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9 astounding photos this mom took to keep herself calm while giving birth.

Birth is intense. It's also beautiful.

Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

New baby and a happy dad.

When San Francisco photographer Lisa Robinson was about to have her second child, she was both excited and nervous.

Sure, those are the feelings most moms-to-be experience before giving birth, but Lisa's nerves were tied to something different.

She and her husband already had a 9-year-old son but desperately wanted another baby. They spent years trying to get pregnant again, but after countless failed attempts and two miscarriages, they decided to stop trying.

Of course, that's when Lisa ended up becoming pregnant with her daughter, Anora. Since it was such a miraculous pregnancy, Lisa wanted to do something special to commemorate her daughter's birth.

So she turned to her craft — photography — as a way to both commemorate the special day, and keep herself calm and focused throughout the birthing process.

Normally, Lisa takes portraits and does wedding photography, so she knew the logistics of being her own birth photographer would be a somewhat precarious new adventure — to say the least.

She initially suggested the idea to her husband Alec as a joke.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

"After some thought," she says, "I figured I would try it out and that it could capture some amazing memories for us and our daughter."

In the end, she says, Alec was supportive and thought it would be great if she could pull it off. Her doctors and nurses were all for Lisa taking pictures, too, especially because it really seemed to help her manage the pain and stress.

In the hospital, she realized it was a lot harder to hold her camera steady than she initially thought it would be.

She had labor shakes but would periodically take pictures between contractions.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

"Eventually when it was time to push and I was able to take the photos as I was pushing, I focused on my daughter and my husband and not so much the camera," she says.

"I didn't know if I was in focus or capturing everything but it was amazing to do.”

The shots she ended up getting speak for themselves:

husbands and wives, intimacy, hospital rooms,

Lisa's husband Alec.

Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Hello Doc.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Warm and encouraging smiles from the nurse.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Hello, baby Anora!

Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

An overcome father.

Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

experiment, images, capture, document, record

Newborn Anora's first experience with breastfeeding.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

"Everybody was supportive and kind of surprised that I was able to capture things throughout. I even remember laughing along with them at one point as I was pushing," Lisa recalled.

In the end, Lisa was so glad she went through with her experiment. She got incredible pictures — and it actually did make her labor easier.

Would she recommend every mom-to-be document their birth in this way? Absolutely not. What works for one person may not work at all for another.

However, if you do have a hobby that relaxes you, figuring out how to incorporate it into one of the most stressful moments in your life is a pretty good way to keep yourself calm and focused.

Expecting and love the idea of documenting your own birthing process?

Take some advice from Lisa: "Don't put pressure on yourself to get 'the shot'" she says, "and enjoy the moment as much as you can.”

Lisa's mom took this last one.

Mom and daughter earned the rest.

Photo via Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

This article originally appeared on 06.30.16

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Health

5 things I didn't want to hear when I was grieving and 1 thing that helped

Here are my top five things not to say to a grieving parent — and the thing I love to hear instead.

In 2013, I found out I was pregnant with triplets.

Image via iStock.

My husband and I were in shock but thrilled at the news after dealing with infertility for years. And it didn't take long for the comments to begin. When people found out, the usual remarks followed: "Triplets?! What are you going to do? Three kids at once?! Glad it's not me!"

After mastering my response (and an evil look reserved for the rudest comments), I figured that was the worst of it. But little did I know I would be facing far worse comments after two of my triplets passed away.

On June 23, 2013, I gave birth to my triplets, more than four months premature.

My daughter, Abigail, passed away that same day; my son, Parker, died just shy of 2 months old. Before then, I didn't know much about child loss; it was uncharted territory. Like most people, I wouldn't know how to respond or what to say if a friend's child passed away.

Image via iStock.

But two years later, I have found that some things are better left unsaid. These comments come from a good place, and I know people mean well, but they sure do sting.

Here are my top five things not to say to a grieving parent — and the thing I love to hear instead.

1. "Everything happens for a reason."

It's a cringeworthy comment for those of us who have lost a child. Sometimes, there is no rhyme or reason for why things happen in life. A parent should not outlive their child. I don't know why my body couldn't handle my pregnancy or why I went into labor at 22 weeks.

