We set up a Facetime call with her and her husband. They were such wonderful people. We clicked right away. She asked about my doula services that I combine with birth photography. I explained how being a doulatog works. Turns out that was the service she and her husband wanted. Now, I am newly certified birth doula, but excited and passionate about this important service. If you are curious about what a birth doula does, I have a simple to read blog post explaining it here.

I met with them at their San Diego home as I would with all doula clients. We went over their birth desires and preferences. Some people call this a birth plan, but that tends to create unfulfilled wishes and disappointments. If you have a preference and desire, but keep an open mind if things go a different direction, then disappointment is lessened (generally speaking). We went over breathing techniques, talked about labor stages and what to expect. Practicing labor positions and how her partner was an integral part was also practiced. My job mostly was to teach him how to help her. We stayed together several hours talking about all types of things labor related and personal related.

Finally getting to the hospital

The day had arrived to induce labor. Since the hospital was so full, the date kept getting moved back. Finally at 11pm on August 18th, they were instructed to come in. I met them there at 1am or so and have to hand it to this woman. She did everything under the sun to bring this baby earthside. Her partner was the best as he never left her side.

The Pitocin Drip

They started pitocin soon after arriving at the hospital and slowly increased it over time. Many people think that induction means speeding up the process. While this can be true in some circumstances, more often it is a lengthy process. In this case it was very long.

Complete Exhaustion

Around the 30 hour mark, this warrior mother had had enough. The pain was too much, the labor had stalled and she was exhausted. The baby wasn’t tolerating the pitocin increases, yet without the increase her body wasn’t making the contractions it needed to.

A Cesarean Birth

At 8am she was taken back for a cesarean birth. She wanted it done. The exhaustion was overwhelming and she just wanted her baby girl.

Afterwards

They had a wonderfully happy baby girl and I am so proud of them. I have visited a couple times postpartum and she is amazing. Her parents are amazing and I am so blessed (a way overused word!) to have been part of this. If you would like to see there highlight real, you can find it here.

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A couple things may happen at this point. Either the prices are going to be there or you have to “contact” for the price list. Either way, you get your answer and you ARE BLOWN AWAY. Why on earth would birth photography be so expensive and in some cases rival that of wedding photography? This is the question I am here to answer, but before that, let me explain the why we do this work.

I am going to tell you we all have a passion for birth. We love it and if we could give it away, we would, because we believe it is that important. Alas, it is hard work and we need to feed our families and we need to charge accordingly.

On Call time

Imagine for a moment, someone asks you to photograph their wedding. They give you an approximate date, but tell you in could happen at anytime a couple weeks around that date so you have to be ready. Heck, the wedding can be in the middle of the night, so be ready! Don’t be sleeping the night away or out at a party skunked. It doesn’t matter if we are throwing a birthday party for our kids or it’s Christmas morning, when we get the call that the wedding is now, we must go. We are owned for the 2-3 weeks prior to an estimated date.

Challenging Lighting

Buckle up Buttercup, it’s going to be a dark ride! Ok, so we have grabbed our gear and snacks. We have placed our kids at a babysitter (who by the way are expensive since they are on call too) and rushed to the home/ birth center/ hospital only to see the lights so dim that one can barely make out the zipper on the camera bag.

Going back to the wedding scenario, not only do we not know when the wedding will be, but we will be asked to shoot in the dark, by dimmed light, those twinkle lights and then that dreaded ultra bright spot light doctors use during the delivery.

We, the photographers, need to know how our camera works. We don’t shoot in “AUTO” mode, we need to get creative with shutter, aperture and ISO. Most use full manual mode to create the beautiful images you see. If a flash is used, knowing how to use it is imperative. Most flashes are also in manual mode to burst the right amount of light for a given situation. This flash is bounced and never pointed directly at anyone especially a laboring mother or newborn. Flash is bounced from the ceiling, a side wall or even a wall behind us. We go through great pains for the laboring mother and those attending not to be aware of the flash.

Where do you think that knowledge comes from? For some, how to use a camera comes from schooling. For others, it’s self taught. Equally important is the camera equipment. The camera absolutely needs to be able to handle low light situations and the flash should have manual mode as well. The batteries within the flash should be lithium so each burst of light has the same power and consistency.

The walls might be painted a relaxing earthy green, a calming blue or a combination of colors. What’s the big deal you ask? Well, whether flash is used or not, the dreaded color cast on the birth pictures is a real concern.

