Womb and Bloom, Jackson, CA (2026)

05/07/2024

Yesterday was bereaved Mother’s Day. A day that feels that it shouldn’t even exist, because it signifies families who have had to say goodbye to their child far too soon. It’s a day a lot of people don’t know how to acknowledge, because let’s be real, death sucks and it’s uncomfortable. As a bereavement doula, I have seen and witnessed firsthand the strength, and resilience from that of mothers who have to love their baby from afar, the mothers who carry their babies in their hearts, rather than their arms. Bereaved mothers carry a pain that is unfathomable, a loss that cuts deep into the core of their being. Each day is a delicate dance between honoring the memory of their precious child and navigating the overwhelming waves of grief. Their love knows no bounds, and holds strong until the day they are reunited with their little one again. To all the bereaved mothers out there, your strength is awe-inspiring, your resilience is remarkable. May you find moments of solace in the memories you hold dear, and may you feel the gentle embrace of love surrounding you always. You are not alone, and your little one is celebrated and remembered, forever.
And to my fellow birth workers who offer bereavement services, I want to acknowledge you as well. We walk a thin line, supporting families in the depths of their darkest moments in life, offering a glimmer of light, encouragement of hope, a heart full of compassion and support, doing our best to help each grieving family preserve the short, but precious memories and moments they have with their baby. I’ve been asked often, WHY do you offer bereavement services? My answer is simple, but heavy. My heart and goal is to hold space for each family in the depths of trying to navigate grief, and healing, learning how to live with joy and pain, acknowledging that both have to, and will co-exist. My heart behind the photos is that it would show the beauty and significance of their child…continued in comments

07/10/2023

When your first client ever still has you take pictures of each baby that she’s had. 🥹 Kerri was the first mama to allow me into her birth space, we were strangers yet she welcomed me in as if we had known each other for years. That was when I had the grand idea to get myself into birth photography. I had no experience, had no clue what I was actually doing, and was very up front about that. The birth of her babies will always hold such a special place in my heart. I am forever thankful for her “yes” that gave me the opportunity to get my business going. 6 years later, much more experience in the birth photography department, a doula certification, midwife assistant certification, a sweet friendship that blossomed from her yes, years of her cheering me on, play dates with each others kids, here we are again! Thank you Kerri, for being you, welcoming, loving, trusting and inviting me into these special moments. Love you guys!

05/05/2023

Let’s talk…B I R T H W O R K…

Birth work and birth photography is one of the best, yet hardest jobs I’ve ever had.

The life of being on-call for several weeks which turns into months when you’ve got clients stacked, to being called at random hours on random days with little notice, to walking into a birth needing to be so well versed in photography so you can adjust lighting quickly and efficiently, being prepared for everything from dark rooms, lit by a tiny fairy lights, to the hospital and OR spotlights.

It’s being well versed in birth language, able to speak quickly and help your client make the best informed decisions for her birth. Not to mention being at the birth for anywhere from 2 hours to 24+ hours with no real sense of when you’ll be able to tell your family you're on your way home.

It's a wonder is birth workers sign up for this job, but when the passion and love for birth and mothers is in your veins and runs deep within your soul, it's hard to not want to live and breathe it! Birth work is hard. Birth work is messy. Birth work is beautiful and unique. It’s the hardest, yet best job I’ve ever had the honor of working. And I must say, the birth workers I have the honor of working with are one of a kind, whose passion shows with each family they care for. It’s an incredible community to be apart of.

04/17/2023

🌈 Oh, child if only you knew the story that led to your arrival. You will someday, but for now, your big sis that left us too soon is watching down over you, your big brother and adoring parents. Welcome to the world, Olivia. You are loved deeply, your arrival was much anticipated, your life brings a new meaning to life itself. Life after loss brings a different kind of love. 🌈

03/24/2023

We live in a culture where birth is considered gross, it’s feared, it’s treated as a standard medical procedure and often “messed with”, disturbed, leaving mothers feeling traumatized and disconnected from what should have been one of the most life changing, incredible experiences of their life. If we want to change this culture, we need to make the conscience decision to go back to our foundations, expose our children to what should be normal, educate, and choose our birth team wisely. We can’t keep screaming that we need to shift birth culture while simultaneously hiding birth and instilling a fear around it. You as the parent know what your child can handle, don’t be afraid to talk to them and explain to them the process. It’s not gross. It’s not sexualized, it’s not inaaprioate. Mothers showing their children the raw beauty of birth, sets them up for a lifetime of confidence within their own body, and mindset to continue the generation of changing birth culture and how it should be cared for.

