Photographer Lacey Barratt has received global acclaim for her honest, and heart-wrenching images of women in ʟᴀʙᴏʀ. Australian photographer Lacey Barratt has revealed her top snaps for 2017 that capture the brutally honest moments of mum’s giving birth. The 30-year-old has also produced a photo series tackling the misconceptions and stigma around breastfeeding, postnatal depression, and stillbirth.
1. Brittany Attard
“Brittany’s baby was born with so much hair,” Lacey recalled. “I remember seeing her and thinking how she looked like Rapunzel out of the womb.” In others, Lacey, from Melbourne, has captured women in the middle of ʟᴀʙᴏʀ as she snaps photographs in the delivery room.
2. Amy O’Brien
“Amy kept control of every aspect of her birth,” Lacey said. “She was not swayed and not once ʙᴜʟʟɪᴇᴅ into ᴀʟᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴇ forms of intervention. “This was right after her girl was born standing and she raised her to her chest. This is the moment of relief and happiness.”
3. Maddison Gore
Lacey said: “Maddison’s birth in the hospital was so special because her boy was born so quickly that when the staff handed him to her she didn’t realize he had been born. “This image captures the moment she realized she did indeed have a baby, and the ride was coming to a close.”
4. Felicity Susteren
“I really adore this image of postpartum,” Lacey said. “Baby close to the chest, pad between legs, swollen postpartum belly. “There is nothing else more truthful than this image.”
5. Lacey Barratt
Lacey said: “This is a self-portrait that I released of myself exactly 12 months ago. “It marked the rebirth of myself into a new mother, new wife, and new human. “This was to explain that not everyone feels connected to their babies at first, and that’s OK.”
6. Michelle Simmonds
“We don’t see dads talked about a lot in birth spaces, but I really love to capture the connection between mothers and fathers,” Lacey said. They are integral in making the woman feel safe and loved and raising oxytocin. “Here you can see how Michelle’s husband was totally submerged in everything and dedicated to serving her however he could.”
7. Chantelle Watt
“I don’t always get allowed into theatre, so when I do, I always make sure to ask if they can lower the drape or I can come on the other side,” Lacey explained. “That isn’t exactly greeted with the best of responses, but as my job, I have to ask. “This team was so supportive of mum having pictures. “She lowered the drape and motioned for me to grab a pic and help up her baby just perfectly.”
8. Mama (unnamed)
Lacey said: “There is way more about birth that isn’t normalized than what is normal. “I ꜰɪɢʜᴛ really, really hard ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ social media to make sure my images stay up and aren’t removed. “This was my last birth for 2017 and this mama gently guided her own baby earthside. “Not enough women are touching their babies, so I love this.”