Before the birth of our baby

So.. as some of you might know, I was planning all along a home birth for the baby growing in my womb.
My husband Nick and I hired wonderful midwives in San Diego. Nicol and Marli (our midwives) were doing all the prenatal check ups with us. First it was every month, after certain time, it became every 2weeks, and closer to the birth - every week.
We have decided to take Nicol's class - Birthing from within, which was wonderful as well. I would recommend it to anyone, who sees the birthing process as a transformation for the whole family involved.
When I was about 34weeks, my midwife discovered, that my baby is breech - which means heads up. Usually it's not such a huge concern until 31-32weeks of pregnancy. But the closer it gets to the actual birthing week, the less likely it is, that the baby would turn on its own and be ready for vaginal birth head down (which is the most favorable position).
Because my midwife Nicol's passion is spinning babies and is very interested in breech birth, she tried to turn the baby at 34weeks. It wasn't successful. The baby hardly moved anywhere.. well, it seemed like pretty stubborn baby.
We've decided, that I will do all the spinning babies exercises and also acupuncture and special chiropractor's technique that is called webster, to open up the space for baby and we would try to turn the baby again in a week.
The second attempt wasn't as painful as the first one, but we were unsuccessful again. Well, we've decided to give it a try one more time in couple days. That was the most painful and I was done.. The baby didn't turn and I realized, that the baby either has some reason, why is it staying (and wants to stay in this position), or it will turn on its own, but I won't force it anymore. It didn't feel right.

But at that point, what options we were looking at.. If the baby turns, we can still have our home birth... and if the baby doesn't turn, most likely it will be a c-section birth. Something, that I wanted to avoid.. Because for some reason, it didn't feel very wholesome birth to me. Boy how wrong was I... The baby was measuring pretty big already (they told me at 36weeks, that the baby measures around 8pounds), so they wouldn't recommend to even try natural vaginal breech birth at that point...

The closer to my due date, the more peaceful I felt about the reality, that most likely, the birth that I was dreaming about is not the one for me and my baby, but it will be a c-section birth. I started to do a research about Gentle Cesarean birth. I just wanted to make sure, that we will have the most peaceful, loving and sacred experience to welcome our baby into this world.
It took me and my husband a while to process it and digest it.. It's not easy, to let go of your ideas and your beliefs and trust the process of life and open yourself to completely new possibilities and new experiences.

Breech baby...

Update on my pregnancy... Well, I kind of thought, that everything is pretty easy and goes well. Until my midwife discovered, when I was at the end of my 35weeks of pregnancy, that my baby is breech. Which means head up.
After having an ultrasound, the doctor confirmed, that the baby is breech and that they potentially do ECV http://www.webmd.com/baby/external-cephalic-version-version-for-breech-position, which is basically turning the baby.
I've tried with my midwife 3times. First time, the baby didn't move at all. I was doing some spinning babies exercises, also acupuncture, chiropractic webster technique, relaxation and talking to baby. Second time, we moved the baby a little, but not really. And third time, it was very painful and didn't work either.
After the third time, I've decided, that I don't wanna try it again. Thinking to myself, that if the baby doesn't want to be forced to turn, I understand that. It will either move on it's own for the birth, or it won't. Which here in California pretty much means most of the time c-section birth.
I'm trying to feel out, what is best for me and baby and also the safest. I would love to be able to have homebirth, that I dreamed about, but at the same time, I'm not sure, that I would feel comfortable to do breech homebirth, I would also need some doctor to supervise the birth, because midwives aren't allowed in California to do homebirth when the baby is presented breech.
Sooo many questions, so much inner work and stuff to look at. Ultimately, I really want healthy baby and am willing to do c-section, if it's the safest and baby's choice.

I'm just thinking, that everyone (also the baby) has always reasons for certain decisions and ideas. So does my baby. And I want to trust the process of life and be grateful, that nowdays, we have many different possibilities and options, that are safe.

My baby is in the frank breech position, which would be preferred for the vaginal breech birth, but since I'm first time mom and haven't had any birth before, I'm not sure, if I have the trust that I need for successful vaginal breech birth. Still trying to feel it out...

