C-section portrait shows the beauty and struggle of motherhood

A confronting image of a newborn baby lying under its mother's Caesarean-section wound has been shared millions of times all over the world, with many women saying it has helped them to accept their own C-section scars.   The photographer who caught the black and white image, Helen Aller, from Guernsey, was asked to visit the hospital by a new mum who wanted to pay tribute to the procedure that saved her life and that of her baby. Aller, who is eight-months pregnant herself, revealed:

‘I photographed this mama’s pregnancy a while back and she was telling me how terrified she was of having a C-section,’ ‘Last week she went into labour but had to have an emergency C-section after complications. ‘She asked me to come over and shoot this particular image as her worst nightmare proved to be what saved her and her child’s lives.'

The image has been shared almost 12 million times, staring a global conversation about the toll pregnancy and birth take on a woman's body. One fan revealed: "I had an emergency c-section with my son and this makes me feel quite emotional. What a brave mama and fantastic photo." Another commentator, a dad, added:"C-section scars should be a celebration and reminder that we don't live in the dark ages where women and their babies often died during the pregnancy or birth. "Every time I see my wife's scar I smile because it reminds me of how lucky we are to have three beautiful kids and how grateful I am to have my wife with me to enjoy watching them grow up." Do you have a C-section scar? If so, how do you feel about it? Let us know on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.