Couple's Breathtaking Maternity Photos Capture the Power of Love

Jillian Babbel Mendioro and her wife, Tara, are getting ready to welcome their second baby into their family, but the steps they are taking to prepare are different from most. Although Jillian and Tara are married, after Tara gave birth to their first baby and named Jillian on the birth certificate, Jillian still had to legally adopt the baby boy as a precaution. Now that Jillian is pregnant with their second child, Tara is preparing to do the same thing.

According to the National Center For Lesbian Rights, having your name on the birth certificate does not guarantee protections if your legal parentage is challenged in court. "Being married to a birth parent does not automatically mean your parental rights will be fully respected if they are ever challenged. There is no way to guarantee that your parental rights will be respected by a court unless you have an adoption or court judgment," they advise on their website. "Without this, you could lose any right to your child if something happens to the other parent or if you break up."

Instead of being deterred by the political climate during the last month of her pregnancy, this beautiful family is savoring their love and sharing it with everyone as they fight for their rights. "One of my favorite ways to resist is by being super out and showing how beautiful and normal queer families are," Jillian wrote on the Pantsuit Nation Facebook page. "Even when it feels like there's nothing I can do, I remember that by being out in everyday life, online, at work, I am resisting."