Image: Holding Emmanuelle (2008)
These are a spectacular series of photos, called Born by Israeli-American photographer, Elinor Carucci about her experience of pregnancy and motherhood. Is there a mother alive who does not recognise the moment above?
And the one below? Come over here and apologize! (2010).
“Like many women, motherhood really took over me,” she explains. “It was very much about me being a mother and [the] strong, unusual bond with the kids. Even though Eran really helped me—he’s a big part of my work technically and conceptually—I felt it was more about me and the kids, the three of us as one unit.”
Her children are now school age and Carucci continues to record their lives (an image from her more recent work on the right). “I am still photographing the kids, but it is in a different stage. Some of the images I am working on now have been shot outside. I moved outside because they’re moving away from me. I am following them into America.”
Carucci has a monograph called Mother coming out in 2013-14 that will show nine years of her motherhood/childhood work with her children. It is on my wish list.
blue milk 
The first time I was allowed to go to the toilet by myself was so wonderful. Even now I can’t always rely on having that time to myself. But then again we are a pretty easy going family like that. If the person on the loo leans forward a bit you can talk to the person still lying in bed trying to avoid waking up completely yet. We have many conversations this way.
Wow, that is absolutely going on my wishlist. I recognize pieces of myself in both of those photos, and can only imagine how penetrating the rest of them will be.
We’re just now getting to the point where I might be able to have a go in peace. It depends on how clingy Gemini is feeling, and if one is in there they both are. (And then they squabble, and I am really done refereeing matches from the toilet.)
I nursed Lanoy on the toilet because she was a wreck, even while I was babywearing her! She was *that* hungry so a a mama does what a mama has to.
I still occasionally nurse on the toilet! (and wash my hands immediately of course) aah things we do while breastfeeding 😉
I have never, and will never go to the toilet with a child on my lap! Is everyone else doing this?????
Yep, done it while breastfeeding or with baby in front pack, or both!
,i had gastro… child bucket on lap whole day on loo.o.o.o.o.o.o
Ha! I’ve done that, usually with a baby carrier involved. I’ve also handed the baby to people I barely knew (at synagogue, so a pretty safe and parent/grandparent-heavy environment) so I could go pee all by myself.
Yes, we are. (Well I did anyway). I truly believe my kids stopped wearing nappies at 13, 11 and 16 months respectively because they knew ” the business”. No training, just modelling seen behavior. It wasn’t planned, I hated it but in hindsight am glad I got something out of it. No toilet training, they did it all themselves.
It looks very familiar, but my undies are probably less respectable.
Yes indeed.
instantly upon reading the words Going to the toilet with a small child on MY lap then seeing the photo…
ah!!! the memories 🙂
and I distinctly remember wondering how in hell was I going to stand then pull my pants up with both arms full ???
lol
and there was NO WAY i was going to risk putting her down even for a second after spending the last couple of hours trying to get her to settle.
This was my reality nearly every middle of the night for several weeks of recent night weaning so as not to wake everyone else up. Oh pulling the panties back up is always so tough!
Whahahahahahaha!
Now I imagine I may have done it with a baby carrier – but I am FAR more likely to be like Jenny F. and hand the baby over to a stranger and go by myself.
Am off to mark essays while laughing at all of you (us).
xo
Cat
been there.
[…] (Photo by Elinor Carucci via BlueMilk) […]