Ray's Birth Story

This is a very special birth story to me, I was honored to capture one of my very best friends become a mother and meet her perfect baby boy for the first time. I asked her to write down her birth story and I will share it in her own words.

“December 21, 2016 I found out I was pregnant for the third time! I was so happy and excited but also very nervous and scared. My first two pregnancies didn’t last more than just a few weeks so I was very hesitant to let my emotions get involved with this one. I called and my doctors office a few days later to set up my appointment for my first ultrasound. I expected them to have me come in sooner than later because of my two previous losses. The receptionist scheduled me to come in at nine weeks along so I had six long weeks to wait. Those next six weeks were filled with anxiety stress and hope. Every cramp I felt or every spot of blood I saw I knew was impending doom. January 26, 2017 finally came. I went to work early that morning and told my boss that I was going to leave early to go to a doctor’s appointment. At about 2:30 PM I made my way into my works break room to grab my bags to get ready to go. I was shaking and holding back tears as I headed down the hallway. I went out the door and immediately busted into tears and cried the whole way to the doctors office. Jordan was waiting for me in the parking lot. We walked into the doctors office and I went to the front counter to check in. As I went back and sat in my seat I wished I wasn’t even there because I knew what I was going to see. I figured the ultrasound tech would put the Doppler on my belly and then quickly remove it to then explained I was having another miscarriage. The minutes ticked by and finally Bobby Joe came around the corner and called my name… I was still sobbing. We walked back to the ultrasound room and I laid down on the bed and pulled my shirt up as Bobby Joe squirted the warm jelly on my belly. She put the Doppler on and I saw a baby! It was moving! I could see its little chest pounding away, showing a strong heartbeat of 165.”

“Wednesday August 16th finally rolled around and it was my last check with Dr Walker. Before I went in I had decided not to let her sweep my membranes if she offered. I sat on the covered table and she came in the room asking about how I was feeling then she asked if Id like to have my membranes stripped. Out of know where I said yes! I looked over at Jordan surprised and he shrugged his shoulders. Dr. Walker did a quick sweep and then said Id have him the next day if my body was ready. Wow! It all started to happen fast after that. I stood up to get dressed and immediately felt a wave of nausea and dizziness, an apparent sign of hormones rushing my body. At 11pm I started feeling mild contractions but went to bed hoping to sleep some before the big day. At 3am the game had begun. I woke up with regular cramps coming about every 5 minutes and lasting about 1 minute. I woke Jordan up and excitedly told him. He told me that he needed some sleep if I was really having the baby soon. Ha. I laid there in bed trying to forget that I was actually about to have a baby but it didn’t work. At 630am I woke Jordan up and told him I needed to cut his hair real quick so he didn’t look like a hobo for pictures with Ray. We went out on the porch and I trimmed his hair. Afterwards we went around our block with contractions happening still very consistently and they had gotten more painful. We came back home and I was feeling frustrated and tired. I took a shower and we decided to go up to Enterprise and eat at Marvs to celebrate HA! After we left Marvs we drove down to Home Depot thinking it would be a cooler place to continue walking. The contractions were still coming but not getting any more painful and I was getting super annoyed at this point. Jordan insisted we went over to Labor and Delivery so I could get checked out before heading home. As soon as we got to the building my contractions stopped and I was totally embarrassed to tell the nurse that I hadn’t had one in a while. She figured I was fine and after she checked me I could just go home. She put the monitor on my belly and left the room and my contractions started up again. She came back in 20 minutes later and told me I was at a 4 and I was staying to have a baby! Jordan and I looked at each other in SHOCK! Whoa real life just began.”

“They put me in my labor room and Dr. Walker came in to break my water. As soon as my water was broke my true contractions started. 630pm to 11pm was crazy, amazing, and so hard. I stayed focused on Ray, my bodies ability and the Lord. At 930 pm I was 70% dilated and 90% thinned. Jordan sent a text to Ashley Elsmore, my long time friend and photographer. Ashely came right over and I was so grateful she was there. She came to be my birth photographer but she also helped talk me through the worst contractions and held my hand. I had went from a knee position onto my back and Jordan was down near my feet. I pushed once and Jordan got a little panicked saying he could see Rays hair. He was going to call for the nurse but I begged him not to because I didn’t want to lose my concentration. I pushed again and this time Ashley asked Jordan if she should get a nurse but again I said I didn’t want a nurse. At this point Laura my nurse came running in and yelled for Dr. Walker. She was out in the hall and I heard her say “she’s a first time mom, she will be awhile.” My nurse yelled back something like “you better get in here she is having this baby”! Dr walker came running in with a few other nurses and was scrambling to find her size of gloves. She had finally pulled on an oversized glove when ray came blasting out into her hands at 11:13pm. He started crying immediately and she handed him to me. He was so handsome and I immediately told him I loved him. All the pain and agony was worth it. Having that 7lb. 13oz. and 21 inch long precious little boy in my arms was the most wonderful thing in the world. That was one of the best days of my life and also one of the most rewarding. Ray Deverl Holt has brought joy and completeness to our family.”

This image is my very favorite from this birth story, this is my hand holding Kali’s hand. She decided she wanted to have an unmedicated birth and not only did I get to capture these precious memories but I also got to help her through contractions. Crazy to think that we met in 5th grade and lost touch for years that this is where our friendship is today.