This remarkable childbirth story is one that truly captivates and inspires.
Every childbirth narrative is extraordinary, and over time, we’ve shared some truly exceptional ones. These range from a mom delivering in a car, to another taking self-portraits during labor, a 12-year-old assisting in her baby brother’s delivery, and a mother unexpectedly giving birth at home. These stories highlight how, despite meticulous planning, the arrival of a new baby can be full of surprises.
Jes Hogan, a 31-year-old mother, experienced this firsthand with the birth of her sixth child – her first son – in a Kansas hospital hallway in the United States in July 2017. What sets her story apart is that every moment of the childbirth was captured by their birth photographer, Tammy Karin, who later shared the awe-inspiring photos on her Facebook page and website, Little Leapling Photography.
Jes detailed her experience on Tammy’s website, noting that this pregnancy was somewhat smoother than her previous five. Jes and her husband, Travis, could never have anticipated the birth unfolding as it did.
Her labor began on Tuesday, July 18, intensifying into the early hours of July 19, which led the couple to the hospital. Initially, Jes’s cervix had dilated from 3 cm to 4 cm. After laboring for four hours using various methods, there was no progress. Opting for a natural birth, they decided to leave the hospital as contractions began to wane.
Over the next three days, Jes kept active, spending time at the pool with her daughters and tackling small house projects, confident she would know when it was time to return to the hospital.
However, early Sunday morning, Jes awoke to an unusual, long contraction. Realizing “this was it,” and as she got out of bed, her water broke. In a panic, they woke Travis’s mother to care for their five daughters and hurriedly left for the hospital.
En route, Jes realized the baby was coming imminently. As they arrived at the hospital, Jes began to scream that the baby was on its way. Travis rushed to get help, and photographer Tammy, who had just arrived, assisted in getting Jes inside.
What happened next was like a scene from a movie. Jes recalls, “Tammy alerted the hospital staff that I was about to give birth right there on the floor. As I felt the baby’s head crowning, I told Travis to be ready to catch him.”
Tammy’s instinct as a photographer kicked in, and she captured stunning images of the nurses rushing in, Travis supporting the baby’s head, and an ER nurse aiding the delivery.
Jes was incredibly grateful for Tammy’s ability to immortalize these moments. Tammy reflected on the experience, noting the beauty and excitement of capturing such an event.
Travis was Jes’s rock throughout, keeping her calm and ensuring their safe arrival. Jes’s story aims to inspire other mothers to embrace childbirth as an empowering experience rather than something to fear and to consider documenting these profound moments.
Jes describes this birth as her craziest yet most perfect experience. It didn’t go as planned, but it concluded naturally with a healthy baby and an amazing support system. This story, shared on Tammy’s website, is a reminder of the unpredictable yet miraculous nature of childbirth.