THE ESSENTIAL BEAUTY OF MOTHERS: IVETTE IVENS
IVETTE IVENS
One of the most beautiful things mothers do for their babies, is to feed them. Of course, it is one of the most basic and necessary things. And breastfeeding is the original, most natural way to do it. It’s a beautiful thing… but not without controversy. The good news is, that’s changing -- for the better.
Photographer Ivette Ivens celebrates the beauty of pregnancy and of mothers as they breastfeed their babies. While western culture has created stigmas around breastfeeding, pressuring mothers to cover it up or banishing them from breastfeeding in public places, Ivens seeks to highlight the natural beauty and shift public opinion.
Ivens’ stunning series of photographs feature pregnant and breastfeeding in truly beautiful settings. She has drawn inspiration from her own experiences with pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Ivens nursed her own two children and found the experience to be a joy. She breastfed her older son until he was a little over 3-years-old and still breastfeeds her younger baby today. She considers breastfeeding to be a key maternal “super power.”
Many of the portraits show bare pregnant bellies and bare breasts. Many are taken outdoors, in natural settings, to help convey the message that pregnancy and breastfeeding are totally normal natural things. It couldn’t be further from the camouflaging maternity clothes and public bathroom settings where women have been forced to go with their hungry babies.
As far as breastfeeding goes, Ivens believes that mothers should nurse their little ones whenever they want to, for as long as they want to.
Ivens’ book Breastfeeding Goddesses, features a collection of gorgeous, full color photos that depict the way women can feel while nursing: pure, beautiful, saintly, celestial. They capture moments in time when mothers can focus just on being mothers -- when they can sit back, relax and focus on feeding their babies.
Tamara Ecclestone, British model, socialite, television personality, and the daughter car racing magnate, Bernie Ecclestone, the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, posed for Ivens while breastfeeding her daughter Sophia.
Ecclestone has gotten backlash for posting the photos on social media. She had captioned the photo: "Nothing but love. @ivetteivens always captures the most beautiful moments #hippyatheart." And while she and Sophia looked beautiful and relaxed as they posed in the garden, some people chided Ecclestone for sharing the image publicly. “Good god why can’t you just keep these moments between you and your daughter private? She’s going to hate you for it when she’s older. (sic).” This is exactly the kind of opinion and sentiment Ivens wants to change.
With her ethereal portraits, which exude maternal bliss, the Illinois-based artist hopes her photographs and book will inspire people to be less critical and more supportive of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
Read more about Beautiful Mothers. And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Wellness, Impact, Nature/Science, Food, Arts/Design, and Travel, Daily Fix posts.
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