This phrase goes along with another I often hear: "God only gives us what we can handle." I remember talking with my childhood rabbi the night before my son passed away, and I asked her, "Why me?" Her response is something I now live by every single day. She said, "God doesn't give us only what we can handle. He helps us handle what we've been given."

2. "They are in a better place."

Instead of comforting, this is a phrase that makes me feel down in the dumps. I longed to be a parent for so many years. And children are meant to be in the loving arms of their parents.

I think I speak for every grieving mother and father when I say, we would give anything to hold our babies again.

3. "At least you have one survivor. Count your blessings."

I like to think of myself as a positive person. But even two years later, my heart still aches for Parker and Abby. And on the most difficult, dark days of grief, it's hard to "count my blessings."

Yes, I am blessed. I have a gorgeous miracle child who is the light of my life. But Peyton should be playing with her brother and sister in our home, not just waving to their pictures and blowing kisses to heaven.

4. "You are still young. You can have more children."

It doesn't matter whether or not our biological clock is ticking. Many people have no idea what couples go through to have a child: Some can't have children of their own; others may face years of infertility or miscarriages. And for people like me, trying for more children may be something too scary to even think about. I came close to death after delivering my children — that's enough to scar me for life.

5. "I don't know how you do it. I couldn't imagine losing two children."

Some days I don't know how I do it either. But we learn how to live with it. We learn a "new normal," and in those tough moments, we celebrate that we survived the day. This comment is a difficult reminder of our grief and the children who were sent to heaven.

So, what should you say to a grieving parent?

Image via iStock.

There are no words to take the pain away, of course, but simply letting that person know you are there for them is more than enough.

For me, the best thing someone can do is to talk about my angels. Say Parker and Abby by name, and don't be afraid to ask questions about them.

While they were only here for a short time, they left a huge imprint on this world. I love talking about my angels, and simply hearing someone else mention them by name is enough to wipe away the grief and warm my heart for days.

This article was written by Stacey Skrysak and originally appeared on 7.15.16

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Joy

Dad recounts the epic tale of racing to the birth of his child after fainting

Childbirth can be chaotic. But this is next level.

LukeEpplin/X

This is one epic birth story

One dad is delighting readers on X with an epic tale of nearly missing his daughter’s birth after fainting. His story of rushing to make it in time feels like something straight out of a movie—complete with a happy ending.

Luke Epplin’s wife had gone into labor on a Friday. Most of that night, and all of Saturday, Epplin stayed awake, waiting. Finally, on Sunday, he began to doze off. That’s when he got word that his wife had gone into active labor.

And this is where our hilarious saga begins.

“I got on my feet, threw on my clothes, and then was thrust in the middle of the action. Whether because of exhaustion, lack of food, or having just gotten up, I don't remember anything else. I fainted,” he wrote.

I was awoken at four in the morning today (Sunday) to active labor. I got on my feet, threw on my clothes, and then was thrust in the middle of the action. Whether because of exhaustion, lack of food, or having just gotten up, I don't remember anything else. I fainted.
— Luke Epplin (@LukeEpplin) March 26, 2024

When he finally woke up, blood was “oozing” from his head and he was whisked away to the emergency room. EMT’s told him he might need a CT scan, "which would make me miss the birth of my daughter."

Thankfully, all that Epplin ended up needing was staples. Which meant it was all smooth sailing from here on out, right? Guess again.

There was still a “massive” hospital to navigate, the nurse guiding him through the multiple hallways was called away on an emergency. Leaving him to make it through the labyrinth to the opposite side, with nothing but some verbal directions the nurse had given him. Which somehow got him to the bone marrow center.

“Granted, I'm in the clothes I slept in, with a massive white bandage wrapped around my head, like something you'd see in a World War I movie,” he wrote. As he frantically tried to tell another nurse that his was was in labor, she said, “I think you need to see security.”

I told him the same thing: "My wife is in labor!" Again, he looked at me, bandage and all, patient tag on my wrist, and said, "Sir, I'm gonna need to see some discharge papers." I had no ID, no visitor's badge, no cellphone, nothing. Suddenly, it dawned on me: I'm in trouble.
— Luke Epplin (@LukeEpplin) March 26, 2024

Cut to Epplin saying the same thing to a security guard, who asks to see some discharge papers. That’s when Epplin realizes he has nothing on him. No papers, no ID, no visitors badge. Not even a cellphone.

