Boca Raton Newborn Photography: Excited First-Time Parents Welcome Baby Boy (Hospital Birth Story)

I was following along with important updates on progress with labor, knowing that most of the time, when it comes to first time moms and first deliveries, things tend to move a little slower.

This birth took place at the beautiful Boca Raton Regional Hospital, known for its family-centered approach to maternity care, support of local doulas, midwives, vbacs and unmedicated deliveries. If you're curious about other birth environments, I also photographed a serene water birth at a local birthing center Natural BirthWorks Birth Center Water Birth. Each experience is unique and special in its own way.

It is possible that if you’re in the last few weeks of your pregnancy, nearing full term (37 weeks and more) to find and hire your Birth Photographer Photographer last minute for your birth, although it is so incredibly tricky!

Let me explain:

I usually work with a maximum of two Birth Photography clients in each month (and mainly in Boca Raton).

Yes, I can absolutely take more clients, but rarely do.

If my clients births overlap, I need to call in my backup photographer. And while my backup has been vetted by myself, it isn’t me. And then my Birth Photography client would need to add a stranger (stranger to them) to their birth team at the last minute.

Most of my Birth Photography clients hire me during their first trimester (between 6 weeks to 12 weeks of pregnancy) or second trimester (13 weeks to 28 weeks of pregnancy) because it matters to them who is part of their birth team during their baby’s delivery.

While there’s many pregnancy and newborn photographers in south Florida, there’s only one of me, and often, that’s enough reason for my clients to want to invest in On-Call time with me and appreciate that I limit my monthly Birth clients to two, which reduces the risk of overlapping births.

And that’s why I absolutely enjoy working with two Birth Photography clients each month, I get to know my Birth clients well, and the closer I am to a Birth Photography client and her family, the more part of her birth team I feel, and in turn, the better her Birth Photos are.

Birth Photography is an art form, and just like all artists, I am driven by emotions and emotional connections with people. I love what I do!

This first time mom and dad did not get the opportunity to hire me earlier in their pregnancy, but we were so glad that the stars aligned and I was able to attend the birth of their first baby, a sweet newborn baby boy.

This little one was born just four days after my 2023 January Birth Photography client gave birth to her twins and one week before my 2023 February Birth Photography client gave birth to her daughter.

That kind of star alignment happens for an Aquarius baby, I’m telling you! :)

If you love Birth Stories, Thanks for hanging out!

Scroll Down to get started and read more of Baby Boy Layton’s Birth Story at Baptist Boca Raton Regional Hospital with his parents, grandmother and Midwives from Boca Midwifery below!

My client and I had been texting and emailing and even did a quick-prenatal visit on the phone during the last few weeks of her pregnancy with her first baby.

Ever since she and her husband decided they wanted to have me as a part of their Birth team for their first birth, along with her mom, Midwives and Labor and Delivery Nurses. She was planning to give birth to her first baby at Baptist Boca Raton Regional Hospital (the East Boca Hospital near Glades Road, east of I-95 *please note the two Boca Raton Hospitals are not in anyway connected, it’s two completely different companies — One Hospital is owned by Baptist, (while the other hospital out west on 441 is Tenet owned).

Even though everything was super last minute with this family, when it works out so well and the stars align, it was clearly meant to be.

I was super excited for my client and her husband having their very first baby, and at one of my favorite hospitals in south Florida and with one of my favorite Midwifery teams.

The morning that my client went into labor with her first baby (January 20th around 430am), we were texting back and forth the way I do with all my laboring clients.

I was following along with important updates on progress with labor, knowing that most of the time, when it comes to first time moms and first deliveries, things tend to move a little slower.

My client saw her Certified Nurse Midwife at Boca Midwifery later that morning while contractions were 30-40 seconds in length, occurring every 4-6 minutes. Typically, to be in the ‘active’ stage of labor, your contractions should ideally be around 60 seconds in length, every 3-5 minutes.

Woman in labor smiling during labor wearing her own maternity gown for labor and delivery from amazon at Baptist Boca Raton Regional Hospital

If you love my client’s green labor and delivery gown, you can find it here https://amzn.to/3Zmzmne my affiliate link and a percent goes to me :)

My Birth client let me know she was about 2-3cm and that her Midwife did a membrane sweep to help kick things into gear.

