A father has been captured delivering his own twins during a water birth in a gorgeous new series of images. We know that not every woman who’s pregnant with twins gets the chance to have a natural birth, let alone a water birth (if one twin is thought to be in the breech position, you’re usually advised to have a Caesarean). The second twin was delivered while still in his “waters,” which is very sweet to watch in these photos of one newborn boy being born after another (amniotic sac).
Robin Baker, a Temecula, California-based birth photographer and doula, snapped the images of the unnamed couple in a poignant photo shoot on February 24th that captured every step of the water birth process – which happened so quickly that their birth team couldn’t get there in time.
Although it’s thought that C-sections account for 75% of twin deliveries in the US, one couple chose to have their children at home, and things happened so rapidly that their ob-gyn was unable to make it in time.
Baker said that she arrived only 20 minutes after initially receiving the couple’s call but could immediately tell that it wasn’t going to be a long labor.
“In between contractions and taking photographs, I was focused on helping them prepare a space to birth,” said Baker. “I’m also an experienced home birther, so I knew what needed to be done.”
As soon as Baker warmed the water and the laboring mom got into the bathtub, she immediately had the urge to push. Since everything was happening so quickly, Baker and the daddy-to-be spoke with their doctor over the phone to update him on their progress. The unnamed father joined his wife in the bathtub and helped to deliver their twins, a baby boy and girl.
They joyful couple had 30 minutes of bonding time with baby A before baby B made his way into his father’s hands while still en caul.
“The mom reached down and removed the [amniotic] sac and dad turned the baby to release the Nuchal cord and then handed him to mom,” described Baker.
“The parents were calm, peaceful, and brought their babies into the world effortlessly!”
According to the mother, this was a planned home birth that ‘went perfectly just the way I had hoped’.
Even though Baker has witnessed more than 70 births, she said that this was one of the most incredible moments of her career.
“Since so many twins are born in the operating room, this birth was very special,” added Baker. “Women are incredible when they follow their body’s natural instincts!”
This post was originally published on March 15, 2016.