Aurielle Photography - Santa Barbara Birth Photographer

Papa’s turn.

Ethereal glow.
💫🪐🌞
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The human rainbow 🌈⚡️✨
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Where there is a woman there is magic. ✨​​​​​​​​

Blue hour under the full moon with these beautiful goddesses. 🌀🌕🩵
Finally getting around to sharing images from last year’s annual Womanhood Series. What a magical evening it was. Too many favorites!!

This is exactly how I feel today with the sun coming out and sharing its warmth. ☀️ Who’s ready for summer?

To all my belly birth warriors, I salute you always, but especially today for cesarean awareness month!

This little one sure made an entrance being OP aka sunny-side up. While as many as 34% of babies are posterior when labor starts, only 5-8% of them are posterior at birth. Their mama was such a power house pushing through labor for days and all the while having fun while she did it. I love seeing this variation of normal in an out of hospital birth for a first time mom.

Part IV

Eric takes Otto to our bedroom, while I take a quick rinse and Dawn helps me get out of the tub into those cozy postpartum diapers we all love. With all the commotion, Tsavo wakes up to find a new brother and Baby isn’t in mama’s tummy anymore. Finn brings over Sophie, the giraffe, who’s been around since he was a baby, and places her by my shoulder to keep Otto company. We cut Otto’s cord and Eric puts on a show for the boys so he and I can have a moment. Otto starts to breast crawl and as I look up at Eric, he immediately latches on. I yelp out of surprise, such a strong suction. Eggs and toast are made for breakfast and we all regroup to watch Dawn do the newborn exam with Finn, her assistant. I love how homebirth encourages siblings to be involved. The most anticipated on the list, weight! We made our guesses and we were all wrong. 10lbs even! On top of it, his head is almost 15” and is 22” long! My jaw drops and I am literally in shock. Between baby, placenta and fluids, I easily just birthed 15+ lbs Dawn announces. Now everything all makes so much sense! This is why my groin and leg nerves were acting up during pregnancy, why I felt more uncomfortable overall and my feet were so tired, why I was having cluster contractions, to bring such a big baby down, why I felt the ring of fire for the first time and why his placenta and cord were so big. A whole 2 pounds heavier and an inch in head circumference bigger than his brothers. Wow! Dawn does a quick vaginal check and there are no tears. Amazing! I attribute this to sipping on my homeopathic Arnica dilution every hour during labor. Afterpains really start to kick in, so I add Chamomilla to my remedy and Ibuprofen to get me to a comfortable spot. Rebecca and Dawn tuck us in and leave to get some rest. We give the boys a turn to hold Otto and we sing him happy birthday. The next morning, the boys leave to go play in the snow and I stay cozy in my nest while Dawn comes over to do a 24hr check up. I’m so grateful for the best birth team who’ve been with me for all 3 births. It’s so special to have a team I trust and feel safe with for all these years!

Part III

I start to break down and confess to Dawn I just want to meet Baby already. She comforts and assures me I will be meeting Baby very soon. Unbeknownst to me, I had hit transition. I whisper my mantra to myself “I can do this”, over and over. I begin to grunt and bear down as I squat and hold onto my vanity. I get back in the shower, feeling that soothing water. I start to fill the bathtub and Dawn checks in to see if I want to have Baby in the bathtub or the birth pool. I choose to stay in the bathtub. I get on my side with my leg up and with each contraction, I bring my Baby down. 

My throat is sore from grunting because of how hard I was pushing, but I stay controlled with my breathing and pushing, and feel very in tune with my body. Baby is close, so we wake Finn up. He wanted to be present. At first Finn is a little scared with my roars echoing in the bathroom, but I make eye contact with him and assure him everything is okay and Baby is almost here. He puts his little hand on my head, mirroring his dad, comforting me as I push. Dawn knew and respected I wanted a hands off birth, but she saw I needed support. She offered to support my perineum. I happily agreed. It’s surreal feeling my body stretch in slow motion and open. I had never experienced the ring of fire, but I welcomed it with controlled breathing. Finally Baby’s head is out. Dawn’s wisdom guided her to say “you push Baby out now or we get you out of the tub”. So with that and my next contraction, I gave it my all. Supporting Baby’s big body, Dawn helped shimmy them out as I was pushing, because it was such a tight squeeze. I grab Baby and on Feb. 25 at 5:46am I plop them onto my chest, full of vernix with a fat cord. I finally get the water birth I’ve always wanted. Eric announces it’s a boy. In disbelief, I double check. Sure enough! Deep down we knew. We relish in the joy and oxytocin, admiring this chunker (Otto Uli to be named later). I have Finn feel his thick blue cord that’s still pumping his brother’s blood and we check out his wrinkly toes while Eric gives me a sip of postpartum tea. Not long after, I deliver the placenta and holy cow, is it huge, and so beautiful.