Contractions definitely got more intense as labor moved on for my client and she headed into the hospital around 3pm. She was still about 2-3cm but hopeful.

530pm they let me know her water broke.

Once my client got an epidural around 7pm, I waited to hear if there were any updates. I expected to get called into join them in person sometime in the next few hours and was ready with my uniform and gear for the better part of the day waiting on that notification.

At 849pm I was informed that my client was feeling pressure.

I right away asked if they had any updates. Sometimes women who are even not yet in active labor can sometimes feel pressure as contractions are putting pressure on baby.

I really wanted to join them, but I also knew that going in too soon (since the last update she was 2-3cm only a couple of hours ago) could mean I may be there for way too many hours. So I continued to wait patiently to hear from the parents and when they would like me to join them.

But then suddenly they texted 20 minutes later to say she was 10cm! Out of nowhere!

I asked them right away if they would like me to head in (I was already on my way out the door) and at first they worried if I would make it, but after talking to their nurse, she reassured them that even if you are 10cm, baby still needs to work its way down, so more confidently they said yes.

They were worried I wouldn’t make it.

I walked into Baptist Boca Raton Regional Hospital at 945pm

Baby wasn’t here yet!

My client was all smiles. Her husband and mom sat calmly as they were all super excited to meet baby boy very soon.

Her Midwife Courtney McMillian from Boca Midwifery came in and sat at the edge of her bed.

I am glad for all the years of attending births, that even though this first time mom was already 10cm dilated, it didn’t mean baby was coming. I often explain to my Birth Photography clients, once you get to 10cm, you also have to bring your baby down a bit into the birth canal.

Babies usually start out being high, with a station of -3 and they aren’t crowning until +3 station when the head is beginning to crown.

Shortly after I arrived, it was time to start pushing

My Birth Photography client’s husband and her mom both joined at the bedside to help with pushing, everyone was so excited that it was finally time & that everyone was here!

The Labor and Delivery Nurse wheels in the delivery table, covered in a blue drape to protect all the sterile tools beneath it that aid my client’s midwife in the delivery as well as postpartum.

delivery table is brought into the labor and delivery room

My client holds her pregnant belly for the last time, connecting with her baby boy, before she gets to see and meet him! If you LOVE her green labor and delivery gown, it is super affordable from amazon, and works well with epidurals, belly monitors and even buttons down for breastfeeding. They have so many colors so you pick what you love, here is my affiliate link if you want to send some love my way: GREEN LABOR & DELIVERY GOWN

woman holds belly one last time before delivery
mom and dad holding hands before it's time to push in labor and delivery
first time mom and dad holding hands as it is time to push in labor and delivery boca raton

Mom was a very determined pusher and even asked for a mirror, which while some moms won’t ask for, she knew it would give her the guidance to push more effectively - smart move mama!

first time mom focuses on pushing in labor and delivery

Mirror for use in Labor and Delivery for pushing

I know it can be scary & vulnerable and even intimidating to use a mirror when pushing. You’re scared of what you’ll see, you feel vulnerable being even more exposed. But trust me and give yourself permission to surrender and use this super effective tool to help you meet your baby sooner!

mirror used in labor and delivery to help with pushing

Super focused pushing. Amazing work on the part of this first time mom!

She pushed so well it was time to catch a baby!

midwife preparing the delivery table
first time dad supporting mom's head during pushing in labor and delivery boca raton

My client’s other midwife Nikki was able to join just in time for my client to give birth to her baby so my client had both her midwives from Boca Midwifery at her delivery, Courtney and Nikki!

And with one last push….

He was here! Welcome Baby Boy Layton!

woman reaches out for her baby as he is being delivered boca raton hospital

Love this moment of dad cutting the cord, you can see how happy mom is and Midwife’s eyes smiling behind her mask.

first time dad cuts the cord in labor and delivery

Excited Midwives!

Certified Nurse Midwife helps first time mom with breastfeeding and latch in labor and delivery hospital boca raton

This moment, right after birth, is so fleeting.

That's why I'm passionate about capturing these precious memories for families. (link to your About Me page)

If you're interested in learning more about my birth photography services, you can find all the details here:

https://www.paulinasplechta.com/contact