Mother Assisted Cesarean Photography
I am Inge Berken, a birth photographer from the Netherlands, specialized in planned cesarean section photography since 2005. Over the past years, I have had the rare privilege of documenting more than 40 Mother Assisted Cesarean births.
That is not a number I take lightly.
What is a Mother Assisted Cesarean?
A Mother Assisted Cesarean — also known as MAC or maternal-assisted cesarean — is a form of cesarean birth in which the mother herself lifts her baby out of the womb, guided by the surgical team. The sterile drape is lowered, and the moment of birth is literally placed back into the mother's hands.
The MAC was developed in the Netherlands by gynecologist Koen Deurloo (Diakonessenhuis Utrecht, 2017). Since then, it has gradually gained recognition in hospitals across Europe, Australia, the United States and beyond.
It is not a simulation of a natural birth. It is a surgical procedure. But it is also something profoundly different from a traditional cesarean , a moment of agency, of connection, of a mother actively welcoming her child into the world.
Why photograph a MAC?
A Mother Assisted Cesarean happens fast. Faster than most people anticipate. And in that speed, moments pass that are unlike anything else in birth photography.
The mother's hands reaching down. The first touch. The look on her face as she realizes what she is holding.
These are moments that deserve to be preserved, not just remembered, but seen.
As a photographer, I do not simply document what happens. I capture what it means. Having witnessed more than 37 MAC births, I understand the rhythm of this procedure, the emotional weight of each stage, and exactly where to be — and where not to be — in the operating room.
A cesarean is a birth. An extraordinary one.
Women who choose a MAC often carry a complex history. A previous traumatic birth. A medical necessity. A decision made with care and courage. The MAC offers something that a traditional cesarean does not: an active role. A moment of participation in a birth that might otherwise feel like something that happens to you, rather than something you do.
I have watched women transform in that moment. And I have been honored to photograph it — with discretion, with respect, and with full cooperation of the medical team.
Co-creator of MACAZINE
Together with gynecologist Koen Deurloo, I am the co-creator of MACAZINE — the first online magazine dedicated entirely to the Mother Assisted Cesarean. MACAZINE brings together medical expertise, personal stories, and photography to inform and inspire parents and healthcare providers around the world.
Available internationally
I am based in the Netherlands, where the MAC was developed and where I have built years of experience in operating rooms across the country. I am open to international assignments for MAC documentation — whether for families, hospitals, or medical education purposes.
If you are expecting a MAC birth, or if you are a healthcare provider interested in visual documentation of this procedure, I would love to hear from you.
Inge Berken — Birth photographer specialized in planned cesarean and Mother Assisted Cesarean (MAC) photography | The Netherlands | Since 2005
