Photographer Leilani Rogers spent almost five years snapping the many forms of childbirth in the hope that, rather than something disgusting, people will see something amazing and beautiful that deserves to be celebrated.
“This baby was born entirely in the amniotic sac (en caul).”
“Birth is considered by many to be a private matter,” says Rogers, “And yet, it is this amazing thing.”
“This mother’s daughter, age 7, wanted to be a part of the birth. She so calmly and sweetly came into the room and genuinely wanted to help.”
“I sincerely hope that these photos normalize birth — show that it isn’t ‘gross’.”
“There are people in this world who won’t even subject themselves to discussing birth, let alone viewing images of it.”
“A baby born with six fingers! Definitely a surprise, but a special one. There was no bone in the finger, but it had a nail. Intriguing, to say the least.”
“It doesn’t matter if you birth at home, in a birth center, in a hospital, vaginally, or by C-section. Birth is birth!”
“This baby was just born into her mother’s arms in the water. She is overcome with joy.”
“What a privilege it is to get up close and personal to placentas and umbilical cords. They are fascinating and serve an amazing purpose.”
“In this photo, I just love the juxtaposition of this experienced midwife’s hands against this young mother and newborn babe’s skin.”
“Another beautiful hospital moment. It wasn’t until after I got home and began editing images that I noticed this little one’s hand signal that she felt at peace.”
“This is my niece, just minutes old. Her birth was so tranquil. She looks like she just stepped out of heaven. [She] took her time opening her big beautiful eyes to take in her new surroundings.”
“Mother meets her baby for the first time. The joy, relief and exhaustion is just so palpable.”
“Baby is passing between the womb and her mother. I love the way Mom is reaching for her child, eagerly awaiting her placement in her arms.”
“This two-mama family’s birth was so beautiful. It was so fortunate that this mother’s partner is an experience doula, because she was in labor for 35 hours!”
“I love images that show a woman can birth in many different positions. They should not be limited to their backs.”
“Every now and then, birth happens so quickly there is no time for a birth tub! In this case, mama knew she needed water, so she gave birth in her bathtub. I photographed it from inside the shower stall!”
“I don’t see how anyone can deny that these images portray birth as the miraculous occasion that it can be.”
“Herbal baths are my absolute favorite to capture. They smell divine (herbs like chamomile and lavender are used) and promote bonding between mother and baby.”
“We all work hard to bring our babies into the world. And we all love them with every fiber of our being! Most importantly, in the end we all hold the same divine position as ‘mother’.”