Labor Can Be Quick or Take a Long Time

Ok, so we have arrived at the mystery wedding (your birth!), but we have no idea how long we will be there. Labor can be quick or take several hours. Birth photographers stay no matter how long. We aim to arrive when you are in active labor (around 6 cm) and stay around 90 minutes postpartum or after the baby exam. The length of time in between is anyone guess. We may miss birthdays and holidays with our family. We could miss vacation time, recitals, plays, actual weddings, you name it.

As a birth photographer, we may have booked a couple of births within a month. It is not unheard of to finish one birth to begin another right afterwards. Sleep? What is that?

Editing Time

Are you tired of the wedding scenario yet? I hope not, because here we go! Birth is an event as big as any wedding. There are many many hours of editing to do. We are not done because the birth is over. However; unlike a wedding, parents want those images like yesterday. We edit, edit edit. Circling back to the wall color, this can take many hours if we have to edit out color cast from faces. Granted this is more documentary than a wedding is, but the same effort is given to each image.

So There You Have It

As much as we love this genre and believe in it on a visceral level, it is a lot of work. It’s not something we can give away even though we absolutely love it. It is time consuming and technical. I haven’t even mentioned camera costs, flash costs and software for editing. We also have business licenses and insurance to keep current. There are workshops to help us continuously improve our craft, organization dues and website maintenance costs. We are business owners. We love our business, but we need to treat as a business.

So yes, it can be expensive. I fully understand that. But now, I hope you have an idea why.

The post Why is Birth Photography so Expensive? appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

A doulatog is the best of both worlds. It’s a winning combination of a doula, providing pregnancy support, and a professional birth photographer. My goal is to support and empower you and your partner in having a safe and positive birth experience.

Having a doulatog eliminates the the number of people attending your birth as well. We all know hospital rooms can get cramped really quick. Homebirth can be the same. A person wearing two hats (doula and birth photographer) can reduce the number of people present.

A doulatog can also help financially. It is a terrible position to want both services but know that a budget only covers one. Having someone schooled and knowledge in both disciplines is a definite win!

If you would like to know more about this service I offer, please take a look at my package page and then contact me today.

The post What is a Doulatog appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

A professional birth photographer understands first and foremost how to shoot in low light. Most home births and birthing center births have low lighting. This is used in order to make a calm birthing space. Hospitals also tend to have low lighting except for the exceptionally bright hot spot light aimed your lady bits. Now that is challenging light! In any case, we need to know how to utilize the light and we need to have the correct gear to accomplish that. For those that use flash (I do), they need to know how to use it correctly as to not disrupt the the birthing person and the birth space energy.

The birth photographer also needs to know where and when to move around. This really comes with time and practice.You should have seen my first birth, I was in everyone’s way! Thankfully, they were all very gracious and I learned. Along the same lines if you are squeezed into a corner, a seasoned birth photographer will know how to work that corner. Trust me, I have been there too.

Finally, a professional birth photographer will make the images look good. What that means, is that we know the angles, the lighting and how to capture it in a way that is tasteful yet authentic. Documenting your story in its entirety is our goal. You are your story. Your partner, your birth team and how your amazing fortitude and strength brought your child to your arms is your story.

If you would like to know more about the birth photography services I offer, as well as pricing, please click here.

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At the end of the crazy year known as 2020, a gentleman from the magazine ShoutOut LA contacted me. He asked if I would like to be interviewed for their start up magazine. I gave them a resounding Heck yea! It seems I always have so much to say! However; they shot me some real zingers that I really had to think about. I had to be brave and really tell my story of how I came to Los Angeles and continued my work as a birth and maternity photographer.

I invite you to read my interview with ShoutOut LA Magazine here

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So 2020 has been a bit of a whammy, hasn’t it? I have really neglected my beloved blog. Being the last day of 2020, it is fitting I make this year in review type of post. The last entry was in July and so much has happened since then! I have had several maternity sessions during COVID.

With hospitals not allowing birth photographers in and birth centers doing a reduction in support people allowed to attend, I have turned my focus to three things.

Doula Certification

The first is I am in the process of getting certified as a Doula. This is something I am really excited about! It not only allows me to grow as a birth worker, but will further my skills in holding space for the laboring person and partner. What does that mean though-holding space? It simply means being physically, mentally and emotionally present without judgement. “The person who is holding space helps set the tone for a kind, curious, and judgment-free interaction where the other person can be vulnerable, and like the term says “have space.” 

Maternity Sessions During COVID

The second thing I have focused on during 2020 is studio maternity photography. Maternity sessions during COVID are alive and well. Several online courses and webinars have led me to really excel in this genre. I have also been entering images into photography competitions which is something I have never done before. Winning a bronze in the RISE International Photography Competition motivated and pushed me to excel.

