Scared About C-Sections? This Photo Has Started A Global Conversation About The Beauty Of A Mum's Body

Photographer Helen Aller often takes photos of newborns and their mums, but she wasn't prepared for the reaction her latest shot has received. On first sight, you simply see a newborn laying on his mum's lap, but the full photo reveals a powerful story.Aller, from Guernsey, photographed a pregnant mother in July and learned that the expectant mum was terrified of the thought of having a caesarean.

After the woman had given birth she called Aller to tell her that her fear had been realised. The photographer told HuffPost UK Parents: "She had to have an emergency c-section. She asked me to go over and shoot this particular image to show that her biggest fear ended up saving both their lives." Since being uploaded on the 11 August, the photo has had nearly 37,000 shares, 17,000 comments and more than 128,000 likes. Aller added: "My images usually get seen seen by 100 people at most so I never thought it would reach anywhere near what it has done. So far it has been seen by over 7.5 million people."



In the photo, the newborn - only three days old - is lying directly underneath his mother's scar from her emergency caesarean. The photographer told HuffPost UK Parents: "To me it’s a beautiful image that shows both a struggle and something beautiful." I have received so so many stories from c-section mums saying how it has changed the way they look at their scars."I can’t believe the amount of women that are ashamed of their scars and are made to feel like they haven’t done the job properly because they didn’t give birth naturally. In fact I am stunned.

"I feel proud that an image I created has allowed so many people to open up about their experiences and change the way they feel about something they should only feel pride for."Giving life shouldn’t be a competition of how you did it.
"I also think it’s turned into more than just the image. I think it’s more about people coming together sharing their feelings over something that often gets overlooked and put to one side." Aller said she was very careful about the placement of the baby.

She explained to Baby Centre: "The baby could not of been placed higher as I was concerned about pressure too close to her wound."His head is supported by her pubic bone. We had just finished up shots of the baby asleep on a bean bag so the mum got in position and I placed baby straight onto her asleep and took the shot."
When Carmina uploaded the photo to her Facebook page, expectant mothers and mothers themselves commented to tell her how inspirational the photo was.

One mother-to-be wrote: "I may be in need of a section... petrified! This picture has inspired me. Congratulations."
Another wrote: "I'm pregnant with my first baby and I'm absolutely terrified of having to have a c-section. After seeing this beautiful photo, it brought me so much comfort. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. You're absolutely beautiful." Others were encouraged to share their own birth stories.

One mother wrote: "I had an emergency c-section with my son and this makes me feel quite emotional. What a brave mama and fantastic photo." Another mum added: "To have a c-section is not easy! You feel them pull and tear you and you usually vomit which isn't easy. Then take months to recover. "You can't just get up and walk. Every time you cough you're in agony and feel like your stitches are going to burst. C-sections are hard work. This mum is beautiful."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/08/14/caesarean-scar-beauty-photo-helen-carmina-photography_n_7988466.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

My youngest was born C-section. Most amazing experience I ever had being in there, interacting with all the doctors: two OBs, two pediatricians and one anesthesiologist.

The thing I remember was half-cutting and half-ripping mom open. They couldn't go very deep with the knife, lest they cut the fetus.

"The thing i remember is the ripping and tearing" for fcuk sake thats a thing to worry an expecting Mother!!

nicko wrote:"The thing i remember is the ripping and tearing"    for fcuk sake thats a thing to worry an expecting Mother!!

That was a very odd post by quill. Don't think many expectant fathers refer to their new baby as the foetus.

Nems wrote:

nicko wrote:"The thing i remember is the ripping and tearing"    for fcuk sake thats a thing to worry an expecting Mother!!

That was a very odd post by quill. Don't think many expectant fathers refer to their new baby as the foetus.

Well, I wasn't really referring to her in persona, as much as I was describing the procedure in the abstract, the textbook operation...the methods...the skill.

