Photographer captures her own labour and daughter's birth

A new Californian mother has documented her own labour and the birth of her daughter in a series of moving photographs.

Lisa Robinson-Ward, who specialises in weddings and portrait photography, set herself the challenge of photographing her entire labour process, after learning she was pregnant last year.

Her photos of the birth, which took place in Hollister on December 21 last year, were posted on Mrs Robinson-Ward’s website just five days later, but only went viral last week.

The photographic series documents Mrs Robinson-Ward’s admission to hospital, her labour, her daughter Anora’s birth and her husband’s tearful reaction.

Mrs Robinson-Ward said that the birth was “really, really easy” and that she was aided by an epidural.

“I had a lot of pain management... I was completely in the moment, she [Anora] was coming out of me, I could totally feel everything but at the same time I was really focused on taking the pictures,” she told 9news.com.au.

Mrs Robinson-Ward said the response to her photos had so far been overwhelmingly supportive, with a number of nurses and other people who have had experiences delivering babies thanking her for sharing the series.

“Everyone’s been really supportive and it’s just amazing,” she said.

Mrs Robinson-Ward has credited her husband – who is also a professional photographer – for supporting throughout the process.

She reports her six-month-old daughter is in good health and that she has been a “really mellow, an easy baby”.