Granada Foundation Gallery Level 1, oil on panel 60 x 42 cm

All the feeling and the emotions in the picture of you are confusing, so, unconditional love, obviously the first time I've seen the baby since his delivery, because he was rushed down to neonatal. very emotional and also just being untainted of pure love.That beautiful blessing came my way I don’t know how to describe it really, quite emotional, 30 years of waiting to have a baby boy. I just done what came natural to me, I just nurtured him, loved him, still do, he's doing amazing and the mums that go through this, that absolute emotion, they’re brave, brave women.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 1, oil on panel 60x42cm

This was my 3rd child and I was attempting a vba2c, however due to failure to progress I ended up having an emergency C-section. In the days following birth, I was readmitted and ended up undergoing emergency surgery for a perforated bowel. As a result I spent a few weeks in an induced coma and a further few months in the ICU. Eventually I was discharged and continued recovering at home. 6 months on from the birth of my daughter I'm now slowly getting back to life as it used to be, although some things will never be the same, I'm thankful to have my baby girl. 

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 1, watercolour on paper 26.5 x 39 cm

I am 44 years old, I’m a mom of 4 wonderful children. The pregnancy was a complete surprise to us. I thought I was beginning menopause, it was like a Miracle what brought us an ecstatic joy. Our pregnancy was a challenge for our family. Marcin, Adrian's dad, helped me with his happiness and caring. The last few months I stayed in bed with back pain, we had a planned caesarean section, and were excited, happy and nervous but we were more focused on the fact that we would soon see our baby. We joked and laughed all the time, even in the operating room, the physician joked with us and everyone in the room laughed. When I was getting the anaesthetic I was already having contractions and it was very hard to concentrate in such a cheerful atmosphere. Then everything happened quickly without any problems. The first thing we saw was long, dark hair standing on Adrian's head. Our son underwent tests because there was a possibility that he was born with Down syndrome...and was later diagnosed with it. The first feeding turned out to be more difficult than we expected and each subsequent one was a challenge for us but we tried to do everything to make sure our Adrian was being fed well.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 1, watercolour on Paper 40 x 28 cm

Everyone tells you not to have high expectations when going into labour and birth, and for me that was very true and I never really had this idea of how I wanted it. I had some plans and some thoughts of how when it would look but I knew that it was kind of inevitable that baby would do what he wanted and that's exactly what he did. He was due on the first of March. I thought my waters had broken on the 2nd, I was wrong and so the third came and he decided to come on that day, initially I wanted to have a natural birth, I just wanted to have the experience and just have that to remember but again, I knew that whatever happens, happens so I ended up having an emergency C-section and the doctors and anaesthetist were amazing everyone was so kind and helpful and sweet and reassuring throughout the whole process I was very nervous, very, very nervous but it all ended up being for the best I guess, knowing that baby was healthy knowing that I wasn't going through too much pain and now I get to look at my four week old and see his little smile and it just makes everything just feel better knowing that everything will be okay.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 1, watercolour on paper 39 x 28 cm
 
Category 1 C-section, followed by major PPH which resulted in a life saving surgery of a sub-total hysterectomy, and being placed in an induced coma. Despite the substantial blood loss and separation from baby during my stay in ICU, I went on to successfully breastfeed. I would like to specifically highlight my breastfeeding whilst in ICU, with all the wires and intubations, which made positioning and attachment incredibly difficult, followed by the incredible support I received from the Infant Feeding team at NMGH. We are still breastfeeding and celebrated 1 year in September, and breastfeeding has been an incredibly important part of our bond, particularly given that I did not initially want to hold my baby upon first meeting him. 

