A stunned dad has captured remarkable images of the moment his baby daughter was born - with her head still encased in her amniotic sac.
Nate Burow says nurses began "pointing" in excitement as his little girl, Annabelle, came into the world via C-section less than a fortnight ago.
The youngster was born, weighing 8lbs 5oz, with a caul - meaning the fluid-filled bag containing her in her mum Rachael's womb was still in tact.
Typically, this 'bubble', which is connected to the placenta and provides oxygen, bursts on its own during birth as the mother's 'waters break'.
But in Annabelle's case the portion of the sac around her head did not rupture - even when doctors made an incision as they delivered her.
An astonished Nate, 29, captured the one-in-80,000 moment on camera just moments after his daughter's 'bubble birth' on February 21.
Now, he and Rachael, 23, are celebrating Annabelle's healthy arrival - and say the fact she was born with a caul is the "cherry on top".
Nate, a digital optimisation specialist from Buffalo in New York, US, recalled: "Everything happened so fast.
"Rachael couldn't see what was going on because she was behind a curtain and a little drugged up, but I was on the other side watching the operation.
"As they started pulling things out of her stomach this bubble comes out, and at first I thought it was part of her insides.
"I knew it was weird because I had watched the C-section for my son 17 months earlier and I didn't see that.
"All of the nurses that were around helping the doctor were getting excited and pointing at it, but I was confused and I didn't know what I was looking at.
"I got a little scared because I couldn't tell if the nurses were reacting to something bad or good, so I looked over and was like, 'Oh my God, is everything OK?' "
He said one of the nurses then told him, "Quick, take a picture," as his daughter was born with her head in her amniotic sac.
"I pulled out the camera and snapped a few photos," he added.
"After that I went back with Rachael.
"I could tell she was out of it and wanted to reassure her.
"There was a lot of pushing and tugging and then she was out, just like that. I'm not sure if they sliced it open or pulled it over her.
"I'm so happy that I got the moment on camera. We are so happy to have her with us now and that was just the cherry on top."
Rachael has shared the amazing photos on her Instagram page, @astoldbymama, where she documents her journey through motherhood with Annabelle and her 17-month-old son Isaiah.
The As Told By Mama blogger and full-time mum said: "My doctor said this is super rare and it was definitely a surprise for us.
"I was taken aback when I saw the photos. It is completely amazing."
Little Annabelle was born at 8:05am.
The caul is a thin, filmy membrane, the amnion, that can cover a newborn's head and face immediately after birth, according to howstuffworks.
Babies can also be born 'en caul', where they emerge fully encased within the amniotic sac, which is filled with fluid in which the unborn baby floats and moves.
This fluid protects against infection and cushions the baby from bumps and injury, as well as providing them with fluids that they can breathe and swallow.
Superstition surrounds the rare phenomenon of 'en caul' births, with some cultures believing it is a mark of good luck.