PS: guess what is in the ultrasound picture and type it in the comments.. who will be first right, will get some little present :-)

Camping trip at Joshua Tree NP

It seems, that so far, Nick and I had been to Joshua Tree National Park every year, since we've been together.
Last year, Nick and I went there to celebrate our second wedding anniversary in June.
This year, our friend Victor and Claire invited us to come along with them, to do some rock climbing, camping, hiking and also check out their wedding venue near by.
It all sounded wonderful, so even though we weren't planning many days ahead, we just jump at the chance and went on board.

Coming to Joshua Tree much later than Victor and Claire, I was afraid, that they will be worried, when Nick and I got lost, since they left at 5am on Saturday morning, to get a camping spot and Nick and I were suppose to prepare the dinner.
There isn't signal in the National Park, so we couldn't even let them know, what time we will arrive.
Luckily, we've made it just in time, before they went to look for us (they were actually just in the car, going to get a signal and try to look for us).
We made a quick delicious dinner (veggie burgers), chat for a bit and went to sleep. We were all pretty tired plus it was getting quite cold. Victor and Claire were so generous to let us sleep in their van, just because I'm pregnant. How cool is that...

The next day was very nice and sunny. All of the three were climbing (in the campground) right after the breakfast and since I cannot climb right now, I was just journaling, hanging out and taking pictures of them. What a fun day.
Super challenging and tiring for them and relaxing for me. In the afternoon, we went for a hike and look for a different spot to climb.
The desert is in bloom and we were lucky to see some blooming cactus. What a treat.
At the end of the day, everyone was very tired and since it was very windy, we went to sleep pretty early.
On Easter Monday, we just packed everything up (Victor had some problem with his back, so we had to help more, poor guy) and went to the wedding venue. What a beautiful place. I'm so excited, that V.&C. hired me as their wedding photographer. It's so exciting to be there as a guest and also a photographer. They asked Nick to officiate their wedding, so it was very special for both of us to see the place and be part of the wedding planning.

Since they were still meeting up with some company that will help with planning and I was super hungry, Nick and I left earlier and hit the road.
We couldn't find a decent restaurant until some bigger city (many places were closed), but since we were trying to avoid traffic, we ended up at Dannies. Not the best place to eat, but decent enough...

Over all, it was a wonderful trip and I'm super excited for the upcoming wedding.
PS: It was pretty cold and windy that morning...

WPPI conference in Vegas

This year was my first time visiting WPPI conference + EXPO in Las Vegas (Wedding & Portrait photography)

Photographers from all over the world come for the education, networking, new products and services and, of course, for the fun! I registered for a Full Platform Pass, which includes five days of education, access to over 80 Platform classes, a three-day pass to the expo, plus admission to The University for School and Sports Photography,  the keynote, special events and more.

My friends Jennie and Misha planned this trip for us in advance, so I didn't have to do anything else but to pack my clothes, food and show up at Jennie's house on Sunday 6th of March and after our wonderful husbands helped us to pack everything neatly in the car, we were ready to hit the road. Jennie was bringing her 3months old daughter with her and her mom was suppose to flight in the evening from Florida to help out with her beautiful granddaughter, but somehow she missed the flight and she had to wait for another one for the next day.. (what a bummer to start with). Misha had a wedding the previews night and her back was really hurting and me, pregnant.. :-) What a trio-and a half ;-)

Luckily for us, Jenaveve fell asleep shortly after we left San Diego and she slept for almost 4hours (we had to check on her, if she is still breathing :-) haha). The trip was fun and exciting. When we arrived to the motel 6 (just across the street from MGM, where the conference+EXPO was presented), we just registered and went to the restaurant to meet up with Jennie's friend who took us to a cool Vietnamese restaurant, where we ordered wonderful Vietnamese soup Phở. It was a great choice and after the day of traveling and not eating anything "proper" except some snacks, me, as a pregnant lady, I was super happy and satisfied.

