All of the families portrayed in these photos are families for whom I have served as midwife. I feel so honored to have been present at their births! Some of the women in these photos were having their first babies, one was having her sixth (however, it was her first home birth). One of the woman in these photos had had four cesareans and flew to Massachusetts to birth with me as she could find no one in her country who would agree to assist her in a natural birth: she had a six hour labor. Another had had two sections and was told she was too small to ever give birth to a baby: she had a ten pound, eight ounce baby girl and a five hour labor.  I do not deliver babies: the mother’s deliver their babies and deserve the credit… I attend births. We often have siblings present at births and they are our helpers, part of the “birth team”: they hand us the baby blankets, offer their mother sips of water, hold the flashlight, help us sing “Happy Birthday.”  Some of the couples in these photos hired me early in the pregnancy and did not see any other care providers during their pregnancies ( including an obstetrician) and some of them hired me very late in the pregnancy (one, after her water had released!).  I have had four women who have showed up on my doorstep in labor, unannounced, two of whose photos are below, who then ended up birthing in my home ( two of whom I had not ever met before). My life is never dull and I am so very lucky and blessed.