Immigrant walked for 40 minutes towards a hospital, but did not arrive in time and gave birth on a public road.
Under the attentive eyes of his mother, while he slept, he was clicked in several poses by photographer Nilza Rejane, 53, in a studio in Gravataí, in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre.
The son of Haitian immigrants, the baby was born on a sidewalk in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. The 39-year-old mother, Judith Fleurissaint Baguidy, even walked for 40 minutes to get to the hospital, but she was late and had to give birth on the side of the road.
Photographer Nilza Rejane was moved when she heard about little Waldo’s story. The birth was assisted by police officers Luan and Luana, who were passing by at the time. “This story came up that touched my heart deeply. I saw the report of his birth on the sidewalk and I was very emotional. I thought: It’s him!“, says the photographer.
Upon learning of Waldo’s birth, she contacted the journalist who had reported on the situation and asked for the child’s parents’ phone number. Nilza wanted to do a newborn photo shoot for the baby. Free of charge, of course.
“I was in the studio and casually saw the article on the internet. Then I kept thinking to myself: ‘although it’s a beautiful scene, in a few years he could have another image of his birth”, says Nilza.
“I was moved by the story,” she declares.
Judith’s husband works in a bakery and couldn’t miss work. The mother, who works as a domestic but is on leave, accompanied the baby to the session, which started around 9 am and lasted until early afternoon.
“Judith, super anxious, spent the whole time by my side, worried about Waldo”, remembers the photographer.
She explains that the “Newborn” test is usually done in the first 10 days of life, which is when the baby has the deepest sleep and the body’s flexibility is greatest. Take a break between pictures to allow the mother to breastfeed and change the baby’s diaper. The infant that rules is rhythm.
“He’s an angel, I’m in love with him”, affectionately defines the photographer.
Judith gladly agreed to be shot with her son at the end of the shoot. The baby’s best moments will be collected in a 20-page photo album and given to the family.
“She speaks little Portuguese, she just said: ‘thank you’. And along with that ‘thank you’ she had a huge smile. She didn’t need to say anything else”, describes Nilza.
“Without words. Everyone congratulates the photos”, celebrates the Haitian, grateful.
