Photographer Karyn Loftesness was given the opportunity to capture a breech birth and has shared the images to “help spread knowledge and awareness about the normalcy and safety of breech birth with a skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced provider.”

“Raychel had planned to birth her fourth baby, Silas, at home. Only four days before her due date, she found out he was frank breech. Luckily, her midwives are very skilled and experienced in breech birth, so she felt comfortable proceeding with a home birth,” Karyn shares.

Raychel’s labor was longer than any of her others, and at one point her midwives were thinking they might need to head into the hospital for an ultrasound to check on things since her progress had seemed to stop, but Raychel gave Silas a pep talk and told him it was time to come on out, now! Inexplicably, he seemed to listen, because right after the midwives got off the phone with the doctor, he dropped down further into her pelvis and she went from 5cm dilated to complete within 10 minutes. The midwives instructed her not to push until she absolutely couldn’t NOT push anymore. As soon as she got on her hands and knees on her bed, her water broke, and it wasn’t long before she couldn’t resist bearing down with the contractions.

The photos you’re about to see are graphic, but educational, and we feel strongly that they need to be shared to help spread knowledge and awareness about the normalcy and safety of breech birth with a skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced provider.”

Once In A Lifetime Experience

Karyn told Mouths of Mums, “This was probably a once in a lifetime experience for me as a birth photographer, unless more providers become trained and educated in how to safely support a breech birth. It was such a thrill to be there and Raychel was amazing and strong. She had a great birth team of knowledgeable and experienced midwives supporting her, along with her husband and doula. She continues to inspire me today. Even in the face of much criticism and negativity, she is still standing up for the rights of birthing women and passionately educating others on the safety of breech birth under the right circumstances.”

*WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

The time elapsed from first photo to last is two minutes and twenty-eight seconds (2:28).

All images are the property of and shared with full permission from Karyn Loftesness Photography.

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