# Incredible birth photo an inaccurate representation of pregnant women/birth?



## pixeldust

https://blogs.babble.com/being-preg...st-strikingly-powerful-birth-photos-ive-seen/



> This photo captioned I Love You Baby is in the running for National Geographic Photo Contest 2011. Photographed by Lynsey Stone of Lynsey Stone Photography this is her second submission into the photography contest.

And then you read the comments on the photo.



> I prefer not to have this picture represent what real birthing women look like.




> I dont like it. And agree, this is something that doesnt need shared.




> this is fake and quite sick people!!




> How do have a baby on your knees? Wouldnt you be more comfortable lying down? Why does the man look naked? I think having a baby is a beautiful thing too but the way I was raised it sould be more private. Thumbs down.

What do you think? Is this photo an unfair representation of what birth should or could be like?


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## bananaz

I think the comment about how the woman should be lying down is pretty funny. It's amazing how Western cultures have come to conceptualize birth as something that happens with a lady on her back in a hospital room, when that definitely wasn't the case for the first few thousand years of human existence (and still isn't the case in much of the world).


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## fizzypop

I don't like it personally. Not because the woman is thin or that birth isn't beautiful but the first thing I saw was her face, I don't know why but it frightened me!


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## Celesse

I think its lovely. They are a very good looking family so a little jelous. If I gave birth in that position with OH half nakid and catching the baby we would not look as good as they do- too many wobbly bits and hairy bits (hairy bits on OH not me!!) 

Not every birth happens with a woman in a hospital bed, lying on her back delivered by someone wearing scrubs. Birth is about family and is something we have been doing for thousands of years, mostly not on our backs.


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## Tacey

I think it's a really beautiful picture. It's quite sad that people can't imagine birth as anything other than lying flat on your back, looking exhausted.


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## beanzz

I think it's horrible. I don't know why but it makes me feel weird looking at it.


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## punk_pig

I had my baby on my knees....what's wrong with that...
I dont much think her face looks typical but I canimagine if you have decided on slightly alternative birth where you shout "I love you" then you are t going to look typical. Also of course the photographer is going to pick beautiful people to be in her photo, but beautiful people have babies too - we shouldn't degrade their birth experience as fake looking just cos it is pretty! The baby certainly looks newborn with allthat vernix and there is a smear of something on her thigh. Maybe if it wasn't black and White we'd be seeing the sweat and blood etc?


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## Blah11

i gave birth in that position too and im sure my face was like that too :rofl:


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## dustbunny

I think it is brilliant. Childbirth hurts like hell and the photograph strips all the emotional context of it being beautiful, glamorous and easy back to the primal instinct to actually birth the child. It is hard work and the comments about lying on your back... why add more work by working against gravity. I really like the photograph.


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## AimeeM

I don't know what to make of it tbh, it does look very staged imo.


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## steph1505

Did u have a look at the second picture the couple submitted?

I much prefer that one...

https://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/2011/entries/122164/view/

xxxx


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## veganmama

that looks very accurate to me.


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## j3ss

Can someone explain to me how a baby comes out of you at that angle? I definitely want to have the baby standing/squatting, but it doesn't look like there's enough room for the baby to exit when you're on your knees.


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## freckleonear

I don't see how that's an inaccurate or unfair representation at all? It looks exactly like a "real" birthing woman to me and plenty of women birth on their knees (I did)! Most of the comments below the photo are just plain ignorant. Here is her full birth story and more photos for anyone interested. https://www.birthstoriesondemand.com/home-birth-stories/2011/11/29/genas-birth-of-phoenix.html


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## AimeeM

steph1505 said:


> Did u have a look at the second picture the couple submitted?
> 
> I much prefer that one...
> 
> https://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/2011/entries/122164/view/
> 
> xxxx

Wow, now that's a great picture. I much prefer this one.


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## mnjhowell

I love it!!


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## MissIntrigue

I was on my knees pushing for some of it... heck I pushed my first DD for five hours... I felt like a human pretzel LOL


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## MonstHer

I like it. :) I'm sure my face looked like that too when i was pushing my daughter out, med free.
People need to get with the real world.
We are no different from other mammals in this regard.
I wish birth was more out in the open like this so people wouldn't shove it behind closed doors. Birth isn't reserved! Your pushing out a human. 
It takes hard work and isn't easy!
Major kudos to the lady in the photo for sharing with the world a different prespective than what people are used to.


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## ZombieQueen

I think people are too judgemental on a subject they dont understand, I want a natural water birth, I will not be laying on my back, i saw a documentary on birth and they said that when you're on your back it actually makes it harder for the baby to come out. Why not crouch? Women should be able to move around and wiggle during their labor, the united states is a scary place to give birth, we have the second highest mortality rate in infants out of the hugely civilized countries. We allow doctors to make us feel inadequate to deliver our own babies, they pump us full of drugs that don't help mom and baby they just try to speed us along so they have more free beds! Birth in America as we imagine it is disgusting and unnatural. This picture shows a home birth and the beauty of the mother letting her body do what its meant to and the father being able to be a part of something so magical.


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## punk_pig

j3ss said:


> Can someone explain to me how a baby comes out of you at that angle? I definitely want to have the baby standing/squatting, but it doesn't look like there's enough room for the baby to exit when you're on your knees.

You can use a birthing stool to allow you to squat without there being anything underneath you if you want but I think in that picture she probably had her bum lifted higher while she birthed the head, then hubby eased it forward as she pushed the rest out. Then she was able to rest back on her haunches with the baby lying under her as pictured. That's what I assumed anyway...


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## ovetta2001

All I can think is...WHY IS SHE WEARING MAKE UP?!?


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## citymouse

I have no issues with the position, but the way she's all done up seems pretty vain to me. 

I get that people like to document important events in their lives and want to look nice for them, but this seems sort of, "Look how glamorous I am"--like it's done to impress other people. Earrings, a sexy hairdo, and a black non-nursing bra?

Meh.


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## snowfia

Giving birth on your knees is better than lying down. When you're lying back your pelvis can't open up properly so it's harder to get baby out :thumbup:
I don't think there's anything wrong with the picture.


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## bamboo10

I suppose it does look somewhat staged at first, but if you read her whole birth story and see other pictures, it's obvious that it was NOT staged. She barely has any makeup on, her hair is in a ponytail with a headband (not glamorous!) and happened to fall serendipitously into a cute 'do as the photo was taken. That's the beauty of photos. I have to say kudos to the photographer for capturing that one moment. I think it's lovely.


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## xxchloexx

I think she looks like shes in so much pain that you sort of say "ohhhh that poor girl" rather than "wow look at that little baby coming into the world" ....


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## addie140910

I like the second picture much better :)


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## cliqmo

I find it really compelling and a little bit like its not something for public consumption, which is odd because you actually cant see a great deal of graphic detail- I guess that is the point of art though isnt it? So job well done to the photographer :shrug:


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## 2RockinBoys

I don't like that it look's fake. I don't know _if it is_ actually real or not, but the baby look's like it would of been back to back and the angle look's all wrong the way it's coming out for it to be real :shrug:


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## freckleonear

2RockinBoys said:


> I don't like that it look's fake. I don't know _if it is_ actually real or not, but the baby look's like it would of been back to back and the angle look's all wrong the way it's coming out for it to be real :shrug:

It is real, I posted a link to her full birth story and more photos earlier. :) Babies rotate as their head is born, so it doesn't mean it was back to back.


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## Wishing89

I think they are great! The second one is beautiful! I think squatting would be a great way to give birth and who cares if she is wearing makeup or not? Lovely


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## readyformore

Wonderful photo.

I've attended hundreds of birth and done it 3 times myself. Looks dead on to me. It hurts like none other and her face shows it. You can even see her pushing her hand down to help with counter pressure from the burning and stretching. 

I really don't think I would have had the strength to do a squat like she is doing. I probably could have done it on a birthing stool, but she is on her knees. By the time my babies were coming out, I know I wouldn't have had the strength to support myself like that.


