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- May 10, 2012
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Blood, sweat and tears: Poignant pictures capture women during childbirth and the first joyous moments of bonding with their newborn babies
However, as Texas photographer Leilani Rogers' latest series of images proves, showing the experience warts-and-all doesn't make the process appear any less miraculous.
The founder of the Public Breastfeeding Awareness Project has been documenting pregnancy, birth and early motherhood for years now, and recently shared some of the images taken of the 60 different mothers she has collected to show that every side of the birthing process is breathtaking in its own right.
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True looks: Photographer Leilani Rogers has documented the experiences of more than 60 mothers as they brought children to term and experienced early motherhood
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Emotional: The 40-year-old Texan recently released a series of images of childbirth that show the side of the process usually kept private
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Getting involved: One of the images shows one woman's seven-year-old daughter helping to put pressure on her mother's lower back
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Touching moments: Leilani hoped that the images would be seen as 'equal parts enlightening and fascinating'
'Birth is considered by many to be a private matter,' Leilani told The Huffington Post. 'And yet, it is this amazing thing that we should be teaching our children about and celebrating.
'So I think people view these photos as equal parts enlightening and fascinating.'
Among the photos are women going through water birth, some of babies having their first cuddles with their crying mother straight after the event and others of new babies getting cleaned up to come home.
Some of the images even see other children getting involved in the process, such as a black and white image of a little girl stepping into the birthing pool to help support her mother's back.
'My client's seven-year-old daughter is providing pressure to her mother's lower back,' Leilani said of the picture.
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Brand new: The images show the more chaotic moments of birth, but also the peaceful ones that follow
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Early days: The post-birth photos often show the babies having their first cuddles with their mom
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Truth showing through: The photographer hopes that the series will help 'normalize birth - show that it isn't "gross"'
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Tough times: This mother was snapped preparing to welcome a new addition to their two-mama family
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Interesting surprise: One of the images features a baby born with a bone-less sixth finger on its left hand
'She so calmly and sweetly came into the room where her mother was birthing and genuinely wanted to help.
'Later her mother told me how comforting it was to have her there, and how much she admired the nurturing nature her daughter possessed.'
One of the most important images in the series - and one of the most important Leilani considers for her career - is an image of a newborn baby still within amniotic sac - an event called 'en caul'.
The image shows the child entirely encased in the clear membrane, which the doctor then breaks apart. Leilani claims that the images made her weep over the rare beauty of what she had captured.
As with the en caul birth, not all of the experiences documented by Leilani have been ordinary, as she reveals in one stunning photo how one little baby was born with a boneless sixth finger on the left hand.
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Looking on: Leilani considers herself priveleged to witness the aspects of afterbirth often considered irksome by others, saying that things like umbilical cords are 'fascinating and serve an amazing purpose'
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Important moment: One of the photographer's favorite experiences was documenting the birth of a baby 'en caul' - meaning still in the amniotic sack
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The real deal: In her time photographing motherhood, Leilani has shot all sorts of births including ones at home, in the hospital and even water births
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Unique: Leilani said of this image that it 'shows a woman can birth in many different positions. They should not be limited to their backs. That defies gravity, does it not? Case in point, many times a change in position will facilitate a stalled labor'
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Making an entrance: She has also covered many C-section births, which she describes as being just as beautiful as any other birth
'Definitely a surprise to mama and the birth team, but a special one. There was no bone in the finger, but it had a nail. It was intriguing, to say the least,' she explained.
Speaking about the components of after-birth that some may find irksome, Leilani calls herself privileged to be able to witness placenta and umbilical cords in the way that she does, explain that they 'are fascinating and serve an amazing purpose'.
Among the images are natural home births, hospital births, C-sections and also a number of water births - all of which the photographer describes as beautiful.
'I sincerely hope that these photos normalize birth - show that is isn't "gross,"' said Leilani. 'There are people in this world who won't even subject themselves to discussing birth, let alone viewing images of it.
'But I don't see how anyone can deny that these images portray birth as the miraculous occasion that it can be.'
