Jana Brasil has recorded the exact moment hundreds of people have entered the world for the first time. She is a professional award-winning birth photographer since 2015. Brasil knows that the transition from the birth canal to the bright world outside is always dramatic. However, this time, she captures extremely rare and dramatic births that only a few people will ever see in person.
At birth, babies cry as they go from a liquid world to one of breathing air. Maybe somewhere in our unconscious minds, we can remember what it’s like to float quietly in a dark world of muffled sounds and our mother’s heartbeat. It seems completely alien, but that’s how we all start out, after all.
When most babies are born the transition liquid to air couldn’t be more abrupt. But in extremely rare cases, a baby will be born with a “birth caul.” They come into the world inside a membrane of liquid.
Known as an “en caul birth,” the baby emerges fully inside the amniotic sac, a thin fluid-filled membrane. It has been called, “born with a veil.” Although some babies are born with a caul around their head or face, a very few are completely enclosed. Since the membrane is extremely fragil, it is unlikely to make it outside the womb intact.
Only one baby in 80,000 has an en caul birth.
When Noah Valasco was born at Praia da Costa Hospital, he was born with a veil. He was delivered by C-section. Somehow, the amniotic sac wasn’t damaged by the scalpel.
For Jana Brasil, this was a privileged opportunity. Although the appearance looks mysterious and can be frightening for a mother, she knew that it was unique and harmless part of the birth. Doctors carefully remove the delicate membrane, and the baby officially enters the world. In that way, it’s almost as if Noah Valasco was born twice.
See the amazing pictures below:
Posted by JanaBrasil Fotografia on Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Now, below is Noah with his family shortly after his rare birth. This baby is famous all over the world. His mother, Monyck was overwhelmed by worldwide attention and was overcome with emotion when she saw him.
“People all around the world are reposting the photos and looking for us. I saw him being born. They lowered the screen so I could see. I cried a lot. It’s an emotion that has no size.” she said to the media.
One day ago, Brasil posted to Instagram and Facebook after photographing a second en caul birth birth, this time, a little girl named Laura. As rare as it is, she got the opportunity twice.
Posted by JanaBrasil Fotografia on Thursday, February 14, 2019
Births of this kind have inspired superstition in many cultures all over the world. In some cases, it is seen as a sign of good luck. In other stories, the caul had supernatural powers, magical abilities, or healing abilities.
However, as Debra Ronco from How Stuff Works puts it:
“While you might be feeling lucky to be born a “caulbearer” and might even believe you have supernatural gifts as a result, it’s important to remember that caul births are a natural (if rare) part of giving birth, and that en caul births most commonly happen when the birth is premature.”
Lucky or not, these births are definitely unusual and amazing.
Featured image: Screenshot via Instagram/janabrasilfotografia