Packer Family Photography / Via Facebook: packerfamilyphotography

Baby Is Pictured With the 1,616 IVF Needles It Took to Conceive Her

A couple shows the internet how difficult it was for them to conceive with one striking image.

Painful Process

Unsplash | Solen Feyissa

Starting a family can be a lengthy and painful process for many couples, a fact that is often ignored in favor of adorable birth announcements and social media posts.

One couple, Patricia and Kimberly O'Neill, wanted a way to show people the hardship that can come with trying to conceive.

"1,616 IVF Needles"

Packer Family Photography / Via Facebook: packerfamilyphotography

After the birth of their daughter, London, the O'Neills commissioned a photo of the newborn with all 1,616 IVF needles it took for Patricia to conceive. All of the syringes were meticulously recapped, London comfortably swaddled, and her moms were both right beside her the whole time.

"Save The Needles"

Unsplash | Anna Pritchard

Patricia explained to Buzzfeed that the image had been in the back of their minds through the entire process: "Kimberly decided as soon as I started shots that she would save the needles and that we would do a photo at the end of our journey. I never anticipated there would be so many needles."

"4 Years, 7 Attempts, 3 Miscarriages, And 1,616 Shots"

Packer Family Photography / Via Facebook: packerfamilyphotography

Samantha Packer of Packer Family Photography captured the image and shared it on Facebook with the caption, "This is the first time I have been asked to do a photo like this! I was honored and wanted to create something special!
Mom said, '4 years, 7 attempts, 3 miscarriages and 1,616 shots.'"

Overwhelming

Unsplash | Adrien Olichon

Patricia explained to CNN that the whole process can feel very overwhelming, so she hoped that the photo helped people realize that they aren't alone. "I hope that there’s a couple out there that’s going through what we are that can see that there’s hope at the end of the tunnel. There’s a light and you just have to get there.”

Filed Under: