Last week I had the honor of photographing Scarlett’s birth at St.David’s North Austin Medical Center. Scarlett was received with so much love and anticipation by her mother Sara, father Chris and big brother Max. Scarlett is the second daughter to Sara and Chris who lost their baby girl, Lucy on Mothers Day 2013 to dilated cardiomyopathy at just 15 months old.  Lucy is present in these images and at this event by way of her stuffed bear that Sara sits lovingly on Scarlett in a photo below.  After having two natural births and suffering some extreme back pain with Lucy’s birth, Sara opted to have a scheduled epidural. I was so privileged to witness the love between this family as they celebrated the arrival of their daughter and I am humbled to have been asked to document such an intimate day in this family’s life. To read Sara’s account of Scarlett’s birth story and to read several other beautiful and thoughtful stories of motherhood, family and loss, please visit Sara’s blog.

All images copyright Heather Gallagher Photography.