Good Luck Not Crying Over These 18 Wild & Beautiful #BirthPhotos On Instagram

In this awesome moment photographed by Lauren Jolly, Winston Salem birth photographer, blogger Nancy Ray finds out shortly after giving birth that the baby she'd thought was a girl... is actually a bouncing little boy.

"Nancy exclaimed, 'What is THAT? Is this a boy baby?!' [Nancy's husband] immediately double checked and fell to his knees. We were all in shock and couldn't stop laughing," Jolly tells Romper.

Just after giving birth to her precious rainbow baby, mom Justine Zampogna kisses her partner with their newborn between them. So many emotions come with finally holding the long-awaited little one; no wonder we reach out to hug or kiss our partners. The birthing staff surrounding them witnesses the intimate moment, which was shot by Jessica Newton of Home Grown Photography, based in Perth, Australia.

In an instance of calm before the big occasion, artist Emily Rose McDonald labors in a serene birthing pool to bring her baby into the world. I loved seeing the wisps escaping from the French braid keeping her hair out of her face. Her right hand, splayed steadily to her side, is the only hint of the strain her body is going through.

Nicole Burron, an astrologist and palm reader, flashes a gorgeous, tired smile as she clutches her wee one to her chest. Her son, fresh from the womb, is covered in vernix and just getting used to feeling his mother's skin against his own. But the tear-jerker in this photo might be the way her husband's finger slipped into the baby's hand to say hello.

Mom Leah T. receives her new son Jack as birth workers carefully place him in her arms. Everything changes in that breathless second. The perspective from a mother's-eye view gives us a chance to notice how excited doctors and nurses can be to see our new additions, too.

New mom Ashley and her partner peek in wonder at their bundle of joy just minutes after baby's arrival. After spending so long wondering what (and who) they will look like, it's trippy to finally see that tiny face. The whole world shifts in that moment.

Nurse practitioner Brittany Anderson leans forward during labor in a second of intense concentration. With her hair pulled up into a wavy ponytail cascading against her neck, she looks like she's harnessing the strength she needs to push through to the finish line. Sometimes it's the photos of mothers still and tense that remind us most of how powerful we can be during childbirth.

I admit my eyes got a little misty at the sight of Ashley Tu'avao snuggling her daughter against her cheeks. One hand firmly holds the newborn against her and the other hand gently grasps the baby's little fingers. With their eyes closed, they soak in each other's presence.

Photographer and mother Elizabeth Berghuis focuses her energy on pushing as fellow photog Annica Quakenbush is behind the shutter. The physicality in this photo socks you in the gut: the way Elizabeth tucks her chin into her chest, drawing her knees toward her face, her mouth pressed tightly. Her laser focus is something to behold.

The delightful, surprised face on Heather Grimm highlights the wonder at the end of labor. You push and push, and before you realize it, you have a miracle in your hands. Great reward for all that hard work! Photograph by Kali Norton.

Birth photographer Monet Moutrie took a wonderful image of a mama gazing into her baby's face for the first time. Even though the photo features mom, baby, and other supportive faces, I couldn't help but notice all the literal helping hands outstretched. Birth can be such a team sport.

I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.

What an incredible shot by Jen Pierce, representing the flood of relief many new moms experience when at last we can throw our heads back in release. The pressure has eased. Childbirth is over, but a new journey has begun.

A couple seems to "dance" their way through labor, leaning their heads against each other. This photo, taken by Samantha of Sabel Moments, demonstrates how it can also take two to tango when it comes to birth. Mom is in good hands.

A war of emotions — happiness, relief, tenderness — plays out on the face of a mother bringing her newborn into the world. She rests against an equally joyous partner, whose smile is waiting to greet the little one. Rowan Steiner of Salt City Birth & Newborn Photography recorded this touching occasion.

Bracing against her knee in pain and concentration, this laboring mom holds her birth supporter's hand in a shot by Milk and Hannah photographer Hannah Spencer. You can see the effort etched on her face; her whole body is working toward the monumental goal of bringing a baby into the world. Mamas are amazing.

And then sometimes the only thing you can do when it's over is cry, as photographer Colleen Creehan's work shows us. Birth is incredibly intense, requiring both mental and emotional energy to get through it. We deserve a good bawl after all that.

Among my favorite #birthphotos are ones that depict all the creative ways mamas give birth, like this one by Brisbane-based photographer Angie Peterson. Whether that looks like kneeling, squatting, or lying on your back, it's all about whatever makes mom feel comfortable and confident. It's amazing to have the opportunity to reach down and pull your infant up.