Chloé was born at 32 weeks.
This article originally appeared on November 6, 2015
Every single day, babies across the world are born prematurely, which means that they're born before 37 weeks of gestation.
In Canada, about 29,000 infants are born prematurely each year, roughly 1 in every 13. But in the United States, around 400,000 to 500,000 are born early. That's about 1 in every 8 to 10 babies born in the U.S.!
Red Méthot, a Canadian photographer and student, decided to capture the resilience of many of these kids for a school photography project.
He's the father of two prematurely born kids himself, so the topic is important to him.
"My son was born at 29 weeks and my daughter at 33 weeks," he told me in a phone interview. "These are the kind of pictures I would like to have seen when my first child was born — they've been through that, and they are great now."
Méthot said he knows not all preemie stories have a happy ending — one of his photos features a child whose twin passed away after they were born prematurely — but for so many kids who come early, they go on to experience a great life.
Meet several of the beautiful kids he photographed!
1. Lexiani, born at 25 weeks
Original. All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
2. Noah and Nathan, born at 32 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
3. Margot, born at 29 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
4. Thomas, born at 23 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
5. Samuel, born at 36 weeks, and his sister Alice, born at 27 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
6. Éva, born at 29 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
7. Charles, born at 26 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
8. Chloé, born at 32 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
9. Félix, born at 24 weeks
OriginalAll photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
10. Felix, born at 23 weeks, and his brother Alexis, born at almost 33 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
11. Noah, born at 32 weeks; his twin sister, Victoria (on the left in the framed picture), passed away when she was one month old
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
12. Juliette, born at 30 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
13. Léonard, born at 35 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
14. Olivier, born at 31 weeks, his sister Ariane, born at 33 weeks, and their brother Noah, born at 34 weeks.
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
15. Émile, born at 26 weeks
Orignal.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
16. Théo, born at 25 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
17. Charles-Antoine and Mara, born at 27 weeks
Original.All photos belong to Red Méthot, who gave me permission to share them here.
Méthot's school project originally consisted of 10 photos, but the reaction has been so positive and he's enjoyed taking them so much, he continued adding to the collection.
Currently, he has captured 50 images. (You can view them all in the album on his Facebook page!). Méthot told me that his favorite part of the project has been meeting the subjects.
"Each time I meet a new person, I [learn] about a new story," he said.
And I think we can all agree that Méthot is a wonderful storyteller through his photography. Between his photos showing the bright future so many premature babies have and his photo showing the loss, he captures reality beautifully.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.