During my 5th and final pregnancy, I decided to take professional maternity photos. This was something I had never done before and well, this was my last chance to get some Pinterest worthy pics.
But unlike most maternity photos, I didn’t share a single image…that was until after my baby was born, healthy and thriving, in my arms.
Why?
Fear.
I was afraid I would suffer another loss like my 2nd and 4th pregnancies…I was afraid my child’s health would be at risk like my 1st pregnancy…I was afraid to announce my news publicly and run the risk of total humiliation and failure, something I felt after my other losses.
So why take the photos?
Hope.
I hoped that one day my rainbow baby of hope would be born…I hoped these photos would serve as a memento for my children and grandchildren one day just as I cherish every photo of my mother. And I really hoped to finish my life’s 7 year chapter of pregnancy on a positive note, with a living, breathing baby.
It was 4 years ago almost to the exact day that I took these photos…capturing the last time life would grow within me.
To this day, I’m so grateful that hope defeated fear.
In other news, my rainbow baby of hope turns 4 years old in a month.
Lucy Riles, Life of Mom Founder