Honoring Ancient Traditions: A Birth Photography Session Rooted in Indigenous Wisdom – McAllen, TX

In the heart of South Texas, where the land holds deep ancestral memory, I had the honor of capturing a sacred moment—a photography session centered on the ancient spiritual practices of birth work. This session was more than just taking pictures. It was a spiritual offering, a blessing, and a reflection of the timeless connection between birthing people and those who hold space for them.

Midwife sits in front of pregnant person and holds a rose over pregnant person's hands as they start a blessing for the pregnant person.

As a birth worker and birth photographer in McAllen, Texas, my intention is to honor the cultural roots that continue to guide our community. This session highlighted a blessing ceremony for a mother-to-be, inspired by the wisdom of our ancestors—who recognized that birth is not just physical, but spiritual, emotional, and communal.

Image of a woven basket holding a feather fan, candles and ancestral shaker musical instrument along with some handkerchiefs.

We gathered in a quiet, natural setting, where gentle touch, prayer, herbal medicine, and energy alignment became a part of the ritual. These elements are still practiced today by some traditional birth keepers throughout South Texas and beyond. With each photo, I aimed to capture not just the beauty of the moment, but the deep respect we hold for life, lineage, and healing.

Pregnant person sits and adds tobacco to a metal bowl as a part of her pregnancy blessing ceremony. Midwife sits in the distance smiling.

In this work, I welcome all birthing people, regardless of gender identity, family structure, or background. My practice is rooted in inclusion, trust, and cultural reverence. Whether you’re planning a home birth, birthing in a hospital, or receiving postpartum support, I am here to document your story and hold sacred space.

Midwife uses smoke to cleanse the space and pregnant person during their blessing ceremony

If you’re looking for a birth photographer or birth worker in McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, or surrounding areas in the Rio Grande Valley, I would love to connect with you. I specialize in honoring your birth space in everything I do: pregnancy blessings, birth & postpartum support, culturally rooted postpartum cerradas or closing of the bones ceremonies & birth photography.

Let us continue to honor the medicine of our ancestors—one birth at a time.

Midwife blessing a pregnant person in a maternity blessing ceremony


Hypno-Doula in McAllen, TX!

Hey everyone! I’m so happy to announce I’ve earned my Hypno-Doula certificate from Hypnobabies.

I have been so fortunate to have worked with past clients who really amazed me with their hypnobirthing experiences. There was a sense of peace and calm in the birth space and I remember walking away thinking, this is how birth should be featured in all the movies - people need to see this version more often! (I suppose Hollywood would quickly ditch that idea because it’s missing all the drama.)

As I dive deeper and deeper into birth work and birth support, I’ve learned that birth support can be so varied and I’m always open to whatever each journey brings. My role is to:

  • Offer emotional support for my clients. Affirmations are so valuable. Sometimes partners need a gentle reminder of how to ensure their person knows how amazing they are. This can go a really long way when it comes to a partnership bonding and moving through this journey together.

  • Physically comfort them in their birthing experience. I do this with massage, hip squeezes, tens unit, positional changes and various other doula bag tools I carry with me.

  • Provide any information/knowledge or resources to them so they can feel confident and empowered to make their decisions. After all, this is their birth, their baby, and will ultimately their memory of transitioning into parenthood.

With this hypo-doula certification, I have yet another tool to navigate parents’ birth choices. I can recognize their path, be on the same page with how they wish to navigate their experience and know the specifics of using hypnosis in birth. It’s so important to be able to meet families where they are to ensure they can achieve the birth experience they want.

So, while I was familiar with the terminology before, I now feel even more empowered in my role as a doula serving clients who are Hypnobabies trained. I’m so excited to bring this skillset to future births!

A photo of two of my wonderful doula friends and myself. Jessica Sargent Flores on the left. Jessica is a midwife student, local doula, lactation consultant, and birth assistant at Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco, TX. (She’s amazing.) To my right, Brandi Kennedy who recently retired as a birth doula but now serves our community as the Clinic Manager at Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco, TX. Brandi served the RGV as a doula and childbirth educator for 10+ years and has been such an incredible friend and mentor in my life. I’m so thankful for both of these wonderful humans.


Holy Family Birthing Center: Birth of Benjamin

Water Birth at

Holy Family Birthing Center

Weslaco, TX

Birth of Benjamin

Meeting families is always an adventure. Everyone’s story is different and I’m always so excited to learn about them so I can start to think of how I will be piecing their stories together.

Documentary photography is quite candid and never really comes with a script but every family has a wish for their birth photography experience. Some wish to have a more conservative story while others wish to have every detail included.

I met the L family when they were expecting their first little one. Their sweet son (who made a great doula this time around.) We had a few chats about how birth photography worked and somehow, we didn’t end up working together for his birth.

Upon finding out they were expecting baby #2, they jumped on-board and booked a birth package right away. Mrs. L explained that she absolutely needed these photos. So we did it! SHE DID IT! She birthed her second son like the birth goddess that she is.

She was supported by her husband, her sister, her mother, and her son too! They all gathered and encouraged her as she worked through each wave. They held space for her as she transitioned and witnessed as she roared her baby out.

Benjamin was surrounded by love and tears of joy as he made his way into the world for the first time! What an absolute joy it was to document this very special moment of their lives.

Congratulations L family! I hope your holiday season is filled with celebration and new traditions as a family of 4.


~Norma H