Catie Atkinson didn’t have a c-section. But that doesn’t mean the mom-of-two doesn’t empathize with moms who experienced one. In fact, Atkinson has been paying tribute to all kinds of deliveries via her paintings, which she shares on Instagram.
“I’m constantly inspired by the beauty and power of women and motherhood, and I’m passionate about birth, breastfeeding, and gentle parenting. My artwork is an attempt to hold a mirror up to other mamas, so that they may see their incredible strength and beauty,” Atkinson writes on her website, Spirit & Sol. She began by painting from experience, depicting water births and home births.
As her Instagram began to take off, Atkinson thought about the women she was hoping to represent and empower. And as she tells Babble, she realized a very specific group of women was missing: c-setion moms.
“After a few dozen paintings, I realized that I was leaving out a huge community of mamas who also deserved to see their birth experiences represented in art as sacred, holy and beautiful,” she says. “My goal in creating art around belly birth is to shine a light on mamas who may be mourning their dream birth and to help remind them that they are incredibly strong and brave. I believe that all birth is sacred and beautiful, whether it takes place on the kitchen floor or on the operating table, and I strive to portray that in my paintings.”
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