Ever seen a baby born in its own bubble? It’s as magical as it sounds. The birth of a baby is extremely special, no matter how many babies are born in an hour, each one of those births will make you feel all feels. It is a moment full of joy and we’re lucky if we are able to capture that moment into a photo!
In the world of childbirth, there’s one rare moment that leaves even the most experienced midwives speechless: when a baby is born en caul – still inside their unbroken amniotic sac. Often described as “mermaid births” or “veiled births,” these incredibly rare deliveries offer a glimpse into the womb that most of us never get to see.
En caul births are considered to be rare as it only happens to 1 in 80,000 births.
So, what does it look like when a tiny human enters the world still nestled in their fluid-filled cocoon? Grab a cuppa and prepare to be awestruck.
Baby Anabelle’s mum posted the photo on her instagram account with the caption: “Annabelle Burow was born February 21st at 8:05am via c-section. Sometimes we get to caught up in the excitement and forget to take a step back and realize the miracle of birth itself. We are completely in awe and I can tell you nothing- no moment can top hearing my babies cry for the first time, no moment can top the first time they were placed in my arms. Babies are such a blessing, such a gift and forever a miracle.”
“It was one of the most beautiful things to see! As a birth photographer, speaking for myself it was on my bucket list to see an en caul birth. Statistics show that en caul births occur fewer than 1 in every 80,000 births,” All Things Baby Photography wrote on their blog post.
These home water birth photos were captured by Jessica Peterson of One Tree Photography.
Baby Josh was born on November 15th of year 2006 via c-section still fully encased in the amniotic sac. He grew up to be a really healthy boy!
Captured in this photo is a baby girl who was born with her amniotic sac. Captured by Denver Birth Photography
Another breathtaking photo (or photos) of an En caul birth and this time of a twin! This photo was captured by Leilani Rogers of photosbylei.com. Read about the story here.
Photographer Desiree Chapman captured a rare moment of a baby boy being born En caul. The amniotic sac was not broken until after the baby came out. Such a special moment and everyone who was there to witness it would say the same!
This photo is of a baby born En caul and the membrane is being peeled off the newborn baby.. The photographer, Lynsey Stone, was able to capture that moment!
This photo is described as magical in a post by CafeMom… Giving birth is truly magical and the way this baby is soo calm and relaxed when born in his amniotic sac is just heart warming!
After 8 hours of labour and 30 minutes of trying to push her baby out, Lisa gave birth to Baby Juniper! This photo was captured by Santa Cruz Birth Photography.
A rare moment was captured in this photo: a mother gave birth in the car on the way to the hospital and the baby came out while still in the amniotic sac .. “I did rub his face with my finger through the sac and he moved his hands and feet up to his face. That’s when we knew he was okay,” mum Raelin Scurry tells CafeMom. Such an amazing story!
This photo by Robin Baker of Birth of Blessings Photography captures a rare photo of twins being born at home… And the best part is, baby number two comes out En caul…Read more about the story written on Buzzfeed.
What Makes En Caul Births So Special?
- Rare and revered: Fewer than 1 in 80,000 births are en caul.
- Safe and natural: While dramatic in appearance, they’re generally safe and often happen during C-sections.
- Symbolic beginnings: Many cultures believe babies born in the sac are destined for greatness, protected by nature herself.
Got goosebumps? Us too.
Birth is messy, raw, powerful – but every now and then, it’s also completely magical. These en caul births remind us just how wondrous our bodies are. Whether you’ve had children or just marvel at life’s miracles, these images stay with you. Have you seen an en caul birth before? Share your thoughts or stories in the comments – we’d love to hear from you. Let’s celebrate birth in all its forms. Because every entrance into the world is a masterpiece.
Is there a way we can get this in American measurements as well? Maybe a button for conversion?