Emotional Photos Show Parents Meeting Their Newborns for First Time
Photographer Mary Fermont has captured 105 birth sessions to date.
— -- A Netherlands photographer is capturing the emotional first meetings between parents and their newborn babies.
Marry Fermont, 36, of Middelburg, told ABC News that she's been photographing babies since 2011 and has snapped 105 births so far.
"So many women cannot remember anything about the birth of their baby, or they forget details, or they just miss the details because things can happen so fast," she said. "Women are strong and powerful and no matter how you birth your baby, it’s the best feeling in the world. It deserves to be documented. A birth story is not complete without the first reaction of the parents."
Fermont, who's a mom herself, said all the families in her pictures booked her to document the entire birth process.
"I love this moment, you waited for so long, worked so hard and then finally the moment is there," she said. "It happens so quickly, but at the same time it’s like time is standing still and it’s just you and your baby."
In the photo series, Fermont captures both mom and dad's touching reactions to seeing their baby coming into the world.
"Moms are most of the time relieved and overwhelmed with joy," Fermont said. "They often cry. Dads are full of amazement. Most of the time they stare at the baby without realizing this is actually their child. When this sinks in, they often shed a tear themselves."
Fermont said she hopes her pictures empower women all over the globe, to let them know that "they are amazing."