Photo Of Baby Lying Next To Mom’s C-Section Scar Shows Us What Mothers Go Through
Pregnancy and birth happen as they do, yet many women are openly judged if a “not natural” option is chosen. Recently, photographer Helen Aller, from Guernsey, UK, took this intimate photo of a mother and her three-day-old baby boy next to her caesarean incision. The woman, who did not want to be identified, had decided on a vaginal birth, but was forced to have an emergency caesarean due to complications. She wanted a picture taken of the operation that saved her and her baby.
“I photographed this mama’s pregnancy a while back and she was telling me how terrified she was of having a c-section,” wrote Aller on Facebook. “Well last week she went into labor but had to have an emergency c-section after complications. She asked me to come over this morning and shoot this particular image as her worst nightmare proved to be what saved her and her child’s lives.”
More info: Facebook
“[She] wanted something to show that her biggest fear was what in the end saved both of them. I think she will see that scar and appreciate the life they were given”
“I can’t believe the amount of women that are ashamed of their scars and made to feel like they haven’t done the job properly because they didn’t give birth naturally,” Aller wrote on Facebook
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Share on FacebookI never heard of any woman who was ashamed of this...ever.....Although the picture is beautiful and yes, I am one of those women who had a C-section due to complications, I sometimes fear that the intention may be right....but the message is brought in a wrong way, perhaps. Should we now doubt the fact that it never ever occured to us to have no such feelings of shame for the fact that we could not deliver a baby *naturally*? I am sure the photographer meant well....but I don't want people to throw a remark about *self doubt during birth* into the world, just to get a little more attention for the photo. But that's just my opinion... I have two scars on my tummy, one saved us during birth, the other one saved me during an almost fatal illness...I wear them with pride :-)
I have been told I didn't "do the job properly" or know what birth is really like because I had a life saving c section. There is shaming towards some mothers who have had sections, how very fortunate you are that you haven't encountered this.
Load More Replies...I wasn't lucky enough to get pregnant in the first place (despite lots of trying) but, if I had, I would of had to have a section (as I don't have a cervix). What I'm saying is having a wonderful, precious, healthy baby is the important part and not how it comes into the world. Nobody should feel ashamed of not being able to do it naturally - you do what's best for mum and baby at the time.
To be fair, some woman who push the baby out do judge those who have c-sections. WHY they judge them is beyond me, not every woman is able to give birth in the 'normal' way, for health reasons, and what about when the life of the mother and/or the baby are at serious risk by doing so. C-sections are a wondrous thing and in no way lessen the experience. People who judge must be very very perfect and healthy.
Actually, a man told me I should be embarrassed to show my scar. I was wearing a bikini. He said scars were horrible to look at. I was never ashamed!
Who ever that man was should have been embarrassed to say such a crude, rude and non of his damn business remark. Humph on him. What a dumb (F) Cluck.
Load More Replies...There is no reason whatsoever to be ashamed. You gave birth to a baby. You chose not to destroy the baby and keep him. That is something beautiful. It doesn't matter how your baby is born. It just matters that the baby was born.
Oh it's just a scar, and let me tell you that s**t hurts afterwards....bad....I used to cry for a couple minutes before I got up to go to the bathroom because it hurt so damn bad. But I did it and I got my son so it was all worth it. Quite frankly I could care a less about the subject and the simple fact someone thought they needed to show what some women have to go thru or whether or not you can have a natural birth or how people feel about it, and now I'm no longer making sense because this is just stupid. I'm sick of everyone trying to critique everything in life to where it's all just getting soooo boring. Instead of trying to figure everything out just live and be happy.
I have had both a C-section & a natural birth & it really didn't matter to me how my children came out just as long as they were healthy & now my youngest daughter has just had a C-section with her third baby & it is all rather wonderful I now have 2 daughters & 4 granddaughters. SO it does not matter HOW you have your children C-section, natural or even if someone else has them for you, the important thing is the child in your arms. Don't ever listen to or believe small minded people who sit in judgement on other peoples lives, they just have nothing better to do with their time & they derive pleasure from making others feel small, don't give them that power.
If it wasn't for a good doctor and C-section my son would have died or suffered major cerebral hypoxia. The umbilical cord was coiled around his neck and no ultrasound scan was able to show it so nobody knew it until the labor started. So i will not let anyone tell me that i did something wrong or that "it wasn't a real, proper labor". What's wrong with this people?
