6 Breathtaking Pictures That Show The Beauty of Giving Birth (PHOTOS)
Think about it: professional photographers are par for the course at weddings ... so why shouldn't they also be capturing that magical moment called birth? This simple logic may explain why birth photography is a growing field that's had its own professional association since 2010 -- The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers -- which has just announced the winners of their annual 2015 Image of the Year Competition.
This year -- the competition's third year in existence -- the association received 218 entries from their 1,080 members worldwide. And the results are absolutely breathtaking! One look at the winners may very well convince you to relieve your husband of picture-snapping duties and hand them to a trained professional.
Did you hire a professional birth photographer or not -- and why?
Image via Emily Robinson Photography
Picture of Bliss
Third place for this competition went to this jubilant photo by Jane McCrae, A Sydney mom with a background in midwifery.
More from The Stir: Incredible C-Section Photos Show Beauty of Every Type of Childbirth
Who Let the Dogs Out?
A third and final honorable mention for this competition went to this sweet pic by Emily Robinson, a mom and birth photographer living in Miami, Florida.
More from The Stir: Incredible Images of Babies Being Born Give Us a Look at the Miracle of Birth