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## LisaL79

Meh, I don't particularly like it. Not b/c of her positions (b/c I'd like a natural birth NOT on my back), but I dunno... I just don't like her face. I know that's weird, and I know birth hurts like hell (not from personal experience, but it's obvious)... but I dunno... it's just meh.


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## KiwiMOM

Her face is distracting, I know that's kind of an awful thing to say.. after reading her birth story and seeing the other pictures they all look really staged. I like the second one posted in this thread where the emotion looks really real but that first photo all I can see is her face, maybe if they'd snapped the picture a second before or after it would capture the pain and emotion AND the birth, when I look at that I just go jeez she looks sore :shrug:


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## 08marchbean

wow, i think its amazing. I love the emotion on the second pic too. 
Its an amazing piece of art well done to the photographer!!


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## citymouse

I keep thinking about this and why I don't like it, as obviously that woman is lucky enough to be very pretty and to look great in her birth pictures (though a mite uncomfortable) and that's certainly not something you can hold against a person.

I think what bugs me is that I get the feeling it has been singled out as such a fantastic photo primarily _because_ she happens to look like a Calvin Klein model, and I personally am sick of "looking like a Calvin Klein model" being a prerequisite for a woman being worthy of notice or respect. If she weren't so strikingly pretty, would the contest editors still have chosen it?

To me, it feels like someone saying, "Look how special and unusual! A woman giving birth and she's _still_ beautiful--unlike all those regular women out there who look terrible!"


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## readyformore

That's interesting, because when I saw the photo, I didn't notice if she was pretty or not. 

I noticed that it looked like she was in a lot of pain. I thought that was accurate. EVen the placement of her hands showed where it hurt. 

She was wearing a black top/bra. That was pretty smart. Those babies come out all bloody and wet, and she'll be able to wash and wear the top again, it shouldn't stain too much, (someone mentioned that it should be a nursing bra. But, who wears a nursing bra before the baby is born. She hadn't nursed yet).

And, her hair was pulled off of her face. Mine was pulled back for my births as well.

She was thin, I remember that. But, I couldn't recall if she was pretty. I don't think the object was to see how pretty she was.

But that's the beauty of art, each person gets to interpret it how they want.


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## LoraLoo

I think its a beautiful pic :shrug:


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## Amethyste

I don't really like it mainly because of the face of the woman. I know she is expressing pain but it just doesn't work for me. I found the second picture beautiful tho.

Edit: I don't know why but seeing the other picture makes me appreciate more the first one.


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## Poppy Panda

Can I just say to some earlier comments that the man isn't naked lol You can see he's wearing a black/dark vest. I like the picture =]


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## KiwiMOM

readyformore said:


> That's interesting, because when I saw the photo, I didn't notice if she was pretty or not.
> 
> I noticed that it looked like she was in a lot of pain. I thought that was accurate. EVen the placement of her hands showed where it hurt.
> 
> She was wearing a black top/bra. That was pretty smart. Those babies come out all bloody and wet, and she'll be able to wash and wear the top again, it shouldn't stain too much, (someone mentioned that it should be a nursing bra. But, who wears a nursing bra before the baby is born. She hadn't nursed yet).
> 
> And, her hair was pulled off of her face. Mine was pulled back for my births as well.
> 
> She was thin, I remember that. But, I couldn't recall if she was pretty. I don't think the object was to see how pretty she was.
> 
> But that's the beauty of art, each person gets to interpret it how they want.

I wear a nursing bra, I went up several cup sizes and rather than buy a bunch of bra's I can't use 3 months down the track I bought nursing ones, sorry not trying to poke holes in what you've said or anything :thumbup:


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## tu123

Celesse said:


> I think its lovely. They are a very good looking family so a little jelous. If I gave birth in that position with OH half nakid and catching the baby we would not look as good as they do- too many wobbly bits and hairy bits (hairy bits on OH not me!!)
> 
> Not every birth happens with a woman in a hospital bed, lying on her back delivered by someone wearing scrubs. Birth is about family and is something we have been doing for thousands of years, mostly not on our backs.