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 2, oil on canvas 26 x 21 cm

Joe was born prematurely, he is a surviving twin. He is my 3rd child. The morning I had him, I’d woken up and I was bleeding, so I went in to the hospital, I had pre-eclampsia, so I’d already had the steroid injection to mature his lungs, his heart rate kept going low and I was prepped for an emergency section but because the monitor was showing that I was contracting, the doctor agreed to allow me a chance to have him vaginally, with the understanding that i was ready for a section at any point. They broke my waters and I basically got into a zone in a quiet room and pushed him out. He was little and lovely, this is him snuffling around getting ready to latch, I’m so thankful we had this time together, snuggling and nurturing because he had hypothermia, sepsis, jaundice and a twisted bowel, amongst a few other things and was rushed to the the neonatal intensive care unit, it was very difficult for us all. With a lot of determination and hard work, I went on to breastfeed him until he was 5. He’s very big now but still very lovely.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 2, watercolour on paper 38 x 28 cm 

I had hoped to birth our first baby at home but this was no longer an option when I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. I spent 7 days in hospital trying for an induction which ended in a C-section that I hadn't wanted but definitely needed. It was a terrifying experience. When he was born he was silent and didn't cry. I waited and waited hoping to hear him. He was in a bad way due to a number of unforeseen problems including an issue with his vocal cords meaning he couldn't cry at all or safely feed.

40 minutes after his birth I finally got to see him. That moment was everything. Sheer relief and love but also terror about what was wrong with this unexpectedly tiny person. I didn't get to hold him again until around 12 hours after his birth. He would go on to spend a few weeks on the NICU and is facing ongoing health challenges. The memories of his birth are still tinged with pain but I look back with pride at our resilience and joy in the bond that has blossomed in spite of a rocky start.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 2, watercolour on paper 49 x 36.5 cm

I had an alright birth in hospital with my first but a terrible recovery from episiotomy. I longed for a home birth for my second and was SO lucky to have managed it. My home birth was nearly not happening due to polyhydramnios so I had to advocate for myself with a consultant and agree on an out of guidance plan. My picture is me in shock and awe at my baby, my husband, my incredible midwives who I tell everyone about, and myself. Absolutely magic. I felt powerful and exactly who I was supposed to be in that moment.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 2, watercolour on paper 29.5 x 23 cm

On Christmas Eve 2023, I gave birth to my first born daughter, Rogue. My mum, who works at St Mary's was my midwife during my labour. I simply don’t have the words for how beautiful and empowering it was to have my mum there, guiding and encouraging me during the birth of her own grandchild. I had a difficult pregnancy, I was admitted to hospital multiple times and also had a blood transfusion due to chronic anaemia at 30 weeks.

My waters went on the 22nd of December and the decision was made to induce me via foley balloon. After 20 minutes of pushing, Rogue’s heart rate skyrocketed and she ended up being a ventouse delivery. She arrived at 18:46 on the 24th December. It wasn’t the birth I wanted but having my mum there made the whole experience an absolute joy.

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 2, watercolour on paper 29.5 x 23 cm 

I became pregnant via IUI with donor sperm. It worked first time and my wife and I were equal parts shocked and over the moon. My pregnancy was physically uneventful, I was well and enjoyed being pregnant. Mentally it was a different story. I was pregnant during the pandemic and filled with anxiety, it started to manifest itself in vivid dreams. I also started to fixate on what my baby would look like. Not knowing what the donor looks like is a weird feeling. I was so scared I wouldn't recognise myself in my baby and that they would be a stranger to me, with a stranger's face.

Fast forward to a super quick, intense labour at 39 weeks, not much time to get my head around everything before I was bringing my child into the world. I was truly in shock and my first words to my son were "I don't even know him". I was so hung up on this feeling of him being conceived from a stranger so being a stranger to me. This photo is as he was born and passed between my legs, the first time I saw him. That look on my face is of utter disbelief and shock. I couldn't look at this photo for a very long time, all I could see was how I had let my son down in his first moments, how I felt disembodied and  fearful. Now I look at this photo and see a woman who brought her child into the world with strength and power despite her fear and anxiety. Now, he is my double and is also so like my wife. He will also be like his donor too and that's beautiful. And one day we may even get to meet him and see just how alike or different they are and shake his hand and say thank you. 

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Granada Foundation Gallery Level 2, watercolour on paper 38 x 28 cm

Planned C-section. My first birth in 2022 was a vaginal birth with forceps and an episiotomy, which resulted in a 3c tear. I had quite a lot of trauma from that labour, but this birth experience was so positive due to the care of all those involved. This picture marks the beginning of a new chapter of our lives. It was a really positive, calm and empowering experience for my husband and myself. The midwife and surgery colleagues were exceptional and helped shape an enriching birth after such a traumatic one 2 years ago.

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