Baby Jayden's Dramatic (and Early) Arrival Into the World

They say the best birth plan is no birth plan at all, because once you go into labor, you have to take each minute as it comes. Such was the case for a Loveland, CO mom-to-be who found herself outside of the realm of familiarity when her water broke a month early and each contraction brought a drop in her baby's heart rate. Surrounded by her husband, Brian, her sister, Janie, and her brother-in-law, Marcus (who happens to be an accomplished wedding photographer), Karen spent the evening reading positive affirmations of faith to her unborn baby as the labor and delivery staff at the Medical Center of the Rockies monitored her progress.

With contractions coming closer together and Karen getting the shivers, doctors decided to move Karen into the operating room for an emergency C-section. Not 10 minutes later, 4 lb 7 oz Jayden was born. The cause for his heart rate drops were immediately clear — the umbilical cord had been wrapped around his neck and body, constricting and preventing him from moving downward with each contraction. Safely out of the womb, Jayden quickly recovered and started breathing normally on his own. Brother-in-law Marcus Edwards captured the entire birth story in a series of stunning black-and-white photos — he was even allowed to photograph in the operating room (but don't worry, nothing too graphic) — that truly tell the tale of baby Jayden's entry into the world. Keep reading to see how Marcus photographed the event. Source: Marcus Edwards Photography via Two Bright Lights