The moment before time begins: 20 images of baby crowning
Donné Restom
Warning: This extraordinary collection of photographic images is graphic. The photos are unedited and the content is very, very real.
Photography: Christiane Pereira
We've all heard of "the ring of fire", but few of us actually know what it is, or what it really means.
As your baby drops lower and lower into the vaginal canal, it will eventually reach a point where the head begins to show. With each uterine contraction, a glimpse of the head can be seen, but when the head remains visible without slipping back in, your baby is crowning.
It is at this point of crowning that a stinging sensation is often felt - the dreaded ring of fire. But what happens next is amazing. As your baby's head emerges, it streches the vaginal tissue so thin that the nerves of the vagina are blocked. So, while you deliver your baby, he will deliver your very own natural anesthetic.
In this series of photographs we explore the stage of delivery that is crowning. We believe these images are truly incredible - and we hope you do too.
