A friend of mine recently gave birth in the hospital and a few weeks after her birth we got together and I was able to snuggle and swoon over her sweet new baby. While I was there she told me while holding back tears, and no, don’t blame this on post partum hormones, that she had no pictures of the birth. In fact, the first picture she was “allowed” to take of her own baby was after he had been weighed, measured and cleaned up! I sat there with my mouth open, appalled, devastated for this mama and angry as hell. Who the hell does the nurse, doctor or hospital think they are that they are going to tell you when you can take a picture of your own baby? They just robbed this mother from capturing some of the most incredible moments of her life, why?
Lawsuits. Seriously, this is what it comes down to. To me, if my provider is doing their job and providing me with the best care they can give me than there should be nothing for them to worry about. When we try and censor birth we are robbing women and families from capturing and celebrating such a momentous occasion of life, we are also destroying an opportunity we have to really portray birth for what it is. Birth is laughter and tears, it is raw emotions.
This is a journey that mother and child embark upon together, learning each others rhythms and vibe until that moment when baby crosses earth side into their mother’s arms. Birth is about preparing women to become mothers, because if you can endure giving birth to your child, whether its in a hospital, birthing center or at home – and I don’t care if its vaginal or a c-section – you can do anything!
Birth should be captured and celebrated for both the dark and light sides and the images should be passed down from generation to generation to prepare future women for the reality of what this journey is really like. Birth is not perfect hair and make up and a sweet pink baby wrapped in a soft blanket. This is birth:
So where do we go from here?
MY BODY.
MY BIRTH.
MY BABY.
MY RULES
If not, get the fuck outta here. Because really, this is not just about pictures. This is about women birthing how they want to birth, without fear or pressure of society dictating how they should do it, when they should do it, how long it should take and what is should look like. This is about putting power back into women’s hands to dictate to their providers what they want and what they need. Shouldn’t a practitioner be doing everything in their power to make women feel loved, supported and cared for, both in body and mind? The simple act of removing a mother’s rights to capture and celebrate her as that warrior she is, is the first step in stripping her rights over her body and experience. Its time to “Celebrate the Courageous Journey of Motherhood” and fight back against those who tell us, “NO”!
Maria Fuller
I believe in Love at first sight- I met my husband on his 18th birthday and the rest is history
I’m passionate about a women’s right to birth without fear or pressure whether that is at home or in a hospital, I’ve done it in both places.
I have two beautiful girls, Alexa and Arya, 5.5 years apart. I believe each of my daughters was sent to me to remind me of a piece of myself I have lost along the way, it has been exciting journey to rekindle those parts of “ME” again.
We live on a little River in Southbury, CT with our Rotti Beagle mix, a Crazy 1 year old German Shephard and a fat cat that won’t leave the basement, he might be to fat to climb the stairs.
I love a good margarita on the rocks with Salt but ONLY if my husband makes it with hand squeezed lemons, limes and homemade simple syrup, any other margarita sucks.
I listen to “pitbull” in the car with my daughters, they have no idea who Raffi is but Alexa knows most of the words to “Calle Ocho”
I’m the girl who will love you fiercely but is not afraid to “tell you like it is”, if I do, it means I actually care about you!
I love my girls but there are many days I don’t like them or want to be around them. Yep, I just said that, its normal for you to feel that too!
I believe that mothers a given a handbook when their baby is born, its called “intuition” and it will never lead her astray.
I am a photographer who helps women “Celebrate the Courageous journey of motherhood”
Latest posts by Maria Fuller (see all)
- The Real Reason Your Baby Wakes at Night - March 16, 2016
- The Magic of Skin to Skin Contact for Newborns - February 16, 2016
- The Baby Nurse Phenomenon - September 23, 2015