Part II

Contractions definitely pick up and starting to feel intense. Eric comes back to me after the boys fall asleep and I melt into his arms. His presence and touch is so comforting, nurturing and grounding. Exactly what I need. Eric brings in several beeswax candles in the bathroom and it really set the mood. I’m a firm believer in or****ic birth after experiencing it with my first birth, and boy, was it a treat to have again. With cl****al stimulation and pleasure, the contractions are so much more manageable. I’m also drawn to water for this birth, maybe because Baby is a Pisces, and found it so soothing. My newly remodeled bathroom became my den. The dancing candlelight, the cool travertine tile under my feet, alternating with the warm pitter patter of water on my back, and or***ms, put me in a trance. My dream birth was underway.

I left my den and laid in bed to rest. Things were a lot stronger now, more than how I remembered them in the past. I feel my body working harder than it ever has. My one fear going into this birth was would it truly be a wild card as they say and would I be able to manage another long difficult birth like Finn’s. As it was unfolding, I knew this is what was happening. I had to dig deep as I was being pushed to limits that I didn’t know existed. I’m anxious isn’t there, as Tsavo, my second son, was in the fast lane and didn’t wait for anyone. I needed her there now, so Eric calls her, letting her know it was time. I felt relieved knowing she was on her way. By the time Dawn arrives, I believe it was close to midnight. I become anxious about Baby possibly not being in the right position, as Finn was asynclitic, so I asked Dawn to check externally and then also vaginally. I needed to know what progress I had made and what I was up against. Things really ramp up and I get into this game of musical chairs between the shower, bed and couch. I’m experiencing cluster contractions, where it’s one right after the next, sometimes lasting upwards to 10 min it felt like. It was exhausting! Sometimes I’d have longer 20 min breaks in between, others it would be the typical 3 min.

****icbirth

Let’s try this again! keeps censoring my account!

WHO’S READY TO GET NAKED WITH ME?! 💪🏻💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿

2023 Womanhood Series will partake on Tuesday, September 26 at sunset at a location within 2 hours of Santa Barbara.

We are live! Applications are now being accepted. Apply in link in bio. I’ll only be selecting 5 participants this year and want to represent as diversely as possible.

Happy BIRTH Day to my dear friend and her nugget. I am so honored I got to be witness to your strength and magic, and have this beautiful bond with Marigold 🌼. XOXO

WHO’S READY TO GET NAKED WITH ME?! 💪🏻💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿

2023 Womanhood Series will partake on Tuesday, September 26 at sunset at a location within 2 hours of Santa Barbara.

We are live! Applications are now being accepted. Apply in link in bio. I’ll only be selecting 5 participants this year and want to represent as diversely as possible.

What can I say, kids are drawn to me. 💕

Every year in September I host my Womanhood Series, it’s my reboot, my breathe of fresh air. To be honest, my life has been so full that I completely forgot about it for this year. This season I’m in has pushed me to limits I didn’t know existed, with a third kiddo, going back to work 1 month postpartum, running two businesses, and so on. It seems as though now is the time I need this more than ever. Connection, creativity, warmth. I need to come up for air!
• So, if there’s enough interest, I’d love to do a series. I would just do one session this year and keep it small to 5 goddesses. ✨WHO’S IN?? ✨

Two months earthside with this precious being. Our lives are super full and chaotic with more stress than I’d like at the moment if I’m being honest. I’ve had to work more than I anticipated while on maternity leave. I’ve even experienced doubts of my choice to have three children, but I’m rolling with it, accepting I’m doing the best I can. And my sweet little bear is helping me get me through this season of life. What’s not to love with this 14 lb chunky monkey?

I’m constantly in awe of the women in my community. Their hunger for success, their love for their family and friends, supporting and uplifting others, and empowering women to take back their births is so inspiring.
I have definitely been leaning on my village of women since giving birth. Whether it’s a simple text to check in or to let me vent, bringing our family food, entertaining my crazy boys, school pick ups, body work to help me heal or sending your love from afar, I’m so grateful for you all!

