When photographer Jessica Bender‘s friend, Carly Bird, gave birth to her first child, it was via emergency C-section after four very long days of labor. So when it came time to deliver her second child, Carly was far more ready. She had chosen a date, prepared herself, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. That was until her husband had to have emergency surgery the day of the scheduled C-section. But that’s when Jessica got the call.

This time around, the British Columbia-based photographer would be in the room with her friend and with a camera in-hand. And as baby Elias was born, Jessica snapped away, showing us all just how beautiful C-section births can be.

Yes, beautiful.

It’s not a word that’s often used to describe C-sections, which tend to increase anxiety in expecting women. In fact, in a 2014 study completed by the Taipei Medical University, women who had chosen to undergo a C-section were more likely to be fearful of the procedure, have less confidence before the birth, and lose sleep in anticipation.

But if a C-section is on the agenda, women don’t have to be afraid. With medical developments, C-sections are safe for both mom and baby, and Jessica Bender wants to show moms … they can be beautiful.

Take a look below at some of Jessica’s best shots throughout the delivery.

Picture 10 will bring tears to your eyes! Which one is your favorite?

Image via Jessica Bender Photography

One Calm Mama

“I remember the anticipation of this moment,” says Jessica. “She was so calm and happy and just wanted to finally meet her baby. That’s all she wanted.”

We Have a Baby!

Just five minutes into the procedure, the baby arrived.

And It’s a Boy!

Unlike most other C-section room plus ones, Jessica actually peeked over the curtain to witness the moment. “The nurses were so friendly and accommodating to me,” she says. “It’s not often that they have people who actually want to see the whole process, but I thought it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. One minute I’m looking at her belly, and five minutes later, there’s a baby!”

Baby Elias

Carly and Nate decided to name their baby boy Elias!

Welcome to the World, Elias!

And just like that, Elias was here. “I just started snapping away at this point,” Jessica recalls. “I’ve been present at other births and I’ve had two of my own, but each time you see a baby being born, it’s an amazing moment. It’s real!”

Back to Work

And the doctors? Amazing. “It’s so cool to see somebody that confident in their job,” Jessica says. “They worked so well, and it all went smoothly.”

Baby & Nurses

Time for clean-up for baby Elias.

Happy Mama

“As much as this birth is different, it’s not really that different,” says Jessica. “I think it’s normal to feel scared because most people don’t plan it, but I think it’s important for it to be normalized. It’s just another way that a baby comes into this world. It’s beautiful and it’s special and it doesn’t have to be scary.”

Take one look at Carly, and fear is the last thing you see.

Happy Baby

Just … perfect.

Mom, Meet Baby

This, Jessica says, is her favorite moment of the day. That’s her, holding Elias, and showing him off to Mom. The best part? It’s completely candid. “I had put my camera down, and it wasn’t until I was looking at photos later that I realized that the nurse had picked up my camera and snapped this shot,” she says. “At this point, I was totally in friend mode and with Carly, and photos just didn’t matter.”

Behind the Curtain

“Women who have C-sections often don’t get to see the birth,” says Jessica. “When you have a vaginal delivery, you have a front-row seat. But with a C-section, there’s a literal distance, and that’s something I really wanted to show in these photographs. I think photos are a great way to bridge that so moms can see what happened over the curtain.”

Mom & Baby Bonding Time

“Carly meeting her baby is just like any other mother meeting her baby for the first time,” says Jessica. “They immediately fell in love.”

Baby Feet

Ten little piggies accounted for!

Taking a Peek

What gorgeous peepers!

Meeting the Family

“The more images people see of C-section deliveries, especially where people aren’t scared, aren’t crying, and are in control, it would help people to not have so much fear,” says Jessica. And that’s what she hopes this project accomplishes.