My wife's scar is teeny...no need for shame. A person came out of there!
Does it matter which way the baby is born as long as mother and baby are both okay afterwards.
I didn't know that you can "decide" to have a baby naturally?! From my own experience, it is expected of a mother to give birth vaginally and then when you can't, a c-section is a last resort. Then when you undergo the life saving procedure.
Not true. My Aunt "Chose" to have C Section for convenience sake. She did not want to "Push the baby out". I'm sure not all Doctors out there allow this.. I don't know. Hers did. She had 2 C Sections by choice. No need & no emergency.
Load More Replies...I had one child naturally and the 2nd emergency C-section. However, baby comes out, as long as both mum and child are well - there is no shame.
when i give birth to my 1st child, it was through assisted birthing - vacuum process. after 30 hours of labour they wrote in my baby book: 'vacuum - poor performance. mother lacked effort'. that really hurt. i may not have visible scar, but it hurt all the same..
sorry, i count it wrong, 18 hour and 45 minutes of labour
Load More Replies...I have had 3 kids, 2 sections, 1 vaginal. Notice I didn't say "natural"....all births are a product of Nature, so to me they are all natural. To be ashamed of how your baby was brought into the world is not necessary. You carried that child for 9 months, protected that child with your body. That is natural. Complications during labor may not seem natural, but if you think about it, it's your bodies way of saying Hey-help me out here. Let the shame go....I feel proud to have brought 3 wonderful lives into this world; that's what matters.
What struck me most, was the size of the baby resting on its mother. To imagine that baby being born at all, demands respect... Personally, whether a baby is born by way of the vagina or by way of a surgeons scalpel, the fact that a baby has come from inside a woman is awesome in itself... That a baby of that size can come from a small opening, whether natural or not is miraculous. This is a gift of life and each and every woman should feel immensely proud of that.
Never Hurt your Mother, Never Hurt your parent, This is what they through to bring you in this world.
Beautiful shot - healthy baby - nice neat scar - Congrats. New Mum!
The only ones who I have ever heard of being criticized are those that DO 'schedule' their C-section, for convenience of themselves or worse- the doctor of choice.
Same here. Only the ones that do it by choice. I don't think anyone in their right mind would judge a woman for having a life saving procedure.
Load More Replies...Never felt ashamed, but after my second was born (VBAC) I, sadly, did feel more accomplished having been able to deliver vaginally....I am thankful for the midwife in attendance who helped me during labor, as she realized what I needed in order to avoid a second c-section, and I feel blessed to have been able to experience both.
I thought you weren't supposed to shave your bush during pregnancy, that it could endanger the baby ??
I never heard of any woman who was ashamed of this...ever.....Although the picture is beautiful and yes, I am one of those women who had a C-section due to complications, I sometimes fear that the intention may be right....but the message is brought in a wrong way, perhaps. Should we now doubt the fact that it never ever occured to us to have no such feelings of shame for the fact that we could not deliver a baby *naturally*? I am sure the photographer meant well....but I don't want people to throw a remark about *self doubt during birth* into the world, just to get a little more attention for the photo. But that's just my opinion... I have two scars on my tummy, one saved us during birth, the other one saved me during an almost fatal illness...I wear them with pride :-)
I have been told I didn't "do the job properly" or know what birth is really like because I had a life saving c section. There is shaming towards some mothers who have had sections, how very fortunate you are that you haven't encountered this.
Load More Replies...I wasn't lucky enough to get pregnant in the first place (despite lots of trying) but, if I had, I would of had to have a section (as I don't have a cervix). What I'm saying is having a wonderful, precious, healthy baby is the important part and not how it comes into the world. Nobody should feel ashamed of not being able to do it naturally - you do what's best for mum and baby at the time.
To be fair, some woman who push the baby out do judge those who have c-sections. WHY they judge them is beyond me, not every woman is able to give birth in the 'normal' way, for health reasons, and what about when the life of the mother and/or the baby are at serious risk by doing so. C-sections are a wondrous thing and in no way lessen the experience. People who judge must be very very perfect and healthy.
Actually, a man told me I should be embarrassed to show my scar. I was wearing a bikini. He said scars were horrible to look at. I was never ashamed!
