In the midwife’s arms, the tiny babies captured by the Dutch photographer are so new to the world that they curl up as if they were still in the Wᴏᴍʙ.
The incredible images were taken by former midwife Marry Fermont, 35, from Zeeland, in the Nᴇᴛʜᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅs, shortly after giving birth as part of her project to document the first minutes of newborn baby.
She photographed babies, still in the fetal position, to give new parents insight into how their baby lived and grew up in the Wᴏᴍʙ for nine months.
For parents, the sᴄᴇɴᴇ is highly emotional. Since then, the creator of Fermont Fotografie has asked midwives to show new parents what their babies look like before birth.
Fermont added: “You can see it happening, but it’s hard to imagine them being in that belly for nine months. It would be great if the midwife or father could show how the baby is really adjusting to the place.
When I took those pictures, you could see how the baby was equipped inside. Most babies also calm down when you hold them like this, which is very special.”
She’s found most babies relax and feel safe when they’re all folded up – that’s the position they’ve spent nine months in, after all. But there’s only a short amount of time before they lose their ability to curl into a compact ball.
As for putting them in the right place? It does not require any special sᴋɪʟʟs. “If you hold them properly,” they will do it on their own!
Fermont explains that most parents are sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇd when their baby is born, so being curious about how they’ll fit inside the mother’s Wᴏᴍʙ for nine months is always pleasant.
Fermont’s daughter, Liv, was born in July and she is Fermont’s first child. She hired her own delivery photographer and was bound to take her own version of her favorite baby photo.
“I’m so glad my Bᴏʏfriend Denny has no trouble holding our daughter this way. It was the most amazing moment ever and I cherish this photo,” she said.
