The feeling of extreme happiness of a father when he saw his newborn baby for the first time and shed tears!

As a birth photographer, Danielle Hale knows how overwhelming going into labor with a child can be for first-time parents.

Recently, Karissa and James, a couple whose birth she recently captured, were experiencing those exact feelings when she was finally told to push. Amidst the rush of emotions that come with becoming a father for the very first time, James had the most powerful reaction to seeing his daughter enter the world. Thankfully, Danielle was there to preserve the moment.

“I watched this dad pace the floors and stand there helplessly as his wife roared through the waves,” wrote Danielle in her Instagram caption. “I watched as James nervously held Karissa’s hands and whispered to her about how awesome she was doing. I watched as he held her up during the waves and applied counter pressure for her, even though he was still scared himself.”

As someone who has never given birth before, Karissa was concerned she wouldn’t be able to handle the pain. “James was already very nervous to begin with when it came to labor and his wife being in pain,” Danielle said. “Karissa told me she doesn’t handle pain very well and kept saying it all throughout her labor. You’d never know because she powered through it all like a freaking rock star. James was the best support system. He held her up and held her hand, but man, you could just see the worry all over his face through it all.”

After Karissa was told she was too far along in the labor process to receive an epidural, James’s nerves hit an all-time high. “At the very end, she asked for an epidural, but when they checked her one last time, they said it was too late, the baby was right there, and it was time to push,” she explained. “The dad was even more nervous, but once it came time to push, he really got it together and encouraged her and cheered her on. I think everything just hit him hard as soon as their daughter was placed on his chest; all of the nerves and worry he was holding inside, the emotions of seeing his new daughter and being so proud of his wife, really hit him all at once, and he stepped back and just let it all out.”

The moment captured by Danielle Hale beautifully showcases the profound joy and overwhelming love that a father experiences when seeing his newborn baby for the first time, bringing tears of happiness to his eyes.