I think the same!

I wished she looked a bit more sweaty and flushed


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## Sew_Sweet

Oh that second picture of the couple is lovely. The first one looks staged and frightening.


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## MommaAlexis

The makeup thing, I find doing my makeup relaxing and something to focus on. Could have been up pretty late and was like, WELL I may be taking pictures afterall? Gives her something to calm down. I don't know if she's wearing make up as I didn't pay attention to it.


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## NewAtThis13

I think it's great as well as her second picture..when she is holding her son for the first time, it's a great set of pictures. Yes she was small, but everyone's different, and as for people wanting to know where the blood/stuff on baby, the baby still has all the vernix on him after birth!


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## Sunshine12

I think it looks real but Ill be honest and say it completely freaks me out.


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## Elucida

I don't know... I've seen plenty more beautiful/powerful pictures of birth. It's an interesting one and while I don't doubt that it's real, I think the photographer actually did a bad job because he made it look quite fake and staged somehow. I'm not 100% sure how, maybe it's just because they could be a pair of models doing an underwear shoot and there just so happens to be a newborn baby at the bottom of the picture... it's not really representative of raw and animalistic natural birthing almost always is. There's blood, guts, sweating and so on and if there was any of of that present in this birth then the picture glossed over it and if there wasn't then, I can't say that it's all that representative of birth, and natural birth in particular, on the whole.


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## xSin

Sunshine12 said:


> I think it looks real but Ill be honest and say it completely freaks me out.

After looking at the pics and then reading the story, quite frankly it freaks me out too although for somewhat different reasons.

That birth was unattended except by her husband, photographer, doula and child??? 
I have nothing against home birth, in fact I'm all for it... but an unattended by anyone with the medical know how to deal with emergencies "just in case" in the home environment seems more than a little risky. Midwives and Doulas are not even close to being near the same thing where I live; perhaps its a little different where she is and thank goodness both she and baby made it through that safely, ...unfortunately women who confuse "home birth" with "unattended births" typically end up being the percentage that give "home birth" a bad name in the public sphere


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## Chelsea.ann1

I believe it's real but to be very honest.. I could have gone my whole life without seeing that.. I DO believe birth is a beautiful, natural, amazing, intimate thing.. But I also think it's something that should be private.. it's so intimate.. much too intimate for me to handle seeing others.. 

The second one, however, could have brought tears to my eyes if I let it. Truly beautiful.. That is a part of childbirth I feel should be shared.


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## MsCrow

I'm surprised by the judgement and suspicion on this thread. The photos and the woman's birth story are quite beautiful, honest and raw. She's no model, it's her second child, hence the confidence to be at home with an experienced assistant. Question why you automatically judge something so natural....and painful.....through medical and reserved eyes rather than pick holes in the photos.


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## anneliese

geez I will never understand why some women are so judgmental towards other women.. who cares if she's wearing earrings and a little make-up? Is it a crime to want to do something a little special for yourself or look a little nice on such a special occasion? Anyway, I think it's a really beautiful picture.


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## Pocky

I don't find the picture appealing... but I personally think child birth is something very personal and not for sharing.

I expect the reason it looks so fake is because the photographer will have given a lot of direction. S/he'll have told the father where to be, how to position himself etc and it all would have been directed in order for him to get the best shot.

What would bother me is that it's all done around what will make a better photo rather than what might be best for baby. It all seems like they were a lot more focused in the art work than in the actual having a baby.


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## pixiefae

i have taken loads of pics of labours/births as part of a homebirth experience with the ladies i have attended as a doula, alot of the ladies give birth just like that, in that pose, and yes that pic is re-touched and has good lighting and taken from a good angle...

any woman could have pics taken like that for their birth  just takes a bit of prep


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## Butterfly88

What is with all the "I don't like the picture because she looks like she is in pain." she just pushed a 7lb+ baby out of her vagina do you want her to be looking at the camera with two thumbs up smiling? Birth is fantastic but its PAINFUL! This isn't even the most shocking picture entered into the contest. Also as for bones showing, I only see chest bones and with her having other children and probably a small bust line that's perfectly natural. Every human body is different. The people who posted on the original site just tweak my nerves!


