Poignant Photo Series Of Premature Babies 'Then And Now' Shows How Far They've Come

Poignant Then And Now Photos Show Premature Babies Are 'Great Fighters'
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A father who photographs children holding pictures of themselves as premature babies has added six new shots to his collection, highlighting how these babies grow and develop.

Canadian-based Red Méthot - father of two children who were born prematurely - started the series called 'Les Prémas' in September 2015. The album has been shared 14,000 times.

Méthot wrote: "This album shows portraits of people who were born prematurely and sometimes had a difficult journey in early life.

"They are photographed holding in their hands a picture of them taken during this period. You can see what they have become."

Méthot said before his children were born, he knew nothing about premature birth.

He told ABC News: "I decided to do a photo project to that would help make people know more about this topic.

"I was looking for a way to show how premature babies are great fighters."

The father-of-two realised photographing babies in hospital would be difficult, so he photographed his two sons holding photos of themselves as babies.

Soon, other parents of premature children came forward and Méthot's series has continued to expand.

See a selection of the older photos from the series below.

Before And After Photos Of Premature Babies
Margot, born at 29 weeks(01 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Sarah, born at 34 weeks(02 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Noah and Nathan, born at 32 weeks(03 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Tamica, born at 32 weeks (and 26 weeks pregnant at the time of the photo)(04 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Olivier, born at 31 weeks, his sister Ariane, born at 33 weeks and their brother Noah, born at 34 weeks(05 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Eva, born at 29 weeks(06 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Thomas, born at 23 weeks(07 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Julie, born at 7 months of pregnancy, and her son Kevin, born at 34 weeks(08 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Zachary, born at 27 weeks(09 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Chloe, born at 32 weeks(10 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Samuel, born at 36 weeks, and his sister Alice, born at 27 weeks(11 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Charles, born at 26 weeks(12 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Lexiani, born at 25 weeks(13 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Felix, born at 23 weeks, and his brother Alexis, born at almost 33 weeks(14 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Leonard, born at 35 weeks(15 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Felix, born at 24 weeks(16 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Emile, born at 26 weeks(17 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Juliette, born at 30 weeks(18 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Noah, born at 32 weeks. His twin sister Victoria, left in the framed picture, died after 1 month of life.(19 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Thomas, born at 29 weeks(20 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Theo, born at 25 weeks(21 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Samuel, born at 36 weeks(22 of22)
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(credit:Facebook/RedMPhoto)
Live Music Therapy For Premature Babies
Elizabeth Klinger, Augustin Morales, Lucy Morales(01 of05)
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Music therapist Elizabeth Klinger, right, quietly plays guitar and sings for Augustin as his mother, Lucy Morales, sits next to him in the newborn intensive care unit at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago on Monday, May 6, 2013. "What music therapy can uniquely provide is that passive listening experience that just encourages relaxation for the patient, encourages participation by the family," Klinger says. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Klinger, Augustin Morales, Lucy Morales(02 of05)
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Music therapist Elizabeth Klinger, right, quietly plays guitar and sings for Augustin as he grips the hand of his mother, Lucy Morales, in the newborn intensive care unit at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago on Monday, May 6, 2013. "The music relaxes him, it makes him feel more calm" and helps him sleep better too, Lucy Morales said. "Sometimes it makes us cry." (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Klinger, Natalia Henner(03 of05)
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Music therapist Elizabeth Klinger, left, speaks with newborn specialist Dr. Natalia Henner in the newborn intensive care unit at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago on Monday, May 6, 2013 during a break from playing guitar and singing for the young patients in the ICU ward. Many insurers won't pay for music therapy because of doubts that it results in any lasting medical improvement. Some doctors say the music works best at relieving babies' stress and helping parents bond with infants too sick to go home. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Klinger, Henry Buchert, Stacy Bjorkman(04 of05)
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Music therapist Elizabeth Klinger, left, quietly plays guitar and sings for Henry Buchert and his mother Stacy Bjorkman, in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago on Monday, May 6, 2013. Research suggests that music may help those born way too soon adapt to life outside the womb. Recent studies and anecdotal reports suggest the vibrations and soothing rhythms of music, especially performed live in the hospital, might benefit preemies and other sick babies. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Klinger, Augustin Morales, Lucy Morales(05 of05)
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Music therapist Elizabeth Klinger, right, quietly plays guitar and sings for Augustin as he grips the hand of his mother, Lucy Morales, in the newborn intensive care unit at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago on Monday, May 6, 2013. Research suggests that music may help those born way too soon adapt to life outside the womb. Recent studies and anecdotal reports suggest the vibrations and soothing rhythms of music, especially performed live in the hospital, might benefit preemies and other sick babies. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) (credit:AP)