Baby John's First Moments | Grand Rapids Fresh 48 Photographer

I had the privilege of photographing a beautiful new baby and his mother Norlyn just a few moments after she gave birth at Shiphrah Birthing Home (part of Help International Ministries) near Manila, Philippines. Baby John was immediately held skin-to-skin and breastfed within the first hour. It was a joy to capture their bond and share the photos with this family. One of my favorite parts of this birth story is that this Baby John's grandmother (pictured in the last photo) also gave birth at Shiphrah Birthing Home many years ago. It is a beautiful picture of how Shiphrah has long been a part of empowering women in this community to have safe, supported, natural births - often in the midst of quite chaotic and difficult life situations. If you are looking for a way to make a difference for women like Norlyn, consider making a donation to this amazing ministry.