A Change of Plans: A Brave Mama’s Emergency C-Section Birth Story
As a Colorado Springs birth photographer, I’ve witnessed all kinds of birth stories—each one powerful, raw, and deeply personal. But sometimes, a birth unfolds in a way no one anticipates. That was the case for this strong mama, who had planned to have a peaceful homebirth for her second baby.
At 38 weeks, everything changed.
She woke up to heavy bleeding and instantly knew something wasn’t right. Trusting her instincts, she headed to the hospital where doctors quickly performed an ultrasound. The diagnosis was swift and serious. Her placenta had begun to detach from the uterine wall, a rare but dangerous complication called placenta abruption. To make matters more complicated, a large blood clot had formed over her cervix, making a vaginal birth too risky. Oftentimes birth demands courage in ways we never saw coming.
This wasn’t what she had envisioned. Like many moms who dream of giving birth at home, she had imagined candles, calm and control. While she wasn’t able to have that experience at home, she did bring her candles, calm and control into her hospital environment.
Faced with an important decision, she chose what mattered most: getting her baby safely into her arms. She moved forward with an emergency c-section, surrounded by the same caring birth team that she chose for her homebirth, plus the addition of the hospital staff.
This mama was incredible. Her strength wasn’t just in her birth plan, it was in her ability to pivot with love, to surrender with grace, and to welcome her baby with fierce mama courage.
As a birth photographer in Colorado Springs, I believe every birth story deserves to be told, not just the peaceful water births or the candlelit moments at home, but also the raw, real, and unplanned. Because no matter where or how it happens, birth is always sacred.
If you’re planning a birth, at home, in a hospital, or are still figuring it all out, I’d be honored to document your journey. Every story matters. Especially yours.
Here are some of my favorite birth professionals that I recommend to help you in the search for a Midwife or a Doula in Colorado Springs, including this family’s midwife, Jessica Nipp, and their doula, Sarah Norris.
