Okay, first of all, what would you call the picture everyone gets of mom and baby right after being born?! Post-delivery picture? After birth picture? Postpartum picture? Baby’s first breath picture? I struggled to find the right words to describe this iconic picture that every gets of mom and baby. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to refer to it as a “fresh out of the womb” picture.
Now that that is settled, I can honestly say that I look less than put-together in my “fresh out of the womb” pictures. I can’t be the only one, right?! A few of my friends have had babies recently and it seems like everyone looks beautiful in their “fresh out of the womb” pictures. These moms are snuggled in with their sweet new babies looking tired, but stunningly messy, joyful, and absolutely GLOWING. Every time I see one of these amazing pictures, it makes me think of the three “fresh out of the womb” pictures I have of me and my boys… I look tired, but with a double-chin, droopy eyes, and tear-stained face.
Right away, I compare my ugly pictures to their pretty ones and secretly wish for a do-over so I could have a pretty picture too… BUT THEN, I dig out the pictures and I relive those moments. Even though the pictures of me aren’t glamorous, they instantly transport me back to the minute my children were born. I vividly remember each birth and all the events leading up to them. I remember the excitement when the contractions became regular, and then the dread at the realization that the contractions would stay regular. I remember driving to the hospital, the lack of sleep, the progression of labor with some difficult decisions to make and, ultimately, the utter joy at meeting my miracles.
Each of my delivery experiences were so different and challenging in their own ways. My first son was born after 24 hours of hard labor, my second son after an emergency c-section and my third after a planned c-section. With each imperfect picture I am reminded of the lengths a mother will go through for her baby. So whether you think your “fresh out of the womb” pictures are pretty or not, they are special because they tell YOUR story. Here are my unedited “fresh out of the womb” pictures. They aren’t pretty and I’m okay with it.
