They say mothers are made to forget the pain of childbirth so that they’re willing to do it over again. If that’s the case, then why do these birth photos cause all of those emotions — from intense pain to immense joy — to come flooding back to the surface in the most beautiful way possible?
Likely because Austin, TX-based birth photographer Leilani Rogers knows how to capture not just the moment but the profound meaning behind it.
“To capture those fleeting, remarkable moments, you have to always work in anticipation,” she told POPSUGAR. “Camera ready, thinking ahead to mama’s next move.”
From all-natural home births to hospital deliveries, Rogers has captured amazing birth stories, whether it’s a surrogate delivering twins for an expectant couple to a baby born inside its amniotic sac. Here, a collection of her finest work that is sure to leave you wishing you could go back to the day when your own birth story was in the making.
“I love images that show a woman can birth in many different positions. They should not be limited to their backs.”
“This mother’s 7-year-old daughter wanted to be a part of the birth. She so calmly and sweetly came into the room and genuinely wanted to help.”
“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!”
“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.”
“Birth is considered by many to be a private matter. And yet, it is this amazing thing.”
“I made my bucket list one day, and photographing a surrogate birth was of course on that list.”
“This was an incredible experience for me, to see this family made whole through the patronage of ‘once a stranger.’ It also was a good challenge for me, documenting all the small details of not one baby, but two babies’ births!”
“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.”
“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.”
“What a privilege it is to get up close and personal to placentas and umbilical cords. They are fascinating and serve an amazing purpose.”
“This two-mama-family’s birth was so beautiful. It was so fortunate that this mother’s partner is an experienced doula, because she was in labor for 35 hours!”
“A close-up look at the placenta. I don’t see how anyone can deny that these images portray birth as the miraculous occasion that it can be.”
“I just love the juxtaposition of this experienced midwife’s hands against this young mother and newborn babe’s skin.”
“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!”
“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 baby was just born into her mother’s arms in the water. She is overcome with joy.”
“I didn’t realize what I’d captured until after the birth. There was no time to see the amniotic sac with my own eyes.”
“What happens to the sac when it’s delivered in tact? Answer: The midwife breaks it. In this case, she had to tear it with her hands, it was so strong.”
“Mother meets her baby for the first time. The joy, relief, and exhaustion is just so palpable.”
