Back

Mum photographs her OWN son's birth - and captures the first moment she sees him

Incredible!

By Frances Sheen

March 18 2019

Megan Mattiuzzo, an experienced wedding photographer, took pictures of the exact moment her son was born - by taking the pictures herself.

Megan gave birth to her son, Easton, on March 6, and simultaneously snapped photos while giving birth.

Wow.

Megan came up with the idea late in her pregnancy and thought that her obstetrician would think she was crazy.

"I was about 37 weeks when I brought the idea up to my doctor," she told CafeMom. "She told me that it would be fine for me to attempt the photos, due to having a healthy pregnancy... [and] had no reason for concern and that as long as I was okay on that day she would be totally fine with me doing it."

The photographer asked her husband to hold the camera for most of the birth and then asked him to hand it to her just before her last push, as Easton was born.

Megan Ann Photography

After more than an hour of pushing, the mum realised she was about to give birth and even asked hospital staff to turn off the overhead lights, leaving only a bright spotlight on her to ensure the best lighting.

But it wasn't all plain-sailing. Megan's epidural wasn't fully effective and the pain almost overpowered her, so she didn't think she would be able to grab the camera, focus it and then take the pictures.

She told Cafe Mom, "When you go into labour, you have in your head that at least you know the epidural will provide some comfort," she says. "But when it didn't take fully I questioned myself if I would be able to actually take the photos due to the pain."

But the thought of regretting missing her one chance to take the photos pushed her on.

"After saying those words out loud to my husband and mother who were there in the delivery room, I realized if I didn't try it would be something I would regret," she says. "So I told my husband to hold the camera and be ready to pass it to me when the doctor said it would be the last push."

And she says that the moment she took the photos were the best of her life.

“The focus went away from the pain,” she told Buzzfeed. “It’s your son, it’s your child. Seeing him, I can’t describe the feeling. You go nine months not knowing what they look like, who they are. And then to finally see a healthy baby, you’re just overwhelmed with happiness.”

And the mum-of-one says the experience was so great, she will now do it all again when she has baby number two.

What a woman!