It's that time of year again! The time that we must shamefully share with y'all the utterly embarrassing cesarean rates of our local hospitals. Consider these when choosing care providers!

I woke up after a peculiar and very real dream the day before we found out we were expecting again.  I had dreamt that I was lying in bed, looking into the side-cared crib, and sleeping peacefully was a sweet baby boy.  The next day I decided to test. Lo’ and behold, we were going to have our second baby!

Hey Y'all! We thought you might want to share the word about the Barefoot Bus! 

We will be sharing these around town and would love it if you could too! You can download and share our flyer below- check it out! 

We are ecstatic to finally announce that after several bumps in the road the Barefoot Bus is going to be up and rolling!!!

As a birth photographer I am on call for births from about 38 weeks until baby is born. This means I have my phone with me 24/7 and drop everything when mom is in labor so I can be there to capture the birth and the fresh baby meeting his family. 

“Once a cesarean, always a cesarean” is what was once told to women who have had cesarean births.  Depending on who you talk with these days, we’ve noticed old protocols and practices die hard. 

Tampa Beach Maternity Photos

Sometimes there are people who are just really great at life. Those people are also usually make pregnancy and childbirth look like an effortless stroll in the park. My gorgeous friend, soul sister, and (future) sister midwife Abby is that person. 

There is something pretty great about women finding their power in the midst of lots of self doubt, high expectations, and pressure from all sorts of forces in their lives. This is one of those stories- and an *almost* holiday birth to boot!

There is something about walking with a long time friend and couple you truly adore as they embark on their special journey into parenthood that is profoundly moving and extra special. To witness your friend find their strength as a woman, and then as a mother is a beautiful, poignant thing! 

Star was looking for someone who could do both studio and a beach session for her maternity. She wanted both and I am lucky enough to live just 6 minutes from an awesome bay beach. 

Being called to my first birth on Christmas Eve one year ago was a life changing experience. My own birth was the first and only one I had attended to that point, and it was the complete opposite from what I saw that day. I carried much of my own birth baggage into the first few births I attended as a doula-in-training with Barefoot Birth. I had not yet learned how to separate the experiences, though I would soon learn with time, love, and guidance from my doula sisters.

This last year has taught me so much.

Choosing your birth team is one of the most critical decisions you will make in your entire pregnancy. These are the people who will (or should!) support YOUR choices throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods. 

I am so excited to begin teaching my second group Childbirth Education class series for Barefoot Birth in Tampa next month! Our last class finished in November. I've been teaching private classes here and there, but there is nothing like the energy from a whole group of expecting parents. I love hearing what everyone's hopes and plans are for their birth experiences, I love seeing families connect and learn from each other, and I love love love sharing with families the possibility that birth can be positive and powerful.

I love meeting soon to be parents and capturing their excitement at what lies ahead. 

We met at Davis Island Yacht Club early in the morning. Such a happy mom and dad to be! Lots of laughter and love with these two. And in January I will get to actually meet baby boy for his newborn session.  

Every year we like to bring a little silly to your holiday greetings! 

This year we wanted to remind you that Mary had a "home" birth- though we think she may have found a waterbirth a little more comfortable...

Hi there! I'm Patty, one of the photographers here at Barefoot Birth. I tagged along with the BFB Fam to see the screening of Breastmilk The Movie. It was really fun, and inspired me to take this opportunity to tell you about my breastfeeding journey because it is what actually brought me to birth photography, and birth photography is "my happy."

When Julie and I decided to get pregnant there was no question who would carry the baby, it was going to be me. I had always said jokingly that I would love to be pregnant if only it did not end in having a child! But seriously, I always thought I did not want kids but soon learned I was wrong.

While planning my pregnancy I thought, "I'll try to breastfeed her (I knew I was having a girl--I was right about the girl part, just not about the "a" part) for 6 months, then be done." When I discovered I was pregnant with twins, I didn't give much thought to breastfeeding at all. I was too concerned with making sure I had my twins vaginally to worry about how they would get fed. Hormones can do some crazy things! 

Next up in our interactive resource list is Jessica Wilson and {MOD] momma, Inc. Jessica helps families navigate the overwhelming world of baby-havin! She has served on the board of the Tampa Bay Birth Network and helps to keep our birth community tightly knit! 

My birth story came a few weeks earlier than I expected. I knew that I wanted a natural water birth and I was determine my whole pregnancy to achieve this. In the beginning of my pregnancy I had an OB that was not caring enough for my birth plan

We are SO excited to share this event we're co-hosting with Lakeland Midwifery Care, the USF College of Public Health-Maternal Child Health Student Organization, The Lactation Station, and the Tampa Bay Birth Network! There will be local vendor/organization tables set up with breastfeeding and lactivist goods for sale as well as educational information for all. Come visit us at the Barefoot Birth Table!