The Miracle of Birth: Photographs of Births at Home, at the Maternity Hospital, and on the Water

Monet Nicole captured the before and after of the baby.

Monet Nicole is a midwife and a world-renowned professional birth photographer. On Instagram, her followers exceed 150 thousand, and each of her posts gathers thousands of likes.

The photographer has attended hundreds of births, and her account on popular social media is an album full of breathtaking photos. Mothers who give birth in a maternity hospital, on the water, at home, with a natural birth or cesarean section. Newborns with fetal sebum seconds after birth. Fathers who are present at the birth and assist in the birth of their child.

Monet’s photographs stand out because they are real and capture moments of each stage of labor exactly as they are. Through her posts, the photographer often shares stories of mothers, her own thoughts, and her own experiences.

Before and after childbirth

In one of her latest posts, she shared footage from a water birth. Monet posted two snaps, one before the baby was born and one after. The photos are taken from above and show exactly the same setting and image, with the only difference being that in the second one, the mother is holding her baby in her arms.

“What an incredible difference an hour can make. The best before and after!” She wrote.

Footage of childbirth at home, in the maternity hospital, and in the water

Monet is based in Denver and has attended many water births, which is evident in her Instagram photos.

Water birth is particularly popular abroad. It is done in a specially designed pool at home or in special areas. The water has a temperature of about 37 degrees C, while the birth takes place in the presence of midwives and within the context of a specific procedure that is strictly followed. No drugs are administered to the surrogate, and a necessary condition is that the pregnancy is not considered high-risk and that the gynecologist agrees.

Many women prefer to give birth in water because of the benefits of giving birth in this environment: the mother has ease of movement in the water, while the warm water relaxes her and relieves pain. The water environment of the pool is quite similar to that of the amniotic sac, with the result that the baby’s transition from the womb to the outside world is smoother.

Of course, whenever and wherever childbirth takes place, it is a shocking experience. This is what the photographer herself believes; she also claims that the experience of giving birth changes a woman.

Check out the gallery below for snapshots shared by Monet via Instagram.