“There is a secret in our culture, and it’s not that birth is painful. It’s that women are strong.” ~ Laura Stavoe Harm

I arrived late on a chilly Monday night in April to a candle lit room containing Nicole, her husband Warren, doula Elizabeth and midwife Ester. Warren was holding the peppermint essential oil bottle under Nicole's nose which seemed to take her mind off the increasing contractions. Earlier that day I'd taken a casual stroll around Zoo Lake with Nicole and Warren to get things going, the energy early in the day was so different to the candle lit room. Everyone was working together towards the same goal, everyone was in synergy and things were getting pretty intense. Nicole said to Warren, "it's tough my love, it's very tough". A few hours later and unfathomable strength and power from Nicole, baby Lily slipped into the bath and after Ester said, catch your baby, she did and held her precious baby girl to her chest. Nicole didn't know the sex yet so just kept exclaiming, baby, baby, baby over and over again. It's a night I will never forget and I'm so honoured I was allowed to keep space with amazing people bringing new life to our planet.

I missed this baby girl's arrival by 20 minutes. Sometimes mother nature works exceedingly quickly. It was an honour to capture her first hour on Earth. Welcome Sadie.