Powerful Photographs Tell An Extraordinary Tale Of Surrogacy
“I have been to many many births and they are all amazing - this one was so moving. I have never witnessed the gift of surrogacy.” Kim Brooks
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
Ottawa-based birth photographer Kim Brooks demystifies the world of surrogacy with this breathtaking series of poignant photographs.
44-year-old Christine Crook knew she would carry a baby for somebody else 16 years prior to becoming a surrogate. After reading about another woman’s fertility agony the idea lodged itself firmly in her mind, ticking away in the background while she set about building her own family. “The fertility issues that so many people go through is heartbreaking to me,” Christine told Yahoo Style UK. Gazing down at her baby daughter, unable to imagine life without her, she recalls thinking, “I’m going to carry a baby for somebody someday.”
After the birth of her second child Christine felt certain her own family was complete so when the opportunity to become a surrogate for close friends arose she didn’t hesitate. But after three rounds of IVF and the early miscarriage of twins, the couple called it a day. “It was disappointing for sure,” Christine reflects, “but my sadness was for them as a couple.”
A few years later the opportunity presented itself again in an uncanny series of events. During her work as a doula in Ottawa, Christine crossed paths with a colleague, Linda, who happened to be carrying as a surrogate.
Photographer Kim Brooks said her viewfinder kept steaming up from her tears.
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
The two women shared their surrogacy stories. Linda asked Christine if she’d consider carrying for another couple even if they weren’t ‘friends’. “I said I’m not going to go looking for it but if it falls in my lap then I think I would consider it,” she recounts.
The same day, Linda dropped by her local supermarket. In conversation at the checkout she learned the cashier had some friends, a couple, unable to have children of their own due to health reasons, who were desperately seeking a surrogate. Christine says: “Linda messaged me and told me what happened. She asked me if she should go back and give them my contact information. I said ‘yes - the universe is saying something’.”
It was as if the story was already mapped out for them. That evening Christine received an email from Heather and Craig Dunbar. Two weeks later the trio met. “We just knew right away that we would move forward and go on this journey together,” Christine says. The Dunbar’s had frozen embryos ready and waiting. Within a year and a half Christine gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Clara.
“I was actually standing on the toilet for 2 hours shooting from there. There were 6 other people in the room so it was packed!” Kim Brooks
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
Christine says her husband and children were accepting and supportive of her decision. “None of us in our family felt incomplete enough to be craving that other little human being, we just knew this was a gift for somebody else.” Though she did have to find the energy to deal with lots of curiosity from those around her. “There was a lot of explaining and that was fine, it just kind of solidified for me why I was doing this in the first place,” she says.
The pregnancy was celebrated openly among friends and family with Christine the guest of honour at the Dunbar’s baby shower and Heather honoured in a celebration thrown by Christine’s friends.
Christine made sure to have coping strategies in place after the birth, surrounding herself with her beloved family. “My parents were here the week Clara was born and I just think I directed all my oxytocin towards to them.” Chuckling she adds “I was also pumping milk for Clara so I fell in love with my body for building the nutrients to give her the best start - every time I looked at my pump I had a milk let down. It was almost like all of my love and all of those hormones were going towards making the milk and towards loving my family.”
The trio have agreed to stay in contact in case Clara ever “wanted or needed” to meet Christine. “I think it’ll be whatever mum wants it to be. I don’t have any needs, I don’t ache to hold her, I don’t long to see her but I like hearing how she’s doing. We’re friends on Facebook so every time they post a picture they tag me.”
Kim said the experience was “incredibly emotional”.
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
Kim’s remarkable series of pictures makes the trio’s story twofold; their generosity in agreeing to be photographed goes some way to demystifying the ‘controversial’ world of surrogacy, opening up the possibility for others. “I welcome the exposure, the stories and the questions,” Christine says. “The heartbreaking part is being asked to do it again and not being able to help as many people that need it.”
Surrogacy is a hugely selfless act yet Christine is incredibly modest about her experience. “Honestly it’s not that big of a deal. It was smooth, it was amazing and the experience I always wanted it to be,” she says. “I feel very accomplished. If I don’t do anything good in my life, I’ve done this.”
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
[Photo: Breathe In Photography]
“My son was actually with me - he was on my back the whole time. He’s only 6 months old so he comes with me to all the births I shoot this year.” Kim Brooks
You can see more of Kim’s work on Facebook and Instagram.
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