Mother's Love

This image is of a mother and her young infant. My research involved a case study of this family outlining the unusual circumstances surrounding their care. Early in this mother’s pregnancy, she learned that the infant had a large omphalocele, which is a life-threatening abdominal wall defect. Much of the infant’s abdominal contents were contained outside his body in a sac formed by his umbilical cord. Standard treatment for this condition typically involves immediate surgical intervention. This mother searched for other options, and advocated for a conservative approach to his care. Instead of surgery, he had serial dressing changes, which eased the abdominal contents gradually into his abdomen. This is an important image because it represents the advocacy of a mother for her infant. Her proactive efforts to search for the best care for her infant resulted in an optimal outcome. Additionally, this image symbolizes the importance of support for family-centered care, a family’s right to explore all potential care and treatment options, and the importance of palliative care for the fetus and newborn. This photo was taken when the infant was two weeks old, just after a breastfeeding session.