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## hpjagged

....


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## leahsbabybump

i dont know what to make of it dont know if i like or dislike it


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## animalcracker

I don't care for the picture too much because she looks as if she is being tortured and I don't feel that her facial expression is a good representation of the beauty of childbirth. 

Albeit, childbirth IS painful - but if you scroll below this picture, there is a gallery of women in labor - many of those pictures are lovely.


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## heaven

My tummy was flat after I gave birth w/ my first-not even a lil pouch! So I don't feel jealous or anything:)

I'd be scared for hubby to "catch" my babies lol


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## feeble

I laboured on my knees but jumped up to squatting to push, I found my knees just stopped all my power, so I jumped onto my haunches and did the second stage in 10mins cant imagine anything worse than lying on my back! Be like doing a poo in bed lying down... Gravity is your friend in childbirth!


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## mumoffive

I think that it looks fake. It just looks staged to me. I gave birth kneeling up and it was the best two births ive had..and the quickest!


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## Emma&Freya

I think its a lovely picture imo!


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## booflebump

Looking through Lynseys photography on FB, her pictures are beautiful. She definately doesn't stage any births - her aim is to be as inobtrusive as possible, a invisible spectator rather than a participant in the birth. I love this photo - it's raw and captures a moment that usually would be missed as most people don't have birth photographers x


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## PitaKat

I think it's an incredible photo. 

I disagree with the whole idea that birth is meant to be private. I mean, for some women, that's what they prefer and there's nothing wrong with that. But I don't think that privacy should be a concern if women don't care or if they want to share their birthing experience.


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## Chelsea.ann1

PitaKat said:


> I think it's an incredible photo.
> 
> I disagree with the whole idea that birth is meant to be private. I mean, for some women, that's what they prefer and there's nothing wrong with that. But I don't think that privacy should be a concern if women don't care or if they want to share their birthing experience.

That's true, very personnal decision.


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## xsadiex

I think it's a beautiful photo and she is a very cool woman. I love seeing birth portrayed how it should be!! Instead of being portrayed as a horrific negative act when it's one of the most beautiful things.

It's also helps that the woman is beautiful too, I hope I look that good when I'm in labour haha.


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## pixeldust

xsadiex said:


> I think it's a beautiful photo and she is a very cool woman. I love seeing birth portrayed how it should be!! Instead of being portrayed as a horrific negative act when it's one of the most beautiful things.

Agreed - I also think anything is better than the American sitcomised glossy "waters-break-rush-to-hospital" births of television which is what most people are exposed to!


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## Lulu

I don't know if agree that she is saying 'I love you', looks more like she's doing a very primal scream through the pain of actually pushing a child out of her vagina. Which is what is actually doing! Person ally I prefer the 2nd photo but I've nothing against the 1st.

As for birth being a private matter, maybe it should be, but I know I intended to have a water birth with minimal intervention. In reality I started in the birthing pool for a while then had to come out because my temp was too high, I was in labour over night so had a shift change of midwives and ended up having a forceps delivery so I actually couldn't tell you how many people saw bits of me! When in labour you leave your dignity at home and get on with it.


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## pickleton

Although to me the picture doesn't seem real, something to do with her hair is to neat and the positioning of the father/child and the shade of the child (??? something's not quite right) ....I love it because it has provoked so much reaction and debate!


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## feeble

hahahah this idea that birth is a private matter is quite funny to me. I intended on a home water birth with one very known midwife, my mum, doula and hubby 

as it was i ended up in hospital, midwives and students everywhere and right at the end had a whole team of people looking at my fanny whilst i was stitched up by a woman who shouted 'just going to checking you havent torn through' and put her THUMB UP MY BUM!!! 

i reckon around 15/20 people must have seen my lady bits that day and you know what i didnt mind one bit! 

