A childbirth photographer is heartbroken after her Instagram account was banned.
Through Elle Wickens page Earth Babes, she shares incredible photos of newborns and women breastfeeding and giving birth.
Last week, however, she was shocked to learn that her account had been removed.
The Blue Mountains-based photographer wrote: “Having my page deactivated has shaken not only my love for Instagram but my faith in community.”
“Why must women struggle to be seen, why can’t you see us for what we are, powerful, wild, loving humans.”
“Why is it okay for our bodies to be seen as a sexual object but not for what we truly are.”
“I created earth.babes to show the world and other women the beauty and power of birth.”
Pic: earth.babes
It took 24 hours for her page to reactivated, she told Daily Mail, and she had to appeal to Instagram twice before it got back up and running.
She told Daily Mail that she instead received a generic message from Instagram saying her page wasn’t compliant with their community guidelines – which they stipulate as no nudity being allowed, expect for “photos of mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding”.
Pic: earth.babes
According to Ellen, Instagram wrote to her in an email saying that her page was taken down by ‘accident’.
When she shared her back and forth with the social media site with her near 7,000 followers, she was blown away by the level of support she got.
Pic: earth.babes
“It seemed to start this uprising of women who felt that way,” she said.
Elle has been a photographer for two years now and believes that “Showing people the truth about birth I think is something that could help the world.”
“It’s honestly electric in a birthing room, it’s beautiful,” she said.
“There’s so much support, power and love you can just feel it.
Trending video: Family Feud’s funniest moments