- Photographer Leilani Rogers started the Public Breastfeeding Awareness Project in 2014 and has documented the experiences of over 60 mothers
- The 40-year-old Texan has released a series of images showing the raw, less publicized side of the birthing process
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
However, as Texas photographer Leilani Rogers' latest series of images proves, showing the experience warts-and-all doesn't make the process appear any less miraculous.
The founder of the Public Breastfeeding Awareness Project has been documenting pregnancy, birth and early motherhood for years now, and recently shared some of the images taken of the 60 different mothers she has collected to show that every side of the birthing process is breathtaking in its own right.
+15
True looks: Photographer Leilani Rogers has documented the experiences of more than 60 mothers as they brought children to term and experienced early motherhood
+15
Emotional: The 40-year-old Texan recently released a series of images of childbirth that show the side of the process usually kept private
+15
Getting involved: One of the images shows one woman's seven-year-old daughter helping to put pressure on her mother's lower back
+15
Touching moments: Leilani hoped that the images would be seen as 'equal parts enlightening and fascinating'
'Birth is considered by many to be a private matter,' Leilani told The Huffington Post. 'And yet, it is this amazing thing that we should be teaching our children about and celebrating.
'So I think people view these photos as equal parts enlightening and fascinating.'
Among the photos are women going through water birth, some of babies having their first cuddles with their crying mother straight after the event and others of new babies getting cleaned up to come home.
Some of the images even see other children getting involved in the process, such as a black and white image of a little girl stepping into the birthing pool to help support her mother's back.
'My client's seven-year-old daughter is providing pressure to her mother's lower back,' Leilani said of the picture.
+15
Brand new: The images show the more chaotic moments of birth, but also the peaceful ones that follow
+15
Early days: The post-birth photos often show the babies having their first cuddles with their mom
+15
Truth showing through: The photographer hopes that the series will help 'normalize birth - show that it isn't "gross"'
+15
Tough times: This mother was snapped preparing to welcome a new addition to their two-mama family
+15
Interesting surprise: One of the images features a baby born with a bone-less sixth finger on its left hand
'She so calmly and sweetly came into the room where her mother was birthing and genuinely wanted to help.
'Later her mother told me how comforting it was to have her there, and how much she admired the nurturing nature her daughter possessed.'
One of the most important images in the series - and one of the most important Leilani considers for her career - is an image of a newborn baby still within amniotic sac - an event called 'en caul'.
The image shows the child entirely encased in the clear membrane, which the doctor then breaks apart. Leilani claims that the images made her weep over the rare beauty of what she had captured.
As with the en caul birth, not all of the experiences documented by Leilani have been ordinary, as she reveals in one stunning photo how one little baby was born with a boneless sixth finger on the left hand.
+15
Looking on: Leilani considers herself priveleged to witness the aspects of afterbirth often considered irksome by others, saying that things like umbilical cords are 'fascinating and serve an amazing purpose'
+15
+15
Important moment: One of the photographer's favorite experiences was documenting the birth of a baby 'en caul' - meaning still in the amniotic sack
+15
The real deal: In her time photographing motherhood, Leilani has shot all sorts of births including ones at home, in the hospital and even water births
+15
Unique: Leilani said of this image that it 'shows a woman can birth in many different positions. They should not be limited to their backs. That defies gravity, does it not? Case in point, many times a change in position will facilitate a stalled labor'
+15
Making an entrance: She has also covered many C-section births, which she describes as being just as beautiful as any other birth
'Definitely a surprise to mama and the birth team, but a special one. There was no bone in the finger, but it had a nail. It was intriguing, to say the least,' she explained.
Speaking about the components of after-birth that some may find irksome, Leilani calls herself privileged to be able to witness placenta and umbilical cords in the way that she does, explain that they 'are fascinating and serve an amazing purpose'.
Among the images are natural home births, hospital births, C-sections and also a number of water births - all of which the photographer describes as beautiful.
'I sincerely hope that these photos normalize birth - show that is isn't "gross,"' said Leilani. 'There are people in this world who won't even subject themselves to discussing birth, let alone viewing images of it.
'But I don't see how anyone can deny that these images portray birth as the miraculous occasion that it can be.'