Birth Photographer Gives Real-Time Instagram Updates With #InstaBirthStory

Photographer Cate DePrisco‘s new Instagram movement might just revolutionize the world of birth photography.

Earlier this year, the Kansas-based artist launched a photography business, Instagram account and dedicated hashtag called #InstaBirthStory. Through these initiatives, DePrisco works to document “the whole birth story,” beyond actual birth and the baby’s first breath. “There’s SO much more to that and it’s NOT a quick process,” the photographer told The Huffington Post.

DePrisco offers to post photos on her #InstaBirthStory Instagram account as the birth story unfolds, and if the parents agree, she shares real-time photo updates of the delivery day’s events — from the often long periods of anxious waiting to the tender moments between the parents to be to the first latch.

The baby went right to skin-to-skin without hardly making a sound. At that point the Midwife reminded the entire team that studies show this is incredibly important to do because it calms the baby since the heartbeat is the sound he/she knows best. #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 10, 2015 at 3:10am PDT

Flashback! This is one of my favorites from a past #instabirthstory: Mom was doing the final push to bring #babyEevie into this world and Dad was SO thrilled to see it happening! What I love so much about this photo is it’s a reminder that a #birthstory isn’t JUST about a baby- it’s about everything else that’s happening as the baby is being born: the anxiety, happiness, tears, support, encouragement, etc.

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Feb 15, 2015 at 9:10pm PST

So far DePrisco has photographed five births and had permission to post live updates for four of them on Instagram. The photographer prides herself on the variety of birth experiences she’s captured, including C-sections, hospital births with and without epidurals, a home-turned-hospital birth and a hospital birth for a friend who was giving her baby to another family for adoption.

The photographer said her mission with #InstaBirthStory is to show the more positive, moving moments in welcoming a new baby into the world. “I believe there is a lot of fear surrounding birth because people hear stories of pain and exhaustion, and of course, emergencies and loss,” she said, adding, “It’s true (from what I hear) — it’s painful, it’s exhausting, and emergencies and loss are scary. But from my perspective, it’s also a beautiful process watching the parents and a medical team work together and supporting each other to bring a new human to his/her first breath.”

Keep scrolling and visit the #InstaBirthStory website and Instagram for more of DePrisco’s birth photography.

“We did it” she said. #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 10, 2015 at 3:11am PDT

“Honey, we’re about to have a baby!” #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 10, 2015 at 2:15am PDT

It’s 2:30am… Is it too late for a midnight snack? #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 10, 2015 at 12:48am PDT

#Tbt to @ttstevens coming out of the delivery room to greet his family and bring them in to meet #charlottethehipsterbaby for the first time. He was pretty tired after being there all day long! This was my first “family” session (without a #birthstory attached) from my #instabirthstory package. #depriscophoto –LINK IN PROFILE–

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Mar 5, 2015 at 3:36pm PST

“I was going to just put this in your baby’s room to surprise you when you got home but it’s not done yet. This is from the first thing you ever sewed, this is from one of your dresses growing up….” #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 2, 2015 at 9:03am PDT

Let’s take a #selfie before things get rolling! #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 2, 2015 at 8:10am PDT

#birth is beautiful- but it’s rarely without lots of waiting and at least some pain. This beautiful #momtobe was uncomfortable laying down so before she had her epidural she got up and walked around for a little while. When a contraction was on the way (which it was just starting here) shed grab her husband’s hand and hold on tight. #instabirthstory #depriscophoto #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Feb 22, 2015 at 12:34pm PST

When the nurse walked in Mom and Dad informed her she just had a contraction. “Good!” she said, “because I asked the other nurses out there what I should tell you and they said have the photographer leave and we will put a sign on the door that says do not disturb for a little while and we’d leave you two… Alone.” #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 9, 2015 at 10:42pm PDT

… And one more because I don’t only want a newsfeed full of black and white images 🙂 This #instabirthstory was earlier this week, and this Doctor was AMAZING. She made the mom feel like she was her only patient, even though she delivered at least 4 other babies during the 10 hours this Mom was in labor at the hospital. She was encouraging, energetic, and very happy to be there. <3

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Feb 15, 2015 at 9:16pm PST

No one really got much sleep last night knowing today is the day for the baby. Grandma stayed up until 4am seeing a nursing gown. While we wait in the waiting room while Mom is prepped, Grandma puts in some final touches. She told a story about a song she once heard called “My Mother’s Hands”. It’s a song about all of the things a mother does with her hands for her children. #instabirthstory #birthstory

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 2, 2015 at 7:41am PDT

Before Phoebe went in to the OR for her scheduled c-section (baby was breech), she was having a bit of an emotional battle with herself even though she felt that this was the right thing to do for a healthy and safe delivery. While her mom was fighting the same battle with Phoebe, she was an awesome support for her before, during, and after delivery. To see the full story of images see Brynnlie’s #birthstory on the website- LINK IN PROFILE. To see her instabirthstory search #instabirthstory040215

A photo posted by Cate DePrisco (@instabirthstory) on Apr 29, 2015 at 1:32pm PDT

H/T PopSugar

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Source: Huffington Post Women