Website optimization

Finally, I have worked hard on this website. If you are visiting again, you will see it is much faster loading. There was a time for most of 2020 that the website was as slow as this year was long! My invaluable website builder, Tom, has put up with endless emails and phone calls from me and, well, I am incredibly indebted to him for what you are seeing now.

I look forward to a wonderful year ahead filled with growth, love and births!

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Let me start this blog post hoping you are all doing well. I hope you are safe from the virus, enjoying your life and practicing self care. Boy, isn’t that term practicing self care  thrown around a lot and ever so important during this crisis. My hope for you is that you are  doing things that make you feel good and granting yourself grace for the things that are not going so well.

At the beginning of this pandemic, I was on call for a home birth.  I would check in with mom  making sure she was doing well and to make sure she felt I was still essential to her birth. The call came about 9pm on March 24th asking if I had been to any hospitals. I had not.  I had been self isolating because of the order and because I wanted to make sure I was healthy for the home birth. She said that she and her partner were ready for me to join them. I kissed my son goodnight and off into the empty night streets I went.  I arrived a little before the midwife, Catherine of Homebirth Services. While the powers that be may not deem my profession essential, this mother and her partner did and had enough faith in me to come and photograph the birth healthy.

This was my first quarantine baby birth. As I drove, I thought about other births where parents were not going to have the birth they wanted. They were not going to have their birth photographer, their doula and some were not even going to have their partners with them.  I let my mind wander to how this was going to affect birth. How was it going to effect birth photography as a whole?  I wondered if we would see a surge in home births.  As a birth photographer, I love home births. In most cases, they really do tell a larger story.

Here are some images of the home birth. I have also added their highlight reel. I hope you enjoy.

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#IAPBP2020Competiton

@BIRTHPHOTOGS

The IAPBP Organization and the best birth photos of 2020

IAPBP (International Association of Professional Birth Photographers) was founded 10 years ago by Lyndsay Stradtner of Life in Motion Photography.

The organization does an annual image contest and I have always made sure to apply. The best birth photos in 2020 is a fabulous event. As you might imagine with all the incredibly outstanding artists in 52 different countries and 1140+ members, acing the contest with a winning image is every birth photographer’s greatest annual challenge.

Standing among these global on-call artists who work under the hardest lighting and environmental conditions is such an honor in itself. I have enjoyed submitting my images to the contest on an annual basis to see how much we have all grown as artists. I also love to see how the world has changed regarding Birth Photography.

My Story

10 years ago when the organization was founded, I was not yet a mother.

6 years ago, and already 4 years into the organization’s launch, I became a mother.  I had not even heard an ounce of what a Birth Photographer was.

I had an emergency C-section. The entire event was a chaotic blur from the moments leading up to delivery, the delivery itself and immediately after.  It was a full 24 hours before I could even set eyes on him or touch him. Later, at home, I reveled in motherhood, but mourned for all that I missed. I wanted those moments back and wished someone had been there to document them for me. This started my journey into birth work. I’m so incredibly blown away with what has happened in the world with the shift of people learning about the power and transformation of birth, and welcoming artists who are also birth workers at the core into the sacred birth space. Read more about my journey to motherhood here.

Now, to be perfectly honest, I did not enter this years competition, but watch for me next year! I am so proud of all the wonderful artist around the world that entered. If you would like to talk about your birth plan, send me a message or call me today.

If you’d like to view all the winners of this year’s contest, and all the 702 entries, click below:

(https://birthphotographers.com/2020-birth-photography-image-competition/)

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Happy October!!

While most of the country is getting pumpkin spice lattes and bonfires, here in Los Angeles we are still sitting at the beach. This is where I found myself pondering my own birth. There were many items I didn’t bring. It was like my brain fell right out of my head. It made me think; what are the essential items to bring when having a baby?

Essential Items to Bring When Having a Baby

I put up a Facebook post asking people what they would bring if they could do it all again…here are some of their responses…

“I’m so picky when it comes to pillows, so definitely a pillow or two from home”!–Lauren

“Coins for snacks, comfy but cute clothes and makeup and hair stuff for photos (i was swimming with my first and my water broke and we left right away to the hospital… i had messy chlorine hair lol. a macbook for movies for downtime. my own swaddles or cute etsy swaddles that would be pretty for photos! i love the idea of bringing essential oils, i never had done that but i know how helpful those can be”–Bree

“Cash/checkbook! At our hospital, we had to pay cash or check for the birth certificate and we didn’t remember to bring it!”–Christi

 “I feel like my time in the hospital went so quickly! I sort of wished it had slowed down and I could’ve set up twinkle lights or my diffuser! ? But the item I absolutely missed the most was my pregnancy pillow I had been sleeping with for months! I really wish I had brought it with me!!”–Liz

“Coloring books or more activities for my older kids”.–Sarah

“A doula!!!!!”–Ashley

“A robe!”–Stephanie

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When putting together your birth team, take your time and trust your instincts.  Interview, ask questions and talking to past clients of theirs are an important first step in this process.

