you worry about a thing” and Tracy Chapman sings “deliver me”. I sing. Closer to 2pm with the encouragement of Cindy and Michelle I decided to call the midwife and her back up to attend. I climb in to the pool, this can only be referd to as heaven, and the midwives arrive. I am offered and internal to check my progress. I politely decline, having no idea at this time how this simple choice will save my birth outcome.

my playlist...

I swim and I sing, I blow bubbles and the people around me while pretty silent help me through with the odd hand hold or question but mostly with water pouring over my back.

I near transition and I feel like i've had enough, I decided within myself that the next contraction i'm just going to give up, let go, pass out if I can. My body had other plans and instead began to involuntarily push. It took a few contractions for these pushes to really take hold and feel good. For the contraction pain to be taken over by useful working pushes that felt good.

I could feel baby moving down and soon felt him under my pubic bone. I felt what I thought was a big mucous plug come away; id had my eyes closed for about 2 hours now. It turned out to be a big plug of meconium. On seeing this the midwife asked to feel the babies position vaginally because she could see the mec. I tried to suggest it was my poo and she laughed and asked again more seriously “please can I check?” first I checked my self and the presenting part was less than 2cm inside my vagina. She felt gently and briefly and simply said “ok, this is breech. That’s a bottom” my jaw dropped, I processed the info instantly, thinking ok how does this change things, my answer to myself was, it doesn’t, “ok lets do this” I blurted out and I rolled over on all fours.

The midwives asked that I hop out of the pool, I was happy to oblige if it made them more comfortable. My husband said this is where he panicked, because the midwives went into action mode from the calm observatory persons they were before. I’m continuing to push all the while the second midwife is on the phone to the hospital and then the ambulance (hospital protocol means transfer in). I was not put off in the slightest by the happenings around me. I pushed my heart out and it felt so good.  Cindy was filming the birth and her words of encouragement spurred me on. The midwife listened to the baby’s heart beat that was ever so slow, it didn’t phase me; I knew baby would be out the next contraction. He was out to his chest now, feet still inside. The midwife didn’t like what she heard and said come on Lou push, and I calmly said “the contractions gone, let it be”. We waited. Slowly the next contraction built up, the push came back, one foot, two feet, one arm, two arms, I built my courage up for the last push of the head, but it took only half the energy id mustered, to my surprise.

The relief was bliss, I rested to the couch with my new little bundle, and I discovered that my gut feeling of this growing person in me is a boy was correct. The feeling of accomplishment is indescribable, proud, empowered, stoked, surprised, and delighted. There’s not one that fits right, its all of them.

I settled in and stayed skin to skin with this new little man, he fed straight away and wide eyed took it all in. His mummy couldn’t wipe the smile of her face, and still hasn’t.

Rhys was 3450g and 52 cm long he had a big bruise on his bum. His breach birth was undiagnosed till 2^nd stage and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m so grateful to have experienced this wonderful birth. If I had accepted that internal when the midwife arrived it would have been an instant transfer in when the breech was discovered and ultimately resulted in a caesarean section. The reason my birth resulted in a beautiful, safe vaginal breech birth was because I simply trusted and let go.

So now every Tuesday as baby Rhys turns a week older, I relive this amazing day, I join my wonderful crochet friends and we talk birth and boobs and I am full filled. My heart is warmed with what I have achieved and I am happy.    

The beautiful birth photography is by Michelle at Inspired Images. I am so happy to have these memories, check out her work. http://www.inspired-images.com.au/

Again if you have a birth story to share, email me at louisedavidlc@gmail.com

Lazy mum

I’m the first to admit that i'm a lazy person, if I can get out of doing something, I will, if I can do something half heartedly but get the same result I will. I’ve now realised I parent the way I do because is slips in just perfectly with my tendency to be a lazy bum.

I believe the way I parent my baby  is the best of both worlds, for him, meeting his every need and for me least physical effort, allowing me the most rest making us both chilled out happy people.

I’m going to break down the three biggest features in my parenting life at the moment and share the laziness they behold.

Breastfeeding – the lazy feeding choice. Breastfeeding something only a mum can do for her baby (except in case of cross nursing) therefore mum can take every opportunity her bub feeds to sit down and put her feet up. In the early days when bub is feeding all the time it can be easy to have the thought ‘oh no not feeding again’ but once you learn to embrace the fact that feeding means, happy quite bub, rest and comfy couch, tv/laptop one will quickly drop those thoughts and learn to look forward to the next feed time. Even better when babe cluster feeds of an evening. When else can you set up there on the couch, snuggling your suckling babe totally guilt free and let go all that needs doing or palm it off to others around you. This breastfeeding thing can really be “milked” and used to your advantage ;)

                                                                   Photo by Inspired Images

Bed sharing – ultimate in lazy night time parenting. How can something that results in optimum amounts of sleep for mum and babes every possible need being met, being right there next to mum and her milk be forgotten in our culture today. I was planning to co sleep (sharing the same room, babe in arms reach) with my baby from birth, this however very quickly turned into bed sharing (sharing the same sleeping surface as your baby) as to sit up and pick baby up out of his bassinette, feed then return him to bed simply required too much effort and awake time on my behalf. I decided to ditch the bassinette, I side cared the cot and never looked back. I get the regulatory “is he sleeping through the night?” from family or strangers and I can respond, “no, but I am” and go on to explain that he feeds and sleeps and I sleep, rouse to help and mouth find a nipple in the dark and drift off again. Maximum sleep, maximum happy mum. I truly wonder where I’d be if I hadn’t discovered this mothering bliss this time round.

Baby wearing – don’t settle your baby, cruise with your baby! I’m forever hearing mums discuss their frustrations that their baby only settles when they’re held or rocked. Naturally this is where bub wants to be, close to mum, warm and secure. In an attempt to be as lazy as possible I’ve resigned this time round to give in to that and not waste one ounce of energy on settling my bub. I think of these mums, and myself with my twins, who would wrap and rock and shush and dummy and half an hour later still find us doing the same thing and frustrations building. Bub finally goes off, only to wake however long after and repeat the whole process next sleep round. So, to wear your baby, baby either feeds to sleep and slips in to the carrier undisturbed and you carry on about your day (or you just stay snuggled on the couch in the first place) or bub is full as a goog and getting tired, pops in the sling/wrap/woven etc carrier and as you plod around he checks out his surroundings, you unpack the dishwasher, put a load of nappies on and the next time you look down he has drifted off with absolutely zero effort on your behalf.

I hope I’ve inspired you to be a little lazier in your parenting. I think the point, if nothing else, is, slow it down. Chill out and take all of your baby in, look at him or her, its going too fast isn’t it?

Untill next time,

Louise
ps please check out http://www.inspired-images.com.au/