“Where there is great love there are always miracles.” –   Willa Cather

There aren’t many mothers who will say that a c-section was what they had first envisioned when they thought about giving birth. This was also not Sharlene’s birth plan but by the time we were finalising birth photography we both knew it would be C-section Birth Photography.

A c-section is a medical necessity in the best of situations; in the worst cases, it can be due to the outdated practices of a doctor or his/her desire for convenience.

Some c-section mamas have weeks to mentally prepare for a change in their plans, but many only have days, hours, or minutes. Suddenly, everything she envisioned when meeting her child has changed. Her birth plan has been thrown out the window. Surgery lies before her. She doesn’t know how long she’ll have to wait after birth before she holds her baby in her arms.

We humans don’t tend to do well in situations of sudden change. And yet c-section mamas find a way to let go of their pride and connect with an inner-strength that allows them to enter the OR and give birth to their child.

And then the actual surgery happens. The actual cutting and suturing. Full recovery often takes months. And while most of us would like to curl up with a bowl of ice cream and a stack of movies after a major surgery, c-section mamas do just the opposite. They nurture and love and bond with their needy, beautiful babies. Their “great love” making “miracles” happen.

Emotionally and physically, these women are SO strong. And this strength isn’t just necessary on delivery day; this strength must endure in the weeks and months and years ahead – as their bodies and souls heal, crafting new dreams with their little ones in their arms.

I share with you these beautiful pictures of a person becoming a dad, a courageous mother, nuturing and loving their little princess, living miracles everyday because of their “GREAT LOVE”

xxx
Sam