Pulling a Hail Mary, Epplin told the guard the truth: that he had fainted while his wife was in labor, cut a gash into his head, got that treated, and then got himself lost. That must have done the trick, because the guard let him out.

Epplin had to sprint down two blocks (in slippers, mind you) and get past a parking valet and yet another security guard before making it up to the 10th floor of the correct building and into the maternity ward. By this time, he had somehow become famous.

“The attendant looked at me, and said, ‘Oh, you're the guy everyone's talking about,” he recalled.

Epplin’s determination ultimately paid off. He had made it before his daughter Ava had been born. Below is their first photo together, head bandages and all.

I dashed into the maternity ward, the attendant looked at me, and said, "Oh, you're the guy everyone's talking about." I came back to my daughter not yet born. My wife asked how it went. I said, "I'll tell you later." An hour later, this photo was taken. pic.twitter.com/cke7bbmlmS
— Luke Epplin (@LukeEpplin) March 26, 2024

“Every picture of me during Ava's first day on Earth looks like this. I hope that she has a good sense of humor about it some day.”

It’s not completely uncommon for soon-to-be dads to faint in the delivery room. Often, as it seemed to be in Epplin’s case, the cause is low blood sugar. So it might be wise to pack snacks, drinks and meals in a cooler, according to Father Resource. Of course, packing snacks might be the last thing that’s on a father’s mind when the time comes.

But the point is: the situation is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it can make for a great birth story. Just ask Epplin!

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Joy

Bodycam captures Florida sheriff's deputy delivering a baby on the side of the road

Maybe the deputy missed his calling!

Fox13|YouTube

Florida deputy delivers baby on the side of the road

No mom dreams of delivering their baby on the side of the road. Visions of comfy birthing centers or a hospital room with the OBGYN that you've grown fond of are usually the images that come to mind. But not everyone has a delivery in their place of choice, and women that have birthed more than one child typically have faster labors.

People who have a lot of children often know their bodies and sense how quickly their babies might come, so they try to make it to the hospital before things get interesting. A couple in Florida who were expecting their sixth child attempted to head to the hospital before the baby arrived, but the baby had other plans.

Knowing he had to get his wife to the hospital quickly, Luis Lopez pulled over when he saw deputies on the side of the road and flagged them down for a police escort.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), the sheriff's deputy couldn't provide the couple with a police escort. He called for an ambulance and put on some gloves instead. Good thing, too, because within a few minutes, he was going to be catching a baby and the entire thing was caught on video.

It's the kind of thing that's not only intense but incredibly heartwarming. The Hillsborough deputy, Dan "Red" Jones, was extremely calm and used a soothing voice to encourage the mom, but he didn't skip out on making a joke when he finds out it was the couple's sixth child.

"Six! Woo, y'all need a better hobby, OK," Jones joked.

Turns out this isn't the first baby the deputy has delivered on the job; it's his third. He also used to work with cattle and helped deliver calves, so he knows plenty about birthing babies—at least more than the average person. Maybe he missed his calling. Either way, he was just who was needed in that moment.

Check out the dramatic video below:

We are pleased to report that Mom and baby are healthy and doing just fine.

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Joy

Three Atlanta McDonald's employees help deliver customer's baby in restaurant bathroom

‘We’re having a baby today.’

Photo by Visual Karsa on Unsplash

Three McDonald's workers help deliver customer's baby

Usually when someone walks into McDonald's they expect to walk out with something to eat, not a baby.

But for new mom Alandria Worthy, that's exactly what happened. Worthy was on her way to the hospital but needed to use the bathroom so she had her fiancé make a pit stop at McDonald's.

After a few minutes of Worthy being in the bathroom, workers heard the mom to be screaming which prompted Tunisia Woodward, the manager on duty to check things out. The her surprise, she was about to turn into a labor and delivery nurse.

Woodward explained in an interview with 11 Alive that she saw feet under the stall door before saying, “I opened, and she was on this toilet lying back, screaming. Then I knew to tell my crew, ‘We’re having a baby today.’” Woodward was right, the baby was coming and the three moms are duty were there to help.