And since I was sharing room with Misha (who is also Czech chick like me), we were up late, talking and talking. So the next day, we had hard time to get up early for a class that started at 8:30.
It was Jerry Ghionis's class - an Australian wedding photographer, who teaches and takes pictures for many years. It was fun start (even though, it took us almost half hour to get in, because the class was full). We also got a little notebooks that were very practical to use during the whole WPPI conference at some other classes for notes.

I think, that for me was the most important part to go to the classes, get inspired, get some new ideas and great tips and trick for marketing, sales and all that jazz. I didn't come to Vegas to buy some new things (even though, there are very good deals). But at one of the last class, I won a year membership to use ANIMOTO, which is a cloud-based video creation service that produces video from photos, video clips, and music into video slideshows. That was super exciting news for me, because I actually was looking into getting some new application to create fun slideshows for my friends and clients.
Plus how exciting, to win anything, since there were around 300people at that class and only 10people won something... Huraaaaaa :)

The last evening, we went to Bellagio hotel just for fun, to see the fountain in an action and took some fun pictures. After that, we went to the Awards evening, where was some good food and fun (also with the Darth Wader).

Overall experience in Vegas was fun, educating, connecting with people and myself. Super inspiring, exciting and really inspired to be more creative and active in my art.
I'm sure, that the fruit of this conference will bring a lot of happiness and fun not just to me, but many people around.

REVIEWS

The greatest compliment I can receive from you is your referrals and review, if you'll find some time, I would really appreciate it.

Big news, big life change...

I just realized, that I haven't posted on my blog in a really long time. 3 months.. I guess, I was distracted and busy with my personal life and was trying to catch up with my family and friends back in Czech.
Fist of all, my husband and I found out in November, that we will welcome a new addition to our family in July. What an exciting and trilling news. And little scary and unexpected. Not that I didn't know that I could get pregnant, but even when you are open to that possibility and it doesn't happen for a while, you are trying to zone out and concentrate on everything else and not to give yourself false hopes.
So when I saw the test, showing positive, I still couldn't believe it, even though, I was filled with so much joy, that I thought my heart will come out of my chest. What a blessing and a miracle.

Perfect timing.. My husband and I were planning our trip to Czech Republic, to visit my family and friends after 2years. I knew, that it will be perfect time to celebrate such news on holidays.
We shared that great news with my husband's family in very untraditional way and it was so much fun, comic and joyful time on the Thanksgiving. What a perfect day to share your thanks and gratitude.
I couldn't wait to share such news with my family and friends and so I didn't want to wait until the Christmas. My husband learned the line in Czech, so he could be the one announcing our news. It was so cute and emotional.
Everyone was happy and our joy just multiplied with every person that we shared our news with.
Unfortunately, the cold climate, traveling, visits and more traveling plus the pregnancy took its toll on my health and I got cold and it wasn't getting better, just worst over the XMas time, until our arrival back to San Diego. All together, I was sick for almost 6weeks and it wasn't fun. Luckily, I didn't suffer any morning sickness, although, I had to be prepared for the meal on the airplane and bring mine instead of what they offer, because I couldn't eat it (how much is your appetite changed..).

Only few days after our arrival home, I had scheduled my first doctor's appointment and that was the first time, when my husband and I saw our baby on ultrasounds. All of a sudden it just became so real. Not that I wouldn't feel the difference before, but somehow, but the visual oriented society in me wanted visual proof. And there it was. The baby was trying to escape and hide from it and because I don't like hospitals myself, I've decided with my husbands support, that we will hire a midwife and will start this journey with someone that we will build relationship and trust with before the time will come to meet the baby. And we don't need to see the baby on ultrasound again.

I'm super excited, that we just hired our midwife last week and am really excited for this journey and birth.
I'm still working though and will work when the baby will be born. I'll try to work little less, so I can be with the baby as much as possible, but at the same time, I know that I'll be still passionate about my photography work and even more passionate about pregnancy and birth. Hope to expand my business more towards pregnancy and birth pictures as well, since it's a beautiful part of people's lives.

 This is a first picture of our baby. We will find out if it's a boy or girl on the day of the baby's birth.