A poignant photo series captures the deep emotional turmoil surrounding miscarriage and infertility, shedding light on the often unspoken struggles that many women face. While images of rainbow babies provide hope for those who have lost pregnancies, what about the women who are not actively trying to conceive but still grapple with the complex emotions associated with loss?
After experiencing three miscarriages and undergoing six months of fertility treatment without success, Sarah Thompson found herself facing IVF as her last opportunity to carry a pregnancy. Overwhelmed with grief, she sought a way to articulate her feelings before deciding on her next steps toward motherhood. This led her to connect with Las Vegas-based photographer Emily Reed of Reed Photography, who was eager to document Sarah’s journey through a heartfelt photo session.
Emily, who is a mother of two, deeply resonated with Sarah’s pain. Having always envisioned a larger family, she faced her own challenges when trying for a third child. After two healthy pregnancies, she suffered a miscarriage, leading to a series of tests that revealed she had PCOS. “The doctors were baffled, and that added to the confusion,” she recalls. “Though I only had one miscarriage, the emotional weight remains with me.”
The collaboration for the photos was born from a shared understanding of loss. “When Sarah first approached me, I reflected on my own experiences and the emotional whirlwind that comes with miscarriage,” Emily explains. “I likened it to a tornado—there are so many conflicting feelings, and sometimes you feel completely lost.”
In her journey, Sarah has come to view the poppy as a symbol of her experiences, since baby books often describe a four-week-old pregnancy as being the size of a poppy seed. All her pregnancies ended in early losses, and she has created a blog called Beyond the Poppyseed to discuss her struggles with infertility and miscarriage openly.
Emily hopes the images will provide insight into the emotional landscape of miscarriage. “People often don’t understand the pain until they experience it themselves,” she says. “Well-meaning comments can sometimes be hurtful, and many women feel a profound sense of shame and isolation after facing such losses. What they need is support, not unsolicited advice.”
One of the photos beautifully juxtaposes Sarah’s poppy symbol with a rainbow, representing her longing for a rainbow baby. The photo shoot proved to be an emotional journey for both women, often filled with moments of silence and reflection. “There were times I found myself crying during the shoot and even more so while editing the images,” Emily confides. “It was both therapeutic and heartbreaking. I believe this work is my calling, even when the stories are difficult to tell.”
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In summary, the emotional journey through pregnancy loss and infertility is complex and deeply personal. Through powerful photography, these stories of struggle and hope are shared, fostering understanding and support for those affected.