Woman’s colorful maternity photo spreads message of loss, hope

Woman’s colorful maternity photo spreads message of loss, hope

(JoAnn Marrero, Facebook)


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HARTFORD, Conn. — One woman’s maternity photo is serving as a bright glimmer of hope to thousands of mothers who’ve felt the heartbreak of pregnancy loss.

Jessica Mahoney first experienced the joy of motherhood four years ago when she gave birth to her son Corbin, according to Today. But that joy was dampened by excruciating pain when she suffered six miscarriages in her attempt to have a second baby.

Adding insult to injury, doctors couldn’t find a reason for her pregnancy losses.

“We went to a fertility specialist, and they did all the genetic testing, but they couldn’t explain it,” Kevin Mahoney, Jessica’s husband, told Today. “They couldn’t find anything wrong with either of us.”

It came to the point where the Mahoneys felt they couldn’t keep trying, so they began to pursue adoption. And then, just when hope seemed lost, they got a positive pregnancy test — a baby would be coming in November.

Jessica — a pediatric nurse — made it past her first trimester and watched her belly grow through her second. Kevin Mahoney wanted to do something special for his wife — something that would capture the beauty of this pregnancy they’d waited and suffered so patiently to experience.

He turned to their neighbor — From Labor to Love photographer JoAnn Marrero — for help.

After exchanging several emails with Jessica, Marrero hatched a plan to incorporate colored smoke bombs into a maternity photo shoot to honor the couple’s “rainbow baby” — a term often used to describe children who come to couples who’ve experienced the heartbreak of miscarriage or infant loss.

“Jess wanted something rainbow-inspired because of the many fertility struggles she and Kevin had encountered, and so I knew I had to do something extra special for her family,” Marrero told Today. “My vision for part of their session was to create our own rainbow.”

Marrero called upon her mentor — Mary Maloney — to help her create the magic. Maloney — who suffered a miscarriage before having her three children — felt a connection to Jessica and her story, and worked to ensure the final product was nothing short of perfection.

“I was very inspired by Jess’s fellow loss and wanted nothing more than to rock this image out for her,” she told Today. “I can understand how much hurt comes along with such a loss.”

Perfection doesn’t come without a few hiccups — the smoke bombs ultimately left Mahoney and her photographers covered in colorful dust.

“It was as if we were shooting a Skittles commercial, but sweeter,” Marrero told Today. “So very worth every single moment.”

The end result shows Mahoney cradling her growing belly and looking to the sky, as a rainbow of smoke rises up behind her. The image — posted to the Birth Without Fear Facebook page — has more than 11,000 likes and over a thousand shares. Hundreds of women have commented with their own stories of loss, heartache and personal battles.

“Breathtaking picture and amazing story of will and determination and a mother’s unending love,” wrote one commenter.

“Going for a third IVF in Nov 2016,” wrote another. “(This) will be my 18th pregnancy if it takes. I have not delivered as of yet … Hoping for my rainbow baby.”

The Mahoneys are anxious to meet their sweet baby soon, but Kevin told Today his wife still carries the burden of the six they’ve lost.

“She still thinks anything could happen,” he said. “After you go through so many losses, you feel that way. You never know. But we are starting to feel safe.”

Marrero told Huffington Post she feels honored to have played a small part in the family’s joy.

“It was both exciting and insane to see this lovely portrait go viral and not just for Mary and I, but for the family who had felt so many losses prior to this pregnancy,” she said.


Jessica Ivins

About the Author: Jessica Ivins

Jessica Ivins has three loves: her family, donuts and the news. She's been producing, writing and editing for KSL for more than 8 years and doesn't plan to stop until she's 90. Jessica spends her free time running, eating and hiking her way through Seattle, where she lives with her husband and three children.

“Jess wanted something rainbow-inspired because of the many fertility struggles she and Kevin had encountered, and so I knew I had to do something extra special for her family,” Marrero told Today. “My vision for part of their session was to create our own rainbow.”

Marrero called upon her mentor — Mary Maloney — to help her create the magic. Maloney — who suffered a miscarriage before having her three children — felt a connection to Jessica and her story, and worked to ensure the final product was nothing short of perfection.

“I was very inspired by Jess’s fellow loss and wanted nothing more than to rock this image out for her,” she told Today. “I can understand how much hurt comes along with such a loss.”

Perfection doesn’t come without a few hiccups — the smoke bombs ultimately left Mahoney and her photographers covered in colorful dust.

“It was as if we were shooting a Skittles commercial, but sweeter,” Marrero told Today. “So very worth every single moment.”

The end result shows Mahoney cradling her growing belly and looking to the sky, as a rainbow of smoke rises up behind her. The image — posted to the Birth Without Fear Facebook page — has more than 11,000 likes and over a thousand shares. Hundreds of women have commented with their own stories of loss, heartache and personal battles.

“Breathtaking picture and amazing story of will and determination and a mother’s unending love,” wrote one commenter.

“Going for a third IVF in Nov 2016,” wrote another. “(This) will be my 18th pregnancy if it takes. I have not delivered as of yet … Hoping for my rainbow baby.”

The Mahoneys are anxious to meet their sweet baby soon, but Kevin told Today his wife still carries the burden of the six they’ve lost.

“She still thinks anything could happen,” he said. “After you go through so many losses, you feel that way. You never know. But we are starting to feel safe.”

Marrero told Huffington Post she feels honored to have played a small part in the family’s joy.

“It was both exciting and insane to see this lovely portrait go viral and not just for Mary and I, but for the family who had felt so many losses prior to this pregnancy,” she said.


![Jessica Ivins](//img.ksl.com/slc/2598/259869/25986908\.jpg)
About the Author: Jessica Ivins -------------------------------

Jessica Ivins has three loves: her family, donuts and the news. She's been producing, writing and editing for KSL for more than 8 years and doesn't plan to stop until she's 90. Jessica spends her free time running, eating and hiking her way through Seattle, where she lives with her husband and three children.

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