I dont think birth is particularly 'private' actually! i think its loud and its necessary for lots of people to be around...


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## beccad

It is a staged photo in the sense that the photographer will have very good photographic equipment, will have lit the 'set' so to speak, and most likely re-touched the photographs afterwards. I imagine if her husband had been taking the photos they'd have looked much more like an amateur snapshot. A bit like the difference between a home video and a proper TV production. You just can't compare them.

As for her, well she just looks like a woman giving birth to me, just photographed very well :haha: I think a lot of people don't like it because she looks relatively untroubled, where as we're conditioned to think women have to look crap, sweaty, bloated and generally unattractive during birth. Many women probably don't look their best, but probably just as many don't look too bad.


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## honeybee2

I love it. very jealous this isn't how I'll look like :blush:

I laughed at the comment about birthing on One's back- hmmmmmm.


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## jenniferttc1

I honestly think its a beautiful photo and so are the rest of them. Well done for her looking so amazing and beautiful during a beautiful moment.


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## B l i n k

Just looks really natural to me. :shrug:


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## Dumpling

As a midwife I can tell ya, that sure looks real to me!! Being on your knees is so much better than being on your back. Come on ladies, active birth all the way :haha:


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## honeybee2

I can tell its real because her veins are all poking out with tension and stress!


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## shellshocked

I don't like the pic but thats nothing to do with the couple in it. She looks normal to me, odd thing for me is having a naked husband... why??

I just think the idea of screaming "I love you baby" is a bit unrealistic. If it was "f**k this hurttssssssssssssssssss" and the pic was in colour it would have far more impact....LOL its just that its in b&W that makes it look a little less 'real' but there is no mistaking that pain on her face! (oooo..makes me cringe a little.....) I think any pic of birth would be emotive in some way. Give them a break.


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## vintagecat

I like the photograph a lot...How is it inaccurate at all? There's screaming, sweating, bleeding, and a lot of raw emotion. Birthing is a very primal thing and it seems we tend to forget that!


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## bubbles

It's a nice picture, but I have seen more beautiful and powerful photos showing normal natural birth


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## FunkyVine

My OH is getting his shirt off - maybe his trousers too, who knows?! Maybe they were in the birthing pool together.. Some partners are the first to do skin to skin with baby, depending on circumstances.


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## freckleonear

The husband isn't naked, he's wearing a black tank top and shorts. You can just about see it in that photo but more clearly from the other photos in their birth story.


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## Whitbit22

Beautiful picture! We are having a homebirth and at the moment I can't think of any more natural position than on your knees for birthing. I have read countless birth stories throughout my pregnancy and have looked at many pictures. This is one of the most beautiful I have seen. 

Maybe some people are uncomfortable because of the way birth is portrayed on TV, and that is how THEY end up birthing. America has opted for more technology in a situation where less is more. When left to her own devices, a woman's birth can be beautiful and awesome, and not at all scary!


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## 17thy

Kudos to her for doing that. I think a lot of people wish they could have a birth like that. Maybe not screaming "I love you baby" that was a bit odd to me. But there is no doubt this is a 'powerful' picture.


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## Nits

I just read her whole birth story. I am amazed that it was an unassisted birth, I would never have the courage for that. She did seem to know a lot (maybe she's a midwife, or she's prepared herself really well?).

Her belly did strike me as really small in that pic, but when you see the other pics she definitely looks pregnant =)


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## greenpear

Maybe it's just me, but I think that birth should be a private event (with exception of Dr. and your loved one) present, and not being posted all over the world in hopes of making money out of it....that's the sick part, not the birth itself - birth is beautiful, making money and publicity out of it isn't.


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## Cinnamon Girl

freaks me out that she is wearing her wedding ring 
its not the wedding ring per se 
but that fact that the style of the ring could seriously injure/ cause damage to the baby being born


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## moomin_troll

I gave birth to Corey n my knees and I pretty much looked exactly like that woman did lol

Yes not all women scream, I didn't with my first but did when pushing with my second.
I was made to push my first lying on my back and it was horrible


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