Milou's Natural Birth En Caul // by Hutch & Futch

| Milou Faun Cellers | March 15, 2016 |

"En Caul": Sometimes a baby comes out with their face covered by the amniotic membrane. It's harmless to the baby, and is simply removed by the midwife. Births en caul only happen once in every 80,000!

Watch the Honest Company's commercial featuring the Cellers family and Milou's birth!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPCmtbgnfKA

Read the Birth Story from Shelby's perspective here: http://www.babyandcompany.com/blog/milous-birth-en-caul/

From the Birth Story:
"As I settled into the tub I began to push with each contraction. Things were very intense and I felt out of control, but Sharon and Rochelle comforted me and placed their trust in my body. A friend of mine had told me about a birth story she read in which the mama repeated to herself 'you are getting so big' and I focused on that. I focused on opening and growing and surrendering to my body and my baby’s movement through me. At one point I remember thinking 'How do I get out of this?' and that’s when I felt her come through. My water hadn’t broken yet and Sharon said to me 'Your baby will be born en caul,' and I broke from a push to laugh. Soon after she shot out and it felt nothing like Apolline. I caught her and pulled her to my chest as they eased the veil of her sac off her face and she was just… she was beautiful. I held her close and sank into Jack as I cried in relief. She didn’t look anything like I expected. She had this tiny nose and her lips were full and swollen from moving so quickly through the birth canal. She wasn’t breathing well but her gaze was steady and when her eyes met mine I felt a great wave of peace wash over me. I birthed her placenta and moved to the bed where Apolline met us and wanted to nurse. She latched and pet me softly and brought me back to myself. She began to heal me physically as my empty uterus contracted and mentally as I settled into old patterns. Our mothers had arrived at the same time, moments after Lou. The room was open and warm and so full of love. I gazed at Jack in awe as I held my two girls. That moment is so complete to me; that sacred space surrounded by my entire little world."

We love you, Shelby, Jackson, Apolline, and Milou! We are so grateful that we get to play such a large role in documenting the most precious moments of your lives. We want to continue to love on you and watch your babies grow into beautiful young ladies!

-Anna and Nick
@hutchandfutchphotog
www.hutchandfutch.photo

Birth Center of NWA:
https://www.facebook.com/bcnwa

Music by Baker McKinney and Gravedancer.