Happy International Women’s Day 💪🏻💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿

Introducing Otto Uli. 🐻
10lbs of chunky stud muffin born Saturday morning 2/25 at 5:46am. Roughly 24 hours, with about 6 hours of active labor - my most challenging birth by far, but I finally got my water birth! Can’t thank my birth team enough for being my rocks, , and
✨
A little name background: Otto is my great grandfather’s name and
Uli is an abbreviated name from the origin Ursula/Ulrich (names on Eric’s side), derived from the Latin word ursus, which means bear/little bear

I am officially on maternity leave! 🎉 I attended my last birth last night at 37 weeks pregnant. A beautiful, calm, swift birth with a repeat client. It couldn’t have gone more perfect.
Now I can let go, go inward and focus on my bringing my own baby earthside. There’s been some hardcore nesting going on and I still need to finish up some galleries, but I am so excited, I can NOT wait to meet this little one!
Are you ready to be bombarded with all my newborn spam?

I love how this mama wanted to celebrate and honor her belly birth scar, postpartum bleeding and all!
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Uncensored, raw, real…this is what I love about my postpartum sessions. There’s no pressure, no stress, no obligations, other than to stay cozy in your postpartum nest, bonding with your child.

What’s more special than being welcomed into a birth space? When it’s your nephew and SIL’s birthing day! I love this serene moment of the two of them.

Slowly emerging into the light.

My client really wanted to inspect her placenta, but sadly because she had a cesarean, it was immediately thrown into hazardous waste. Fortunately, the OR was slow and the hazardous waste bin was empty besides her placenta, so her amazing nurse brought it out, against hospital policy, for her to see.
We’re you curious about your placenta?

Here’s some joy for your Sunday morning. ☕️☀️
This mama is a dear friend of mine and it made her birth so much more special to me! It was so beautiful witnessing the love and joy between her and her husband.

This little guy and his mama worked so hard and ended up coming earthside via his mama’s belly. I LOVE that the anesthesiologist’s watch shows the time of birth!

🎉10th ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY 🥳

This month marks my 🔟th year in business as a birth photographer. Wow! I’m so grateful for this career I happened to fall into and the journey it has taken me on. My clients will always have a special place in my heart. To say I’m honored to be welcomed into your sacred space is an understatement. I wouldn’t continue this work if it weren’t for you! Thank you for sharing your power, magic, and transformation into parenthood with me.

To celebrate this milestone, I’m hosting a giveaway focusing on self care with some products and services all from amazing locally women-owned businesses; because who doesn’t need a little pick me up during this holiday season?

What you’ll win:
✨ Branded Yeti Tumbler (design pictured is subject to change and may not represent final product)
✨ 1 hr Massage with Rasha Reinhold (no IG acct)
✨ Cosmo socks
✨ Star Charm Necklace
✨ Nourished Human Tea & Once in a Blue Moon Candle
✨ Calm Tincture
✨ Cacao Elixir
✨ Rainbow Punch Needle Hooked Wall Art made with wool & alpaca yarn
✨ Self Care Package with:
* Fat and the moon all cream & clay idol lip paint
* Sea buckthorn face oil
* Etta & Billie scrub
* Amethyst oil roller
* Collagen sheet mask
✨ Manicure & Pedicure (by appt only)

To enter you must:
1. Like & save this post
2. Follow all the amazing women tagged above
3. Comment how you’re de-stressing this holiday season
4. Tag your friends who could use some self care

Rules:
Winner must be local to Santa Barbara county.
Giveaway ends 12/19/22 11:59pm PST
Winner will be announced 12/20/22
Giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Instagram.

I’m back from our holiday in Maui and we had a blast! Lots of ocean dips, turtle sightings, waterfall hikes, lizard catching, and many meltdowns thrown in there 🤪 I’m so grateful we get to take these trips and make family time a priority. As much as I’d love to take on every client and be at births every day, I need this self care to reboot and balance life.

Shout out to hubs for doing a mini maternity session for me while our kids ran rampant behind him on the beach.

Thank you to everyone patiently waiting for their galleries. I’ll be working tirelessly to get those to you ASAP!

Happy November! 🍂🍄🥧🫖
Sorry it’s been a little quiet over here lately. Mom’ing two active boys while pregnant and working has me very busy. But we leave for Maui on Sunday for our babymoon and I’m so looking forward to relaxing and adventuring with my boys! This is the only time I’m not on call before my baby comes so we’re taking advantage for our holiday.
• Bump update: I’m 23 weeks and babe is kicking up a storm. I’m finally in a little sweet spot and I’m getting so excited to meet this little one.
• Although I’m booked for births, I’m still taking on clients for maternity and raw postpartum sessions. So if I’m your jam, reach out!