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Love You Endlessly

Huxley’s Birth

Vincent Pallotti, Cape Town

This is the birth story of how Huxley, with eyes as fierce blue as his mommy’s, came into Daniela’s life. I knew Daniela was going to be an exceptional mother when I met her again at her maternity shoot. Dressed in the most ‘vogue’ maternity dress I have ever seen, we spent an entire afternoon capturing the most beautiful maternity memories for her.

I joined this special mama and her doula, Harriet Came late evening and wrote her story with photos and video as she bravely endured surge after surge by candlelight.

By midnight it was decided that a C-section was needed. Huxley was received by an all-women birth team (apart from the anesthetist and paed who both did an incredible job of honoring what was a very gentle C-section) headed by Dr. Jacky Searle. Huxley’s grandmother witnessed his first breath with Daniela.

I write this as a side-note as I never want to interject or project when it comes to my clients’ birth experiences, but from my own, independent perspective this was a wonderful example of how a doula can provide physical and emotional support during labour but even during c-sections. I myself had a wonderful doula (Lana) present in theatre with the birth of my second child and she and my husband worked as an amazing, well-oiled birth team to support me. Even though I had a “failed” VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-Section), my second birth experience was a more empowered one as I understood my own birth preferences, I felt heard and I had a wonderful, supporting birth team. Just like with professional birth photographers it is best to make sure that your doula is registered with a professional body such as WOMBS.

And then there is of course also his beautiful welcome home session which was photobombed by the pet cat!

Grow strong and big little Huxley with you beautiful blue eyes!

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Love Alda

Alda is the mother of three beautiful children and one of Cape Town’s foremost and well-published birth photographers and mentors. Being a mom has had a profound influence on her work. Birth photography is a labour of love to her – a joyous celebration of this beautiful, fragile life we all share and she has attended and captured many, many births both natural and c-section.
She is the founder and chair of the South African Birth Photographers Association and has recently completed a course through UCT in Medicine & The Arts.
As birth professional and mother she enjoys nothing more to share and knowledge and experience with parents eager to be empowered with knowledge and information.
Among her many accomplishments she has recently partnered with Nikon to represent them in the birth photography market and has also started a birth professional mentoring initiative for birth photographers, midwives, doulas, OBG’s and more at www.aldasmith.com

You can visit Alda at Love Alda

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