The placenta is an absolutely essential part of a pregnancy. It helps to maintain and nourish a fetus, and as a result is one of the most important organs for a baby. Because of the key role the placenta plays in a pregnancy, it’s understandable why there exist varying degrees of respect and cultures surrounding the organ.
Culturally speaking, there are dozens of traditions involving the placenta. For example, there are cultures who consume the placenta; those that preserve the placenta and use it as medicine; there are even cultures that plant the placenta with seeds in order to grow a “birth tree”. The fact of the matter is that the placenta is an important part of pregnancy. Whether you find them gross, or you find them sacred, the placenta cannot be overlooked.
That’s probably why, after giving birth, Lynn Partlow asked Little Earthling Photography to capture a powerful photo of her daughter and her placenta.
Source: Little Earthling Photography
“It’s the last picture of our connection to each other, so the heart seemed appropriate,” Lynn told Redbookmag.com in an exclusive interview. “I grew her in love, my placenta nourished her and was the pathway of communication between us for our first nine months with each other.”
Lynn Partlow, who is a registered nurse, understands that the placenta isn’t necessarily the most aesthetically beautiful facet of childbirth. However, it’s function and role in the miraculous process of pregnancy can’t go without notice.
The poignant image, while striking to those who are “grossed out” by placenta, perfect encapsulates the role of the organ, and how it unites a mother with her baby during pregnancy. In way, the image is a mother’s way of paying tribute to vital organ and an eyeopening way to show how this mother and daughter will always be linked.
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