Who ever that man was should have been embarrassed to say such a crude, rude and non of his damn business remark. Humph on him. What a dumb (F) Cluck.
Load More Replies...There is no reason whatsoever to be ashamed. You gave birth to a baby. You chose not to destroy the baby and keep him. That is something beautiful. It doesn't matter how your baby is born. It just matters that the baby was born.
Oh it's just a scar, and let me tell you that s**t hurts afterwards....bad....I used to cry for a couple minutes before I got up to go to the bathroom because it hurt so damn bad. But I did it and I got my son so it was all worth it. Quite frankly I could care a less about the subject and the simple fact someone thought they needed to show what some women have to go thru or whether or not you can have a natural birth or how people feel about it, and now I'm no longer making sense because this is just stupid. I'm sick of everyone trying to critique everything in life to where it's all just getting soooo boring. Instead of trying to figure everything out just live and be happy.
I have had both a C-section & a natural birth & it really didn't matter to me how my children came out just as long as they were healthy & now my youngest daughter has just had a C-section with her third baby & it is all rather wonderful I now have 2 daughters & 4 granddaughters. SO it does not matter HOW you have your children C-section, natural or even if someone else has them for you, the important thing is the child in your arms. Don't ever listen to or believe small minded people who sit in judgement on other peoples lives, they just have nothing better to do with their time & they derive pleasure from making others feel small, don't give them that power.
If it wasn't for a good doctor and C-section my son would have died or suffered major cerebral hypoxia. The umbilical cord was coiled around his neck and no ultrasound scan was able to show it so nobody knew it until the labor started. So i will not let anyone tell me that i did something wrong or that "it wasn't a real, proper labor". What's wrong with this people?
My wife's scar is teeny...no need for shame. A person came out of there!
Does it matter which way the baby is born as long as mother and baby are both okay afterwards.
I didn't know that you can "decide" to have a baby naturally?! From my own experience, it is expected of a mother to give birth vaginally and then when you can't, a c-section is a last resort. Then when you undergo the life saving procedure.
Not true. My Aunt "Chose" to have C Section for convenience sake. She did not want to "Push the baby out". I'm sure not all Doctors out there allow this.. I don't know. Hers did. She had 2 C Sections by choice. No need & no emergency.
Load More Replies...I had one child naturally and the 2nd emergency C-section. However, baby comes out, as long as both mum and child are well - there is no shame.
when i give birth to my 1st child, it was through assisted birthing - vacuum process. after 30 hours of labour they wrote in my baby book: 'vacuum - poor performance. mother lacked effort'. that really hurt. i may not have visible scar, but it hurt all the same..
sorry, i count it wrong, 18 hour and 45 minutes of labour
Load More Replies...I have had 3 kids, 2 sections, 1 vaginal. Notice I didn't say "natural"....all births are a product of Nature, so to me they are all natural. To be ashamed of how your baby was brought into the world is not necessary. You carried that child for 9 months, protected that child with your body. That is natural. Complications during labor may not seem natural, but if you think about it, it's your bodies way of saying Hey-help me out here. Let the shame go....I feel proud to have brought 3 wonderful lives into this world; that's what matters.
What struck me most, was the size of the baby resting on its mother. To imagine that baby being born at all, demands respect... Personally, whether a baby is born by way of the vagina or by way of a surgeons scalpel, the fact that a baby has come from inside a woman is awesome in itself... That a baby of that size can come from a small opening, whether natural or not is miraculous. This is a gift of life and each and every woman should feel immensely proud of that.
Never Hurt your Mother, Never Hurt your parent, This is what they through to bring you in this world.
Beautiful shot - healthy baby - nice neat scar - Congrats. New Mum!
The only ones who I have ever heard of being criticized are those that DO 'schedule' their C-section, for convenience of themselves or worse- the doctor of choice.
Same here. Only the ones that do it by choice. I don't think anyone in their right mind would judge a woman for having a life saving procedure.
Load More Replies...Never felt ashamed, but after my second was born (VBAC) I, sadly, did feel more accomplished having been able to deliver vaginally....I am thankful for the midwife in attendance who helped me during labor, as she realized what I needed in order to avoid a second c-section, and I feel blessed to have been able to experience both.
I thought you weren't supposed to shave your bush during pregnancy, that it could endanger the baby ??
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