Every year, the International Association of Professional Childbirth Photographers (IAPBP) awards the best photographs that recreate this unique and special moment. The images that have won the jury prize this year stand out for how emotional they are.

Giving birth to a child is undoubtedly one of the most exciting moments in a woman’s life, which is why some of them decide to immortalize the occasion with the help of professionals. Since 2011, the Birth Photographers Association of International Photographers has been carrying out a project in which it annually rewards the photographs that best capture the emotion and reality of the birth of a baby.

The jury for this year’s competition has focused on the composition, technicality, and emotion of the images, three key factors in choosing the best photograph. Before seeing the images and in order not to offend sensibilities due to how explicit some images may be, the association warns that “although childbirth is beautiful, it is also something chaotic and real.”

The result of these images is impressive. The jury has assigned the emotionality of each one: underwater births, excited fathers, suffering mothers, and the final happiness that is experienced when holding your baby for the first time. The first five images occupy the top spot in this list, while the others have received an honorable mention from the jury.

The Birth Photographers Association explains on its website: “These images cover the birth process, portraying the environment, the parents, and the assistants. In them, we see tears of joy, the wonderful feeling of bringing new life into this world, and the celebration of the family. Photographers who have specialized in this theme use their art to tell the story of birth.”

And there is no doubt, in this case, that a picture is worth a thousand words.