If you have ever wondered what a water birth looks like, these powerful images taken by members of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP) will show you. The IAPBP, founded in 2010 by Lyndsay Stradtner of Life in Motion Photography, has over 1,400 members in 37 different countries. These photographers work with families who have chosen to have their child’s birth captured in images, and the results are truly stunning.
Some women opt for a water birth in a bathtub or inflatable pool, whether that’s at home or in a birthing center. Some hospitals also offer water birthing options. “The theory behind water birth is that since the baby has already been in the amniotic fluid sac for nine months, birthing in a similar environment is gentler for the baby and less stressful for the mother,” the American Pregnancy Association explains on their website. The choice is somewhat controversial in some circles, and as such the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests that water birth as an “experimental procedure that only should be performed within the context of an appropriately designed clinical trial with informed consent.”
SELF asked members of the IAPBP community to submit some of their most powerful images. The results were truly spectacular, capturing an incredible range of birth experiences. And many of the photographs submitted showed moms opting to labor or deliver in water. Here are 11 stunning images.
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