An Entire Maternity Session

Victoria Grace

May 12, 20214 min read

I realized I never really share all of a session, so I wanted to share every single photo I delivered to this family - from start to finish of their gallery (honestly a little proud that I'm sending it less than 30 hours after their session when my turn around estimate is always 2-3 weeks).

While I'm sharing every image from this session I want to share a little about her high-risk pregnancy, because I can't imagine being sick and pregnant with two kids this little at home already.

Around week 20 Andrea started feeling pains - and since it is her third pregnancy she knew they weren't normal. She was diagnosed with symphysis pubic dysfunction and placenta previa, which became unbearable. By week 24 she was calling back in tears she hurt so badly. By week 28 the placenta previa resolved, thankfully, but for 8 weeks she was under a lot of stress worrying about hospitalizations (alone because of COVID) and not being able to see her kids for the remainder of her pregnancy.

Her primary care physician told her to have a very serious conversation with her OB, because between the stress and pain she was at a dangerously high risk of a very early birth (as a mama of 2nd trimester babies, my stomach hurts thinking about how worried she must have been).

She's been doing week chiropractic appointments since week 22, monthly massages, and at least bi-weekly appointments for acupuncture (we sort of joked about how she'd need it after the session and we were both thankful she was able to move around fairly easily that day but we also chose a place that involved VERY little walking for that reason). She's been out of work since week 24 - and I'm honestly just so proud of her for remaining as positive as she has during all of this. & of Ryan, her husband, for making sure his family is taken care of while she can't work.

She's finally made it to the "any day now" part of her pregnancy, but I wanted to ask my friends to help this little family out a bit before their third boy arrives so that they can worry a little less about things like money while Ryan is helping her with a newborn. On top of having a little baby the SPD usually takes a few weeks to resolve (I had an emergency c-section which isn't the same at all but I remember being sort of thankful they weren't able to be held because I couldn't even get myself to the bathroom - I have no idea how mamas pick up babies and do things for them after c-sections) and she obviously won't be returning to work right away - so as a mama who had the stress of a horrible pregnancy, micro-preemies, and bills ALL. AT. ONCE. I figured it couldn't hurt to just casually leave her Venmo address here before you scroll through this session, and then again at the bottom.

I basically had to strong arm her into letting me share it and told her even if only enough to buy a coffee after delivery is raised it's still a coffee they don't have to budget.

Ryan is one of my oldest friends and I'm so thankful he told Andrea about me before their first baby - and that I've been able to document this family through so many chapters. They've supported me for YEARS even when I was going through a divorce with babies in a stroller and needed them to pick locations that I could push that stroller around at. They deserve a little help - even if they would never think to ask for it themselves.

Her Venmo - Andrea-Shipman-89

Now, enjoy an entire session from start to finish.

How beautiful is she???!! My gosh.

These boys love their daddy.

Stop one is one of my favorite overlooks on The Blue Ridge Parkway, and stop two is pretty high up there as well because of this row of trees that help block the sun.

"A DANDELION!!!" - the dinosaur on Ice Age

PS; I knew I would make these a GIF. & when it isn't midnight the night before two back to back appointments at Mission for Brooklynn tomorrow I'll load a better quality version of this but it's still adorable blurry. How cute is he?? His brother was just as cute.

Now - these next few images are some of my favorite maternity pictures, ever. Blue is 10000% my favorite color and I LOVE how many shades of it are here. Plus her blonde curls are so pretty.