If you're wondering where Worthy's fiancé was, he was waiting in the parking lot growing concerned. When he went to see what was taking so long, he walked in on a surprise and had to get right to work in order to catch his baby. Deandre Phillips told 11 Alive that Worthy was frantic so he was focused on getting her to breathe and to lay down on the floor so she could deliver the baby, which only took a few minutes and three pushes.

Talk about a fast delivery, though I'm sure they likely would've preferred a fast pizza delivery and not a baby so eager to see the world that making it to the hospital was out of the question. But what do I know, watch the new parents tell you all about their new "Little Nugget" themselves below.

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Science

Zoo camera captures incredible moment mama chimp is reunited with her two-day-old baby

When Kucheza raised his little hand and Mahale realized he was there, everyone felt her joy.

Sedgwick County Zoo/Facebook

Kucheza was born by emergency C-section and had to be separated from mama Mahale for two days.

Thanks to our close evolutionary proximity and Jane Goodall's years of field research, humans have an intense fascination with chimpanzees. They are clearly not us, yet they are clearly similar to us in many ways, and a viral video from Sedgwick County Zoo beautifully highlights that connection.

Mahale is a 28-year-old chimpanzee who recently gave birth to a baby at Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. According to KSAT News, her labor stalled, which necessitated an emergency C-section. As a result, Mahale and her baby were separated for two days while she started her recovery and her baby received oxygen.

Unlike humans, chimps don't have the language and cognitive abilities to understand what's happening in such a situation. It must have been a confusing experience for Mahale, who had already given birth to two babies prior, to find herself no longer pregnant but not having her baby with her.

So when the two were finally reunited, it was a moment to remember.

At first, Mahale doesn't appear to know her baby is there. Then he lifts up a tiny little hand and all her mama instincts kicked into high gear. Watch:

The sweet moment brought people to tears and quickly went viral. The way she scoops him right up? Every mama felt that.

The wee one was named Kucheza, which is Swahili for "play."

The keeper cam shows the two have been inseparable since then, cuddling, nursing and grooming as they enjoy their "babymoon" together.

"Mahale is THE MOST amazing mama," shared the zoo. "She hasn’t put baby down since she first picked him up yesterday morning and the two are IN LOVE.

The zoo has been posting regular updates on its Facebook page, with photos and videos of Kucheza and Mahale.

The reunion video has more than 30,000 comments from people who were moved by the mother's reaction to seeing her baby.

"Oh my goodness!! Sobbing!! The way she sees that little hand and rushes to hold her baby!! So beautiful!! Thank you for sharing," wrote one person.

"Aw man, I remember seeing my baby for the first time after waking up from an emergency c section," shared another. "I just started to cry and held him to my face. This is so sweet."

"Thanks so much to our dedicated keepers and staff for 48 hours of hard work to make this birth possible," wrote another. "We appreciate each of you so much. Also a heartfelt thank you to the Wichita doctors that attended to momma's surgery. We are blessed!"

The zoo has used the viral opportunity to share ways people can help the world's chimpanzee population.

"The whole world has fallen in love with Mahale and Kucheza, after catching a glimpse of their emotional reunion," the zoo shared on its Facebook page. "Chimpanzees in AZA-accredited institutions like Sedgwick County Zoo receive the highest level of care to meet their physical, emotional, and social needs - including the life-saving decision to deliver Kucheza via emergency C-section.

"All of the animals in our care serve as important ambassadors for their species. Mahale and Kucheza have reminded us all that chimpanzees are smart, charismatic, and amazing animals. And they need our help! Small actions - like recycling your old cell phones and using only sustainably-sourced (certified) palm oil and paper products - can help save chimpanzees like Mahale and Kucheza in the wild."

The Sedgwick County Zoo website shares ways people can make a difference in chimpanzee conservation here.

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Family

A woman was ready to attend her college graduation, but her baby had other plans

What's better than a diploma? Her newborn baby.

Jada Sayles/Twitter

Jada Sayles got both a newborn baby and her college degree.

You know what they say about the best laid plans? Well, it's true. And no one knows that better than Jada Sayles. On May 15, Sayles was all set to graduate from Dillard University, a historically Black university in New Orleans. Around 4:30 a.m., she realized that her plans were about to change in a big way. Instead of getting ready for her graduation, she was in labor and being admitted to the hospital.

