This Woman Did Her Makeup in Between Contractions While in Labor
"Yo she popped that baby out on fleek," one commenter wrote on her Instagram.
— -- Alaha Karimi, a 27-year-old woman from Long Island, New York, has become an Internet hero after she shared photos of her doing her makeup while in labor.
Karimi, a luxury business consultant who also runs her own professional makeup business on the side, said she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Sofia on the evening of Feb. 15. But she only posted a series of photographs from the delivery room a week ago.
Perhaps more incredible than the photos is the whole story behind them.
"I went to the hospital at 7:30 a.m., and I was in labor for a total of 10 hours that day," she told ABC News. "I had an epidural around 8:30 or 9:00 a.m., so when it started to wear off, I needed something to distract myself from the pain."
That's when Karimi called her husband to get her makeup bag.
"He's been my number one supporter," she said. "Even if I wanted to play soccer in labor, he would've been there supporting me."
Though it normally takes Karimi around 45 minutes to do a "full glam look," it took her over three hours to achieve her look that day; complete with contour, mink lashes and all.
"I did my makeup in between my contractions," she said. "I had to keep pausing whenever I'd get a contraction, and I had to catch my breath. But, honestly, doing something I loved helped the time go by so much faster and made everything so much easier."
Karimi said she relied on the "best of the best" of her makeu, including a pore-reducing face primer, waterproof eyeliner and an "all-nighter" setting spray.
"I do makeup for brides, and I figured if I can get their makeup to last the whole day though all the waterworks, hugging and kissing, I can make mine last, too," she said with a laugh.
A photo of Karimi holding her baby immediately after giving birth on her Instagram has received thousands of positive comments, praising the mother for her artistry and flawless face.
"Yo she popped that baby out on fleek," one commenter wrote on her Instagram, meaning flawlessly.
But Karimi said "a few haters" have also criticized her, claiming she was "putting her own looks before her child."
"But this wasn't the case at all," Karimi said. "Anyone who's gone through labor knows you can't do anything for hours except wait. Some people walk around, some people read books, some sit and watch TV. I did my makeup and I shouldn't be shamed for that."
She added that her "amazing doctors and nurses" gave her the OK to do her makeup at the time and were supportive.
"I would tell expecting to find a couple things you love to do and to bring that with you to the delivery room," she said. "For me, I love makeup. It's a way of expressing myself and it's always been a passion of mine."
Despite her new hectic schedule as the mother of a month-old baby, Karimi said that she still finds time to do what she loves.
"All my friends are like make sure you nap to catch up on sleep when the baby naps, but nope, I run to my bedroom to do my makeup," she said.