One of the biggest and just about only regrets I have about my births is that I didn’t have a birth photographer at any of them. I hired one for my last birth, but things happened so fast she wasn’t able to make it. Hardly anyone made it to that birth in time.
I love working with birth photographers, and I really wanted to have one for my births. I wanted to have a record of the wonderfully hard work I was doing bringing my babies into this world, and I didn’t want to have to rely on my horrible memory. I know everyone has different reasons for hiring birth photographers, so I asked around to see what people had to say. Here are ten reasons to hire a birth photographer.
1. To preserve one of the most special days of your life
“People hire wedding photographers so they can capture the moments of one of the best days of their lives. I think birth photography is the same concept. A birth is full of love, and it’s something for which you’ve been hoping and planning for months. It all becomes such a blur, and being able to look back at that beautiful day in photos is a priceless gift.”
Meagan Bender, Houston Birth Boot Camp Doula
“I got a birth photographer because the births of my children are the most important moments of my life and I needed to have those moments forever. Everybody plans their wedding for months and get a photographer. To me, the births of my children were even more important than my wedding.”
Elsa G., Keen Doula Care client
Birth Photographer: Ethan Avery Photography, Houston, TX
2. To capture all of the amazing moments in birth
“There are so many beautiful moments in birth. The love. The strength. The power. Those moments should be captured. When I was pregnant with my first baby, my midwife encouraged us to video and photograph our birth. She told me that I never have to look at them, but I want to I have them. She was right. I have a million times. Those photos are so special to me.”
Cheryl Amelang, Katy Birth Boot Camp Instructor
3. To be able to share your child’s birth with them
“I love my husband and love our wedding day. But hands down, my birth photos and video are my biggest prized possessions. I cherish them. My kids love being able to watch the videos and see their pictures. Those moments are so special.”
Andrea Felton Brannock, Forth Worth Birth Boot Camp Instructor, Doula, and Instructor Trainer
4. To fill in the blanks of your memory
“So much of labor I had my eyes closed. After my first I wished I had pictures to fill in the blanks of my memory from when I was so internally focused I didn’t know what was happening. With my second we had pictures, and it was so special to see how my husband was supporting me even when I wasn’t physically needing him that moment. It helped me to better remember the timeline of my labor and birth. It’s absolutely worth the investment!”
Rebekah Lewis, North Central Texas Birth Boot Camp Doula
5. To capture the love of your support team
“Birth is beautiful and magical and when I’m in labor, I’m not able to fully appreciate the beauty until Baby is in my arms. I wanted a photographer to capture some of the hardest work I’ll ever do. I also wanted to capture some of what my hard working birth team was up to. I’m a little busy while laboring and not capable of fully appreciating the love and care they are so generously giving to a laboring woman.”
Melissa N., Keen Doula Care client
Birth Photographer: Joanna Booth Photography, Houston, TX
6. There may not be time for anyone else to take pictures
“If you have a fast birth, you may not have time to get photos or for your doula to get photos. We left the good camera at home due to a fast birth and rushing out the door. It’s nice to have someone there who only has one job and has expertise in capturing these moments (even in dim lighting).”
Andrea Powell, Houston Birth Boot Camp Instructor
7. To see how you REALLY look during birth
“I feel like moms have screaming and panic in their heads when they give birth – and when they see the photography, they can see what the rest of us see – the peaceful, calm, controlled woman that gave birth to their baby.”
Beth Dickerson, Dallas Birth Boot Camp Doula
8. To ensure you receive good quality pictures and videos
“If you want photos of your baby’s birth, you need to hire a birth photographer. Your husband, your doula, and your friend who is a photographer are all poorly suited for this job.
Dad’s priority is to support mom and be present for the birth of his child – being behind the lens inhibits both of those responsibilities.
Your doula, especially in a fast birth, may not be able to take birth photos.
A photographer who is not familiar with on-call life may leave you to go to work, or care for a sick child. If they are not familiar with birth, they can add tension and fear to your birth space.
A birth photographer is worth their weight in gold. And they charge accordingly. Ask if they have on-call childcare, a backup photographer, and backup equipment. Ask to see their portfolio – it should include and entire birth.
Jillian Hilton Blakeman, Birth Boot Camp Instructor and Instructor Trainer
9. So you won’t regret NOT hiring one later
“Literally, my biggest regret from my birth is not hiring a photographer. There were so many blanks and it happened so fast. I wish I could have had more to look back on when remembering my birth.”
Brooke Harralson, Keller Birth Boot Camp Doula
10. You’re meeting one of the loves of your life
“Because it’s rare to have the opportunity to capture meeting one of the loves of your life.”
Alexa Gumm, Atlanta Birth Boot Camp Instructor and Doula, Lead Birth Boot Camp Doula Trainer
Keen Doula Care 
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