When a Midwife Gives Birth | A Story of Surrender

Birth has a way of humbling even those who know it best.

As I packed my camera bag that night, I smiled thinking about the layers of this story - how my former teacher, now dear friend, was about to cross that sacred threshold from midwife to birthing mother. The weight of both our journeys, intertwined in this moment, felt significant.

She moved through early labor like you'd expect a midwife would - with practiced breathing and knowing nods to each sensation. But birth, as she had taught me herself, follows its own rules. At 6cm, her body whispered for a different path than the one she had walked with countless other mothers.

The decision to transfer wasn't just about physical need - it was a profound moment of surrender. A midwife choosing to release her own expectations, to embrace a different kind of strength.

Through my lens, I watched her transform. From care provider to receiver. From guide to traveler. From midwife to mother. Each frame captured this beautiful unraveling, this raw surrender to birth's unpredictable dance.

When Mateo finally emerged, the room held both triumph and tenderness. A midwife had given birth, yes. But more importantly, a mother had found her way to her baby, exactly as she needed to.

The following images were taken by Jillian Crossgrove, CPM and edited by Emily Santi Birth Photography