Educational birth images and films
Please read before viewing the images
Every image has been carefully chosen to represent birth and labour in its many forms. Images are from both hospital and home births. Some images represent undisturbed physiological birth while others represent medically managed birth. Please know that some images represent interventions that don’t align with our philosophy, but are the reality of common interventions within the hospital setting. We have handpicked each image for you to use as an educational tool about what to expect if certain practices are recommended to you while you are giving birth. The images are here to help you make informed decisions for yourself and your baby. Thank you to the beautiful women who let me share their stories.
Pure joy. An elated mum and dad, with her midwife proudly watching on.
Woman using a TENS machine for pain relief during labour.
Baby being born into her dad's hands.
Family-centred birth.
Caput succedaneum (scalp edema). A common side effect of a ventouse (vacuum) delivery. It also happens in normal vaginal births. In most cases, it resolves by itself within the first 48 hours of life outside the womb.
A woman birthing in a public hospital with a midwife. She is on all 4s birthing her baby.
Signs of motherhood - a caesarean section wound, stretch marks and bruising.
Vernix caseosa. A creamy, white naturally made substance that coats the newborn skin in the third trimester of pregnancy. It contains antioxidants, anti-infection, and anti-inflammatory properties which protect the baby’s skin from infections inside and outside the womb. It acts as a lubricant as the baby moves through the birth canal and as moisturising cream after birth.
Normal blood loss post birth.
A woman preparing for a spinal anaesthetic, supported by her midwife.
Undisturbed birth.
A woman bringing her baby up from the water during her birth at home.
Lunges during early labour to help the baby descent and be in the optimal birth position.
A woman is being supported leaving the birth pool with her newborn baby.
The big perineum stretch - one.
The big perineum stretch - two.
A midwife checks the woman's perineum and vagina for any tears and grazes post-birth.
Normal blood loss after a waterbirth.
Undisturbed birth - bonding in the pool post-birth at home.
Primal noises - during labour women can become mammal-like and use their voice to support them to birth their baby.
A hospital waterbirth. A woman slowly brings her baby to the surface.
Shock and exhaustion. Two very common feelings directly after birthing your baby.
En Caul. The definition is used to describe a baby being born while remaining in the membranes (amniotic sac). This baby was born en caul and the membranes broke as she was emerging from the water.
Double hip squeeze. Her partner doing this to her hips for pain relief in labour.
Relief.
Ventouse (vacuum) assisted birth. Baby born in a direct OP (Occipito posterior) position.
The Rhobmus of Michaelis.
A fetal scalp electrode (FSE). A way of monitoring fetal wellbeing in labour. Health professionals often call it a ‘clip’. It's not a clip. It's a metal screw that screws superficially into the fetal scalp. It's the most accurate way to monitor the baby in labour, especially if the mum has a high BMI, a particularly shaped abdomen or excessive baby movements. Research shows they are safe to use.
CTG (cardiotocography) monitoring. Rightly or wrongly it’s used for many different reasons to constantly monitor fetal wellbeing. This can be used antenatally and/or during labour. The pink strap is holding the transducer that picks up the baby's heart rate and the blue strap is holding the toco, which picks up uterine activity (contractions).
The CTG machine. It shows a visual and keeps a record of the fetal heart rate (FHR) and contractions. On this CTG the FHR is 139bpm and the toco is 16. It is a low number like this when there are no contractions. You will see it rise when a contraction is present. It is also picking up the mother's heart rate which is 73.
A midwife checks the umbilical cord for three vessels. There are (usually) 2 arteries and a vein. Sometimes there is only one artery. This can be picked up during an ultrasound or after the birth when the midwife is checking the placenta and cord.
The placenta.
A woman using essential oils during labour. They are on the tissue she is holding close to her nose.
A view into the special care nursery (SCN).
The purple line. Looking for the purple is a non-invasive way to assess the progress of labour. Research shows it appears in over 75% of birthing women when they are in active labour. The theory is, that the further the line is visible up the sacrum, the further the baby’s head is descended in the pelvis and the closer the woman is to being fully dilated.
Water immersion for pain relief.
A dad cutting the baby's cord after delayed cord clamping.
Scratches on a newborn head. This can happen when a midwife or doctor performs an artificial rupture of membranes (ARM). This is when a care provider uses an amnihook to break your waters, it is one of the risks associated with having an ARM.
First feed. The cord was short so the woman needed some support from the midwife to keep her baby above water.
A busy birth suite.
Relief.
A woman holding her husband’s hand for support and using Nitrous oxide (commonly referred to as gas) for pain relief.
A midwife supports the woman shortly after birth in the operation theatre.
I did it!
Birth on the bathroom floor.
Caesarean section. At most hospitals, the drapes are lowered so the mum and dad can see their baby for the first time. Here the obstetrician in allowing time for delayed cord clamping, as per the mother’s request.
Gentle abdominal massage after the birth of the baby and placenta. Not to be confused with a fundal rub.
Skin to skin in the operating theatre. The doctors were finishing the woman’s caesarean section while the mum and dad had first contact with their newborn.
The birth of Sonny.
An educational birth film about induction of labour (IOL).
The homebirth of Ezekiel.
A family-centred birth at home.
The caesarean birth of Frederick.
An educational birth film about a booked caesarean section.
Motherhood
Motherhood
Imagery of motherhood by photographer Miriam Ackroyd.
Things I know about motherhood.
It’s hard.
All of it’s hard.
But it’s also very beautiful.
www.lifeisbeautiful.com.au
