Moms, that first, miraculous moment of holding your newborn is probably seared into your memory. Cradling them, right there, in your arms, forms one of every mom’s most intense experiences. Were you able to freeze that moment in the timeline of your brain and heart or is it all a blur?

There’s no feeling that compares to the moment you become a mama, but one that feels just as sweet as seeing your partner with your baby for the first time. Regardless of how your baby came into this world or how this tiny human was created, there’s just something about seeing the person you love the most with your child.

Women, don’t ever apologize for your behavior or choices during birth. When you OWN your experience and take pride in your journey, you help other women do the same thing. No matter how you did it, you just brought a human being into the world! The world should be kneeling at your feet.– Lauralyn Curtis

In this incredible series of powerful photos, she captures the joy, relief, love, and sheer exhaustion that women feel in the first moments that they hold their newborn babies.