Forty mums came together for a touching photoshoot with their ‘rainbow children’ – the name given to babies born after miscarriage or loss.
Ashley Sargent, a photographer from Alabama, US, was inspired to organise the shoot after struggling herself to fall pregnant. “It completely consumed me and I expected it to be so easy,” she wrote on Facebook.
For four years, she said she felt “ashamed” of herself, like there was something wrong with her body – and her fault she couldn’t get pregnant.
By bringing together the experiences of 40 women, Sargent wanted to share the message to others struggling: “You are not alone”.
Sargent was photographing rainbow babies in the studio and after one image was posted, she received lots of comments from other mums who could relate to the post.
“I began to have this idea (or vision, I should say)... of seeing dozens upon dozens of mothers coming together, all as one, dressed in colours of the rainbow along with their miracle child,” Sargent explained. “I wanted mothers and children of every age.
“In my mind, this idea was going to be a vision of hope.”
She put out a call and said “immediately”, women wanted to be part of this movement. She asked them to choose a colour and be prepared to share their story.
“In my mind, this was going to be a vision of hope.”
In her Facebook album, Sargent has shared a collection of photos of the women – both in groups, and on their own with their kids.
On the photo below, mum Brittney Smith wrote: “I had an early miscarriage (twins) in January 2016. I was truly devastated and still think about those babies all the time. But Larsen was born in the December. For me this all about celebrating her life.”
Another mum, Alexa Reece, pictured below, wrote: “Our sweet Liam arrived after 3 years of pregnancy losses and heartbreak. It still doesn’t feel real some days; that he’s actually here and in our arms. That’s why this photo shoot meant the world to me.”
Sargent added: “I did not ever experience the pain of a miscarriage, but I know the feeling of hopelessness and the deep desire to become a mother. I know how alone you feel.
“Myself, along with the mothers in this photo, want you to know that you can overcome,” she wrote on Facebook. “You are not alone.”
See the full album on Facebook here.