This beautiful expecting session represents so much more than the anticipated birth of her baby. It represents strength, love and courage. It proves that a mother's love for her baby is unparalleled, and the incredible power that your body can have.
Days after setting up the maternity session, Jennie was rushed to the hospital at 27 weeks for extreme head pain and vision loss. “I had an emergency brain surgery at 28 weeks pregnant, where they discovered I had a brain abscess. I was in the ICU for five days. I had a second brain surgery two weeks later, when the head pain returned and a second MRI showed the abscess was the same size. With the infection, I lost some of my vision and with that, my confidence. I lived in the hospital for 5 weeks under neurology and high risk obstetrics care. It was the hardest time in my life,” says Jennie.
Unfortunately Jennie's vision did not improve and she feared the photoshoot with photographer Amy Sue Brant. At first she declined, advising that she wasn't up to it, but then had a change of heart and decided to move forward. Amy made flower crowns for Jennie and her daughter Maddie, and captured the mother and daughter amongst a medley of blooms in Churchill Park in downtown Kingston, Ontario. “A new beginning in so many ways,” adds Amy.
Luckily, Jennie was able to carry her daughter Marlee to full term. “She fell off the growth curve at 38 weeks and they were planning on inducing me two days later. The same day I was going to be induced I went into labor on my own and had an unmedicated, beautiful birth,” says the mom of two. “The biggest surprise to me throughout this journey is how one can go through so much pain physically and emotionally whilst being pregnant and the baby is so protected in your body. I went days unable to eat, I recovered from two surgeries and was on so much medication, yet Marlee thrived inside of me and arrived perfectly healthy. She spent five days in the NICU due to some breathing issues, but has had no issues since and at two months is happy and smiles all the time.”
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