02/09/2023

Informal selfie to make an ✨ANNOUNCEMENT✨

As most of you know I’ve been actively working as a Birth and Bereavement Doula and birth photographer for the past 4.5 years. I’ve always had a passion and love for all things birth, babies and mama related but didn’t know how or where I could make a difference. So I started with capturing what should be one of the best days of a family’s life. That sparked the passion to pursue more and earn my certification as a birth and bereavement doula. I want to serve families and help them feel empowered, and help them to see themselves for the very capable, strong women that they are, even in loss.
I’ve supported families in all forms of birth. Home birth, birth center, hospital, VBAC, cesarean and subsequent pregnancies after loss. This passion has only continued to grow. My education has grown. My hearts desire for each family is to feel equipped, safe, heard, loved on, supported, educated, and confident.
I am SO excited to announce that I have achieved and am adding being a Midwife Assistant to my offerings! With this being said, it is with great joy and excitement to add to this announcement- I will be joining Family Tree Midwifery Care as their Midwife Assistant! I will primarily be working with them, still offering myself as a birth photographer in that home birth setting. I will still be taking doula clients and photography clients, but with limited availability. I am excited and eager to continue to grow with , and learn from them as we work together, serving families and supporting birth for the natural, life changing event that it is.
I’d also like to thank my instructor, Kaleem with who has brilliantly created the midwife assistant training course.Thank you, Kaleem for investing in me and teaching in a way that’s tangible, realistic, evidence based and continuing to keep the tradition of birth being natural and safe.

02/01/2023

Birth has the potential of being one of the hardest things you’ve ever done, but it also has the potential of being the most empowering thing you’ve ever done. Don’t hinder yourself from being able to manifest that. Don’t let any provider hinder that. Choose your birth team wisely, I cannot stress this enough. Those who are in your room should be helping you transform and be the powerful, strong capable woman that you are. Birth is not an emergency or tragedy, it deserves to be well cared for, but not treated as a problem that needs to be fixed.
Let yourself be completely immersed in all that it is. Prepare. Envision. Educate. Establish relationship with those who will be your helping hands and support. Don’t apologize for requesting specific things to be done or not done, speak up for the things your heart beats for, a large portion of what you want is your motherly instinct kicking it. This is YOUR time, YOUR birth story, and while birth may only last a day or two, the imprint that it leaves on your soul and how you recover lasts forever. Do not put limits on yourself, birth doesn’t have to be feared, it needs to be respected. Give yourself the gift of making this happen and allow it to be the most beautiful, rewarding thing you’ve ever done.
This is my heartbeat for your birth. You deserve the best, mama.

01/12/2023

I am convinced that there is no experience like birth, it is unlike anything else. The truth is, it has the power to bring you to the end of yourself if you let it. It challenges you in ways that you never thought possible, there are times where it makes you feel like you can’t possibly continue, and then you’re graced with this incredible burst of divine strength, determination and motivation to keep going. The challenge is strong, the reward is sweet, the love is endless and the gift of new life is a miracle unlike any other.

01/07/2023

Don’t disrupt a mother when she’s in labor land, if you do you’ll be disrupting her natural, primal instincts. Let’s get back to treating birth as the normal natural thing that it is, rather than a medical condition that needs needs fixing or intervention. There is a time and place for that, birth, with the exception of unique circumstances, usually is not that time or place to intervene.

09/15/2022

Time and grief. It’s odd how both things tend to make the one you’re grieving feel so distant yet it’s all still so fresh. I’m getting ready to package up a necklace that represents so much, to a sweet mama I was able to come alongside during their time of loss. This necklace represents love, anticipation, strength, remembrance, loss, and the memory of a sweet little one that forever changed hearts and lives.

The 14th marks the day they said goodbye too soon. All of this got my mind going…

Bereavement isn’t talked about often enough. Miscarriage, stillbirth, loss after birth, it’s avoided and often skated around in fear of not knowing how to be.
There are times even I as a bereavement doula find myself at a loss for words, but at the end of the day, words aren’t always needed. Just being there, acknowledging, supporting, remembering dates and birthdays, holding space, reminiscing on the memories and the love that’s shared about the loved one, matters.

I think often times people don’t want to bring up the matter in fear of causing more emotional anguish, but in reality, that mama and dad don’t want their little one to ever be forgotten. Text them, call them, show them you remember those important dates.

Loss doesn’t need to be a secret. It’s endlessly unfair, it’s unlike any other pain. The loss has shaped you, it’s part of your story, it’s part of your strength, it’s part of the way you love, and how deeply you feel. It’s your story that will continue to shape you. But one thing is for certain, you are not alone.

Tonight, as I wrap up a necklace, I am thinking of all the mamas and daddies that had to say goodbye too soon.

If you are struggling with trauma from loss, grieving alone, or need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help. You’re not alone.

08/02/2022

Did you know the first breath typically happens within 10 seconds of delivery? At birth, changes in temperature and environment, stimulate the baby to inhale sharply and inflate the lungs to capacity. Once the lungs have expanded, amniotic fluid is pushed out of alveoli which then allows more oxygen rich blow to flow. Pressure changes then occur in both the heart, and lungs and special openings that existed for fetal circulation, then shut permanently. This process then completes the transition from fetal to newborn circulation.
Newborns are amazing, and so resilient!

06/14/2022

When you look back on the photos of your baby’s birthday, will you always be able to dive in and feel the emotion of that day, may you feel those same feelings, may you always remember the emotion you felt when you met your baby for the first time, may you always remember the sound of your baby’s first cry, may you always find treasure in each of the photos, hold them dear to your heart and may it fill your soul with extra love as you reminisce on the day you welcomed your little one. May your baby’s birthday photos serve as a gift to you, a time capsule so unique and beautiful that it becomes something you cherish more, and more each time you see them.

Womb and Bloom

05/07/2024

07/10/2023

05/05/2023

04/17/2023

03/24/2023

02/09/2023

02/01/2023

01/12/2023

01/07/2023

09/15/2022

08/02/2022

06/14/2022

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