"I thought I was gonna walk across the stage to get my degree, instead I got my baby," Sayles tweeted, along with a series of photos. "My sweet face decided to make his way on MY big day (now his). Shoutout to my university for still bringing my graduation and degree to me."

That's right, even though her sweet baby kept her from walking the stage at her graduation, all was not lost. Her college stepped up and made sure that she was still able to experience her graduation to the fullest.

"Jada went into labor on Friday evening. Texted me around 4:30 am Saturday saying she was being admitted, & the baby was born on her graduation day, May 14th. So we rolled up to the hospital so I could finish my tenure in the most special way," Walter M. Kimbrough, president of Dillard University tweeted.

I did something today I have never done before in 18 years as a college president. I conferred a degree in a hospital… pic.twitter.com/Ro7TR2gtYC
— Walter M. Kimbrough (@HipHopPrez) May 15, 2022

"I did something today I have never done before in 18 years as a college president. I conferred a degree in a hospital…" Kimbrough stated in another tweet. It's clear that he is a very involved and caring administrator.

He shared a video of his bedside speech, captioning the tweet: "I even did the tassel part of commencement! This really was a very sweet moment. I’ll never forget it."

Jada Sayles swapped her hospital gown for her graduation gown (and cap!) and stood in her hospital room to be officially declared a graduate. On Twitter, she shared a snapshot of her decorated graduation cap, which included balanced scales (she graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice), the phrase "Black girl magic" and a square for her sweet baby boy.

"I was scheduled to get induced Saturday at 5 p.m.," Sayles told New Orleans news outlet WDSU. "So after graduation, I was planning on heading to the hospital." Obviously, the baby, a boy she named Easton, had other plans.

"It happened so fast. I didn't even realize I was missing graduation because it was just such a fast labor."

Clearly, Sayles will have a story to tell her son many times for years to come. The special bond between a mother and her child is only made stronger by something like sharing this momentous occasion for them both.

From Your Site Articles

birth

9 astounding photos this mom took to keep herself calm while giving birth.

Birth is intense. It's also beautiful.

When San Francisco photographer Lisa Robinson was about to have her second child, she was both excited and nervous.

Normally, Lisa takes portraits and does wedding photography, so she knew the logistics of being her own birth photographer would be a somewhat precarious new adventure — to say the least.

In the hospital, she realized it was a lot harder to hold her camera steady than she initially thought it would be.

The shots she ended up getting speak for themselves:

In the end, Lisa was so glad she went through with her experiment. She got incredible pictures — and it actually did make her labor easier.

Lisa's mom took this last one.

5 things I didn't want to hear when I was grieving and 1 thing that helped

Here are my top five things not to say to a grieving parent — and the thing I love to hear instead.

In 2013, I found out I was pregnant with triplets.

On June 23, 2013, I gave birth to my triplets, more than four months premature.

1. "Everything happens for a reason."

2. "They are in a better place."

3. "At least you have one survivor. Count your blessings."

4. "You are still young. You can have more children."

5. "I don't know how you do it. I couldn't imagine losing two children."

So, what should you say to a grieving parent?

Dad recounts the epic tale of racing to the birth of his child after fainting

Childbirth can be chaotic. But this is next level.

Bodycam captures Florida sheriff's deputy delivering a baby on the side of the road

Maybe the deputy missed his calling!

Three Atlanta McDonald's employees help deliver customer's baby in restaurant bathroom

‘We’re having a baby today.’

Zoo camera captures incredible moment mama chimp is reunited with her two-day-old baby

When Kucheza raised his little hand and Mahale realized he was there, everyone felt her joy.

A woman was ready to attend her college graduation, but her baby had other plans

What's better than a diploma? Her newborn baby.

Researchers dumped tons of coffee waste into a forest. This is what it looks like now.

Naming twins is an art. Here are some twin names people say are the best they've ever heard.

5-year-old gave his mom advice for handling nerves. It was both adorable and spot-on.

Music teacher got two standing ovations and a BGT Golden Buzzer with 'Natural Woman' cover

Cat owner put a first person camera on their collar and accidentally filled the world with delight

Two brothers Irish stepdancing to Beyoncé's country hit 'Texas Hold 'Em' is pure delight