Celebrating a Sweet Rainbow Baby | CT Newborn Photographer

Rainbow baby - A healthy baby born after experiencing loss.

A couple days before their scheduled newborn session, I received an email from mama Stephanie. She was asking the typical questions before a session like “what should we wear”, etc. I continued reading, and she had asked if I could incorporate a prop into their session.

Typically when someone asks that, it’s a handmade stuffed animal, or a knitted blanket, a cute newborn outfit for hat, or something someone bought for the baby.

But it wasn’t any of that, it was something different.

After having a difficult time conceiving, this sweet family experienced a loss with their first pregnancy and first baby. Angry, sad, and frustrated, this mama poured her heart, her soul, her hopes, her dreams, and her tears, into sewing and creating a beautiful rainbow quilt she hoped a future baby could enjoy.

The creation of this beautiful quilt helped her heal, at least as much as a blanket could.

As I drove over an hour to get to their home for their session, I thought of ideas on how I could incorporate this meaningful quilt into our session.

Our session was wonderful, watching these loving parents tend to their sweet little baby. Watching and documenting them experiencing this “newness” of having a teeny little baby. Experiencing the honest love and joy they were feeling as they held their sweet little boy. It was beautiful.

But one moment arrived that would stay within my heart for a long time afterward.

Mama Stephanie decided to take the baby into his nursery to feed him and to change him. I decided to take a moment to check on them. She was standing by the crib, nursing him, swaying a little back and forth. Behind her was the rainbow quilt, gently draped over the baby’s crib.

I then had the idea of wrapping the both of them ever so sweetly with the rainbow quilt. I grabbed the quilt and tucked it within mama’s arms, around the both of them.

She looked down at her sweet baby boy, and all emotions released. I couldn’t help but cry with her, and stopped for a moment to give her a hug. I felt we were honoring this journey of parenthood; feeling the love for the sweet baby she held within her arms, and honoring the baby she had lost.

A few minutes later, dad quietly entered the doorway, accompanied by the sweet family dog who had heard her cry. Dad silently walked over to her and embraced her, lovingly kissing her forehead.

Quietly he asked, “Is everything ok?”

Through tears, she answered softly, “I’m happy. I’m just so happy”.

Her words, her tone, the pure honesty stays forever in my mind. I still choke back tears replaying that moment within my mind.

It was the sweetest, emotional, and honest moment I have experienced during a newborn session, and I feel honored I could hold space for them as they felt them.

The rest of the session was filled with smiles, happiness, laughter, and joy. We captured real love, real happiness, real joy. It was one of my favorite sessions to date.

I will be forever grateful to them for feeling comfortable telling their story, showing raw, real emotions. Loss isn’t always easy to talk about or to share, and I am so glad I could share their story here <3