My impression of what I experienced is completely different from yous and nicko's, Nems.  I was in awe of the speed and precision of the doctors.  Being able to enlarge an incision with a finger, avoiding the knife, was/is really great adroitness.  Think of an artist's hands.  And of course, mom was under anesthesia in the lower body and could feel nothing. Because I was there, the surgeons were talking...giving narrative of what they were doing.  It was like a fascinating class.

My father was a heart surgeon.  My daughter--the one born in this situation--is now an anesthesiologist.  My FIL was an OB/GYN and his brother was a vascular surgeon.  There were five children in my family; as a young boy, my father made each of us administer vaccinations to one another.  So open incisions...plus poking and stabbing, was normal.  Perhaps where surgery causes recoil in some,  it causes intense interest in me.  I've lived with it all my life and I'm used to it.

Really...if you've ever scaled a fish or plucked a chicken, it shouldn't bother anyone.

Original Quill wrote:

Nems wrote:

That was a very odd post by quill. Don't think many expectant fathers refer to their new baby as the foetus.

Well, I wasn't really referring to her in persona.  I was describing in the abstract, the textbook procedure...the methods...the skill.

My impression of what I experienced is completely different from yous and nicko's, Nems.  I was in awe of the speed and precision of the doctors.  Being able to enlarge an incision with a finger, avoiding the knife, was/is really great adroitness.  Think of an artist's hands.  Because I was there, the surgeons were talking...giving narrative of what they were doing.  It was like a fascinating class.

My father was a heart surgeon.  My daughter--the one born in this situation--is now an anesthesiologist.  My FIL was an OB/GYN and his brother was a vascular surgeon.  There were five children in my family; as a young boy, my father made each of us administer vaccinations to one another.  So open incisions...plus poking and stabbing, was normal.  Perhaps where surgery causes recoil in some,  it causes intense interest in me.  I've lived with it all my life and I'm used to it.

Really...if you've ever scaled a fish or plucked a chicken, it shouldn't bother anyone.

Impressive family, one to be commended.

Cuchulain wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Well, I wasn't really referring to her in persona.  I was describing in the abstract, the textbook procedure...the methods...the skill.

My impression of what I experienced is completely different from yous and nicko's, Nems.  I was in awe of the speed and precision of the doctors.  Being able to enlarge an incision with a finger, avoiding the knife, was/is really great adroitness.  Think of an artist's hands.  Because I was there, the surgeons were talking...giving narrative of what they were doing.  It was like a fascinating class.

My father was a heart surgeon.  My daughter--the one born in this situation--is now an anesthesiologist.  My FIL was an OB/GYN and his brother was a vascular surgeon.  There were five children in my family; as a young boy, my father made each of us administer vaccinations to one another.  So open incisions...plus poking and stabbing, was normal.  Perhaps where surgery causes recoil in some,  it causes intense interest in me.  I've lived with it all my life and I'm used to it.

Really...if you've ever scaled a fish or plucked a chicken, it shouldn't bother anyone.

Impressive family, one to be commended.

Thank you for that, didge. My father taught at Harvard and Berkeley. But the one I'm most proud of is my daughter. She taught at Arizona and is married to a radiologist. Haha...the beat goes on.

Original Quill wrote:

Cuchulain wrote:

Impressive family, one to be commended.

Thank you for that, didge.  My father taught at Harvard and Berkeley.  But the one I'm most proud of is my daughter.  She taught at Arizona and is married to a radiologist.  Haha...the beat goes on.

Pride is not needed here, as when a family has an instilled belief to conquer any challenges, you are sure to find a very motivated succesful family. Pride is already in motion by the family excelling. All that is needed here is respect to those who are truly humble to understand that to succeed you must first lean how to fail. They learnt it so wel, they did not fail. As much as people dish philosophy or physchology, it understands very well the attributes of humans.

Would not have the first clue on radiology in how it works, but then just a mention garners interest to know more. That is why those who succeed inspire more than the rest. They never quit, they rise to the challenge. That is why competititon is so important for evolution and advancement in society.

Have a good evening