On a warm February morning, I received a message from Gini to say that the day had finally arrived. Her baby had chosen his birthday, albeit a little later than she was expecting. The midwife was on her way but driving from a distance away meant that she wouldn’t arrive for at least an hour and a half. I had a feeling that this birth might be quick and I wanted to ensure Gini felt supported so didn’t waste any time getting out the door.
I crept into the house to find Eli racing around getting the birth pool filled and Gini expertly working through her surges. Thankfully Eli’s Mum was also on hand -as Gini’s waters broke it was becoming increasingly evident that this baby would be arriving before the midwife. I tossed the camera aside to bucket hot water into the birth pool and stopped to hold Gini’s hand when I noticed her unattended for a moment. Her baby’s crowning head was in her other hand so I just smiled and reminded her to keep her baby under the water as it emerged. But she knew what to do anyway, her body knew, it was already happening.
With no time to check camera settings or warm towels or make any kind of plan, everyone stepped into their instinctual roles and baby Brooks swam into the hands of his family.
When I started out in this work, my whole purpose was to show the world what birth could look like. What birth CAN look like! Gini showed us all that morning not just what birth can look like, but also the postpartum moments when birth is undisturbed. Take it in. K. X

It’s such an honour to be asked to photograph a birth, but to be welcomed back a second and third time by a family truly humbles me.
The birth of Mel & Ryan’s son Max was one of my first ever births, followed a couple of years later with the arrival of his sister Eadie. Late last year we got to do it all over again when they welcomed the final piece of their family, sweet baby Hugh.
I fell in love with their family right from the start (they are spectacularly good people) and also with the way Mel approaches birth, with complete confidence and excitement. This most recent birth was no different. They arrived at hospital with Mel already 9cm dilated and almost ready to meet her baby. Ryan had ‘caught’ the previous two babes and was eagerly ready to do the same again. Mel laboured beautifully with Ryan utterly attentive as always, until the time arrived for him to kiss her one last time before carrying out this monumental moment of fatherhood.
I don’t have the words to adequately thank this family for sharing their most important days with me but the thought of Max, Eadie and Hugh being able to see the way they were welcomed into this world brings me endless joy. XO

The birth of Wilfred was long awaited. For a mother who had been vomiting for 41 weeks it was more awaited than most. It was ironic then, that after all the waiting, he arrived so suddenly that I would have missed it had it not been for the intuition of a wise midwife who knew to call me after only 20 minutes of labour.
Jasmin was the picture of an empowered woman, labouring on her own terms to bring her 4.25kg boy Earthside. She was strong and determined and stunningly beautiful, but it was the way she kissed her child with such a fierce and immediate love that truly took my breath away.
Peter brought to the room his humour and relaxed nature and Ash brought her beautifully gentle midwifery care. And afterwards, Henry and Sadie brought the laughter.
Eternal thanks Shumack family for gifting me such a day. XO

The birth of Pippa was a journey. A much longer and harder journey than the birth of Jaime’s last baby who arrived unexpectedly on the bathroom floor at home. This time Jaime’s waters suddenly broke but no labour followed. Little Pippa was in a posterior position and after the decision was eventually made to start the induction process, Jaime endured a difficult and relentless back labour. She showed such INCREDIBLE strength and endurance, while being supported so attentively by her husband Trev and best friend Bec. The intensity of the labour was only matched by the overwhelming joy that followed Pippa’s arrival. Those precious little people are always worth it in the end.
Huge thanks to Jaime and Trev for allowing me to share their most sacred moments with all of you. X

If you have followed me for a few years you would likely recall the beautiful homebirth of Quinn. He was born in a birth pool on the hottest day of 2017 with his two big brothers watching on.
On a cool night in September, Quinn took his place with his two big brothers beside the birth pool to welcome their newest brother, Theodore! Andy was the perfect support person again, knowing exactly what his wife needed at any given moment and Akushla birthed this baby just as spectacularly as she had the others, trusting unequivocally in her body and her birth team. I missed my own daughter’s birthday cake to attend Theo’s birth but felt utterly honoured to share a birthing day with this incredible woman and mother.
Endless thanks to Andy & Kush for allowing me to share their moments with all of you, and also to the beautiful Belmont Midwives who continue to inspire me with their undivided care of women and families. X

Some months back I was asked by one of our beautiful Belmont midwives if I would be available to photograph the birth of her Grandchild. Of course I said yes!
Emily had a couple of frustrating days of early labour before she decided the time had come to head to the Belmont Birth Centre. We had the birth centre to ourselves, and a few glorious hours settling into the environment ensued during the afternoon. Emily’s little boy Finn had come along to welcome his brother into the world and he was free to run around and play whilst his Mum prepared herself for birth, both mentally and physically.
Emily was shown the gentlest of undivided care by her midwife Jen, intuitively knowing exactly what she needed at any given moment. After the sun had long gone down and the world was quiet, with big brother Finn watching on, baby Noah arrived into the waiting hands of his Mother and Grandmother. My deepest desire is for every mother to feel this level of care in her birth, regardless of how or where it takes place.
K. x

Finnick was born on a Sunday in the late afternoon. It had been a journey to get to that moment. A little over one year earlier his parents were in the Delivery Suite facing the toughest moment of their lives, when his brother Link was born still, at 35 weeks gestation. The sheer resilience and mateship I witnessed from Laura and James over the weekend when Finnick was born, was breathtaking. I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to share their precious day with all of you. You are a supermum Laura, I’ll never stop saying it. X

The call from Mel came just as I was sipping a cup of tea following Boxing Day lunch. Baby Ruby had decided to let us all enjoy a relaxing Christmas, but today was to be the day!
The last time I was in a birth suite with Mel and Ben, it was to photograph their first baby Zoe arrive in a natural breech delivery. This second birth was no less inspiring, with Mel calmly working her way through the surges and trusting the ability of her body. Ruby didn’t keep us waiting long, soon enough we were drinking tea (again) and eating Christmas cupcakes with brand new wide eyes looking up at us. What a perfect day to be born!
I have so much gratitude to Mel and Ben for once again showing such generosity and openness with their precious images. And also to Nettie, one of the greatest midwives I’ve ever encountered. X

I feel like I struggle to explain sometimes just how mind blowingly incredible my job is. I get to see brand new people arriving into our world! People who I imagine I might run into years from now, and I might tell them that I watched them take their first breath. I see partners in times of such vulnerability and completely overwhelmed by the instinct to protect their loves. And I get to see women in the most magnificent moment of their lives, beaming with absolute radiance! I am privileged and honoured.
Here is my attempt to show you some of what I saw in 2018, complete with snippets of video so you can really feel it. To the medical professionals who I work alongside (often in the middle of the night), thankyou for always making space for me and making me feel like a valued member of the birth team. To my clients from this year, and every year before, I am forever indebted to you for gifting me such a spectacular career. K. XO