07/15/2026
In my work as a Sacramento birth photographer, I have the privilege of witnessing miracles most never see — like a placenta, still attached to a newborn baby, in the first hour of life. For nine months this vessel accomplishes something almost beyond comprehension — delivering oxygen, filtering toxins, passing nutrients and sustaining an entire human life. The placenta exists only to nourish the tiny human it was created with.
Birthed after the baby, the placenta arrives with the cord still pulsing, delivering its last gifts of blood and nutrients to the newborn for up to an hour after birth.
Watching a mother marvel at what her body created to sustain her baby's life, and seeing her touch the placenta, still attached to her newborn baby — is one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed.
Which image in this series are you drawn to most? I'd love to hear in the comments.
