Northern Beaches | Family and Maternity Photographer | Celebrating a milestone in a difficult pregnancy
We had the pleasure of photographing pregnant Louise Fuller, her husband, and two daughters. She’s living through her second stressful pregnancy, so it was a joy to capture the time before the birth of her third child in an uplifting way. She kindly - and bravely - shares her story.
When I saw Elena’s post offering a giveaway maternity photoshoot, I thought I’d try my luck and got in touch with her, sharing a tiny bit of our story with her. Her reply was so heartfelt, beautiful and caring, I felt from her first email that we were in the best hands to capture a precious time in our family’s life. After all the months of anxiety, it was so sweet to have the chance to pause and capture our last baby girl bump, the excitement we feel for her and the love we have as a family with Sophie who’s 4 and Holly, 2.
When I was 15 weeks pregnant with our second baby, Holly, we received the surprising news that I had developed antibodies that may have already begun to attack our baby’s red blood cells.
At 34 weeks pregnant, our baby had become so unwell, she was better out than in, so I was induced that week at Royal North Shore Hospital. As I neared the end of labour, an incubator, a tangle of cords and machines was wheeled in along with hordes of doctors at the ready to care for our baby. We were so lucky she came out breathing so that we could have a precious first 15-minute cuddle with her and she could be wheeled into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in an open bed, rather than a closed incubator. My husband, Sean, went with Holly to be with her as she was set up with her multiple wires to monitor oxygen levels and heart rate, a feeding tube and the maximum number of blue phototherapy lights possible- she was the most glowing baby in the NICU! It was all a bit of a shock to see her.
Our baby girl spent 17 days in the NICU being treated for Rhesus Disease of the Newborn after her red blood cells were so depleted in utero. She endured heel prick blood tests every 4 hours or so to monitor her haemoglobin and bilirubin levels which again set us on a roller coaster ride swinging around wildly between worry, relief, and anxiety. She needed such intensive phototherapy that we were unable to cuddle her or establish breastfeeding for more than 15 minutes once a day for the first week. This increased to 30 minutes once a day and finally in the last week I could stay day and night and feed her every 4 hours.
In all honesty, our time in the NICU was the most stressful, emotional, anxiety-filled, and scarring time of my life, and felt like it lasted forever! We are incredibly lucky and thankful to have received the best care in the world from the most amazing team of midwives, nurses and doctors and to have our healthy, happy, and amazing Holly!
We are now pregnant with baby number three and following months of high anxiety, unknowns, and the fortnightly roller coaster ride, we are miraculously at the 35-week point and our baby has not needed blood transfusions in utero as was the highly likely scenario the second time around. We are now at the point where we may keep being extremely lucky and our baby can keep growing up until the 37-week mark, potentially only needing a few days of jaundice treatment or she may be born unwell this week or next and need the intensive care that Holly received.
Antibodies can develop during pregnancy in a mum with Rh-Negative blood. No one knows why my body developed antibodies as this is a rare occurrence these days, with thanks to the generosity of plasma donors who help to create Anti-D injections given to Rh Negative mums during pregnancy. These injections typically prevent any parents and babies from going through what we did.
During her NICU stay, Holly received two intravenous immunoglobulin treatments which helped her narrowly escape the most extreme and risky treatment for Rhesus disease. Our tiny baby girl also received two blood transfusions to help her recover. We are ETERNALLY grateful to every single blood and plasma donor in Australia for the life of our baby girl! If you possibly can, please consider being one of these heroes who save lives.
To donate blood to help other families like Louise and Sean’s, visit www.donateblood.com.au
Sonia’s story
A growing bump.
A little one to cuddle.
Everyone together.
A beach maternity photoshoot can make room for all of it: a few portraits of your growing bump, your little one on Dad’s shoulders, a favourite toy that comes along for the ride.
Sonia’s session brought these things together, with soft pink skies, warm light across the water and plenty of sand between everyone’s toes.
I love the photograph of her little one laughing from Dad’s shoulders, toy truck firmly in hand. It feels like such a good place to begin this family’s story.
Room for everyone
A maternity session
with the whole family
When you’re expecting another baby, your older child brings so much personality to the photographs. There are cuddles, little distractions and moments when they want to be right in the middle of everything.
