Hi, I'm Rachel Ikeuchi. I'm a mother, dog mom, wife, teacher, photographer. I'm Taiwanese-American and have had the privilege of living in different places around the world. Now settled in the beautiful Inner West of Sydney with my Filipino-Japanese-Australian husband, we have our two beautiful children and two furry ones too! 

The Little Folded Crane Story

When I was in primary school, we read the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. It is about a young girl who attempted to fold 1000 paper cranes to heal herself. The paper crane is a symbol of hope and healing. What does this have to do with me?

In 2021, my third trimester of my first pregnancy was spent in hard lockdown. My birth resulted in an emergency cesarean, and my daughter was rushed to special care before I could see her. I was in recovery feeling lost, scared, and like I had already failed my first task of motherhood. 

In the recovery space, I looked up and I saw a little paper crane hanging above my bed. There was no information that the doctors or nurses could give me at that point everything was still too fluid. But this paper crane. It was a sign to me that everything would be okay. That paper crane reminded me to lean in, have faith, and trust my instincts.

In those moments, I became a mother. The world instantly felt, tasted, and sounded different. And that is what Little Folded Crane means to me: welcoming in hope and healing through the journey of parenthood, and doing my best to soak in and distill the moments that really matter. 

I'd love to capture your important moments with your loved ones too. Follow the booking link below and let's connect.  

Where did the name "Little folded crane" come from?