Brooke Ellington, a mother of three from Texas, has always felt a very special connection with her corgi, Ranger. But she didn’t realize just how special their connection was until she saw her birth photos.
Having given birth to two kids already, Ellington was no stranger to the miracle of childbirth. Even with her prior experience, Ellington knew that she wouldn’t be able to do it without support from her loving family. One family member, in particular, stood by her side through the entire ordeal and catered to her every need. After looking at her birth photos, she was surprised to learn that it was Ranger!
“He was very curious as to what was going on,” said Kristen Waner, the photographer who Brooke hired to capture photos of her birth. “He laid under the bed watching her rock back and forth. He was a calming presence when the power and intensity of her contractions started. Every once in a while he would jump on the bed to give her a reassuring kiss to let her know she could do this.”
Kristen believed that Ranger’s comforting presence worked wonders to keep Brooke calm and focused on the task at hand. “You saw the connection and bond between Ranger and Brooke. He watched her through the whole process and only went to give her kisses when he knew the time was right,” she said.
All of the pain was worth it when Brooke’s daughter was finally born. “When Brooke’s beautiful baby girl, Berkeley, came into the world, Ranger jumped up and ran straight over to meet his little sister,” Kristen explained. “He was loving and gentle with her. Brooke herself is also a doula and it was amazing for her to see the photos afterward of sweet little Ranger in nearly every shot.”
Both Kristen and Brooke couldn’t have been happier with how the photos came out. “These photos turned out even more amazing than I first thought because you are able to see the process of birth through the eyes of a dog. He is just too sweet,” said Kristen.
“It brought me to tears looking at the photos after my birth, seeing just how impactful he was to the entire event,” said Brooke. “It was like he really knew I was hurting and wanted to make sure I was okay.”