In Sonia’s gallery, there’s a shoulder ride, a hand held while she sits on the sand, and the whole family together at the water’s edge. These are the kinds of moments I look for in my family photography sessions. I’ll give you gentle direction, with plenty of room for your child to move and be themselves.
You don’t need to spend the session asking them to look at the camera. Being close, playing and responding to each other gives us plenty to work with.
A moment for you
Winter morning light.
A little space for you.
Alongside the family photographs, I like to make time for portraits of you on your own. Sonia’s cream cardigan, white top and jeans worked so beautifully against the sand and sea. Simple layers, her hands resting on her bump, warm light catching her hair.
For a beach session, we’ll choose the location and timing together, taking the light and your family’s routine into account. You can wear something comfortable that feels like you; there’s no need to buy a whole new wardrobe.
My maternity photography sessions include gentle guidance with movement and where to place your hands, so you don’t have to arrive knowing how to pose.
The things you’ll remember
The little details I love
One photograph I keep coming back to is the black-and-white close-up of a sandy foot resting against Sonia’s bump. Her little one is still holding the toy truck, tucked into her arms.
There’s also a close-up of small hands exploring her belly. I love including these details alongside the wider photographs. You can see the beach and the light, then come closer to the things that are particular to this family.
There’s a lovely rhythm between those quieter moments and the photographs of everyone splashing together.
Your next chapter
Planning your own
beach maternity photoshoot
If you’d love maternity photographs that include your family, we can plan a session with time for everyone together and a few moments just for you.
I’m based in Manly and photograph families across Sydney and the Northern Beaches. I’d love to hear what you have in mind.
With love, Elena
Maternity photography · Sydney
Before everything changes,
let’s remember this.
Your bump, your people, this little chapter. Let’s plan a relaxed maternity session that feels like you.
Let’s plan your session Explore packages & pricingSonia’s story
A growing bump.
A little one to cuddle.
Everyone together.
A beach maternity photoshoot can make room for all of it: a few portraits of your growing bump, your little one on Dad’s shoulders, a favourite toy that comes along for the ride.
Sonia’s session brought these things together, with soft pink skies, warm light across the water and plenty of sand between everyone’s toes.
I love the photograph of her little one laughing from Dad’s shoulders, toy truck firmly in hand. It feels like such a good place to begin this family’s story.
Room for everyone
A maternity session
with the whole family
When you’re expecting another baby, your older child brings so much personality to the photographs. There are cuddles, little distractions and moments when they want to be right in the middle of everything.
In Sonia’s gallery, there’s a shoulder ride, a hand held while she sits on the sand, and the whole family together at the water’s edge. These are the kinds of moments I look for in my family photography sessions. I’ll give you gentle direction, with plenty of room for your child to move and be themselves.
You don’t need to spend the session asking them to look at the camera. Being close, playing and responding to each other gives us plenty to work with.
A moment for you
Winter morning light.
A little space for you.
Alongside the family photographs, I like to make time for portraits of you on your own. Sonia’s cream cardigan, white top and jeans worked so beautifully against the sand and sea. Simple layers, her hands resting on her bump, warm light catching her hair.
For a beach session, we’ll choose the location and timing together, taking the light and your family’s routine into account. You can wear something comfortable that feels like you; there’s no need to buy a whole new wardrobe.
My maternity photography sessions include gentle guidance with movement and where to place your hands, so you don’t have to arrive knowing how to pose.
The things you’ll remember
The little details I love
One photograph I keep coming back to is the black-and-white close-up of a sandy foot resting against Sonia’s bump. Her little one is still holding the toy truck, tucked into her arms.
There’s also a close-up of small hands exploring her belly. I love including these details alongside the wider photographs. You can see the beach and the light, then come closer to the things that are particular to this family.
There’s a lovely rhythm between those quieter moments and the photographs of everyone splashing together.
Your next chapter
Planning your own
beach maternity photoshoot
If you’d love maternity photographs that include your family, we can plan a session with time for everyone together and a few moments just for you.
I’m based in Manly and photograph families across Sydney and the Northern Beaches. I’d love to hear what you have in mind.
With love, Elena
Maternity photography · Sydney
Before everything changes,
let’s remember this.
Your bump, your people, this little chapter. Let’s plan a relaxed maternity session that feels like you.
Let’s plan your session Explore packages & pricing