The Midwife

Midwifery is an empowering, woman centered form of maternity care. Midwives may practice during a hospital birth, home birth or in a birthing center.  These trained professionals help “healthy women during labor, delivery, and after the birth of their babies”.  “Women who choose them have had no complications during their pregnancy”. Midwives can have different levels of training.

Midwife Training

There are several paths one can take to become a midwife. The three most common types of midwives are Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), Certified Midwife (CM) and Certified Professional Midwife (CPM).

—Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Certified Nurse-Midwives are “registered nurses who have graduated from an accredited nurse-midwifery education program and have passed a national exam. They can practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia”.

–Certified Midwife (CM)  The 

Certified Midwife has a background in a health related field other than nursing. CMs graduate from a  masters level midwifery education program. They have similar training to CNMs, conform to the same standards as CNMs, but are not required to have the nursing component. Only a few states permit a CM to practice.

–Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)  The Certified Professional Midwife are non-nurse midwives who have training and clinical experience in childbirth. “The CPM credential is the only midwifery credential that requires the holder to demonstrate knowledge and have experience in providing midwifery services in out-of-hospital settings”. Their education and clinical training focuses on providing midwifery care in homes and freestanding birth centers.

Here are some valuable links for further reading: Midwife Schooling and  Midwives Alliance of North America. 

The Difference between a Midwife and an Obstetrician

You may be asking yourself what the difference is between a midwife and an obstetrician.  The type of pregnancy you are having will influence whether you choose a midwife or OB.  The main difference is that midwives are trained to work with women who have normal, uncomplicated and low risk pregnancies. The obstetrician is a generalist and works with a variety of medical conditions including surgery. While this is a blanket statement, there are exceptions such as working with a midwife during a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).

Doula

A doula is a non-medical person who assists a woman before, during, or after childbirth.  These trained professionals provide continuous physical, emotional and educational support. Most doula-client relationships begin a few months before the baby is due. During this period, they develop a relationship in which the mother feels free to ask questions, express any fears or concerns, and take an active role in creating a birth plan. Often times the term doula refers to the birth doula, or labor support companion. However, there are also antepartum doulas and postpartum doulas.

Types of Doulas

–Birth Doula Birth Doulas “have the ability to provide comfort with pain-relief techniques including breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, massage, and laboring positions. Doulas also encourage participation from the partner and offer reassurance”.  The doula acts as an advocate for the mother to keep as close to the birth plan and specific requests as possible. The purpose of a  doula is to help women have a safe and empowering birth experience whether that be an unmedicated home birth or a Cesarean birth.

–Antepartum Doula An antepartum doula provides informational, emotional, physical, and practical support to women with high-risk pregnancies, women on bedrest or any other mom who needs extra support during pregnancy.

–Postpartum Doula The postpartum doula privdes support in the first weeks following birth. Navigating those first weeks are anything but easy for a new family. The main postpartum doula is to nurture the entire family as they transition into life with a newborn. This includes doing things to help the parent(s) feel more confident in their roles, sharing education on family adjustment. They work on a families specific needs.  A doula is not a lactation consultant or a night nurse. Those are very roles.

           Birth Photographer

Everyone in the birthing space is part of the birth team and this includes the birth photographer. Hopefully you have met with the her (or him) at least once. It doesn’t matter how great the images are, if they don’t have the energy you are looking for, it will disrupt the balance of your birthing environment. What you are looking for is entirely individualized. Some mothers do not mind everything being photographed, while others are far more private.  Just like the other members of your birth team, take your time and ask questions.

Where to find a birth photographer

–Word of Mouth While most people know someone who has given birth, not everyone has used a photographer. Asking around is a great place to start, but remember if another mother swears by so-and-so, that doesn’t mean they will be perfect for you. That’s where taking your time comes in.

–IAPBP The organization is the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers. You can look for photographers in your given area easily. These are professional photographers who have a code of conduct they adhere to.

–BBH Birth Becomes Her is another resource when looking for a birth photographer.  This is also a place to find a profession photographer who has “completed the extensive Essence of Birth Online Course or has shown themselves to be a leader in their local birth community”.

–Search Engine This is where most people begin and honestly can be a great starting point.

Here is to wishing you a grand adventure in your pregnancy putting together your birth team.

If you are ready to talk about adding a birth photographer to your birth team, contact me today

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