Andrew and Amanda were ecstatic to welcome their first child into the world, but their elation quickly turned to devastation when baby Klayton passed away shortly after his delivery. Their doctor, Bryan Hodges, cried right along with the shattered couple.
Three months later, Amanda was pregnant again with another boy. This time, she was just as terrified as she was excited. She couldn't bear the thought of losing another child.
The couple invited photographer Sarah Ledford back into the delivery room to capture the birth of their "rainbow baby." A rainbow baby is a baby who is born following a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or infant loss. Count The Kicks says, "The rainbow is more appreciated having just experienced the storm in comparison."
Amanda delivered a happy, healthy rainbow baby named Karson — and that's when Sarah captured a photo that quickly went viral. Andrew celebrated the birth of his son by tearfully embracing Bryan Hodges, the same doctor who delivered Klayton.
Scroll down to see the viral photo that represents joy and relief for the parents and their doctor…
Less than a year before Karson was born, Andrew and Amanda's first son, Klayton, died shortly after birth.
It was a bag of mixed emotions to learn she was pregnant again, but all Amanda and Andrew could do was hope and pray.
The expecting couple hired a local photographer named Sarah for Karson's birth. Their doctor was the same doctor who delivered Klayton and had experienced the immense loss nearly a year before.
The photo above is from the birth of their miracle "Rainbow Baby" when Dad and Dr. Hodges embraced and cried. The powerful image went viral on Sarah's Facebook page with tens of thousands of shares.
"That is still the umbilical cord in the doc's hands to tell you how immediately this happened after delivery," Sarah says.
"I looked back at Dr. Hodges and I saw how relieved he was, too, and I couldn't help it, I just had to give him a hug," Andrew told USA Today. "It just felt right."
A "Rainbow Baby" is a baby that is born following a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or infant loss.
The photo on top shows seven pregnant women who suffered miscarriages with colors of the rainbow painted on their bellies.
The bottom part of the photo shows the mothers with their healthy children, wearing those same colors.
More mothers across the world are taking to social media to share pictures of their rainbow babies, and to tell their stories.
It's a wonderful way to spread awareness about the pain of losing an infant, and also to bring hope to other mothers everywhere.
It's wonderful that Sarah was invited back into the delivery room to capture the birth of this beautiful rainbow baby. Please SHARE this truly inspiring story with your friends on Facebook.
