And yet—so many families spend more time researching strollers than they do choosing the person who will stand beside them in that exact moment.

If you’re searching for the right doula in Los Angeles, this is your reminder: this choice matters deeply.

Not just for your birth plan.
But for how you feel inside your birth.

A Doula Isn’t Just Support—She’s Energy in the Room

A doula isn’t simply someone who shows up with a birth ball and a calm voice.

She is:

• The tone of the room when things feel uncertain
• The steady presence when everything intensifies
• The person who reminds you who you are when you start to forget

Birth is not just physical—it is emotional, mental, and deeply psychological. The right doula knows how to hold all of that without overpowering it.

Because here’s the truth:
Who you invite into your birth space will shape your experience.

Los Angeles Has Options—But That Doesn’t Make It Easier

The beauty of Los Angeles is that there is no shortage of incredible doulas.

The challenge?
Not every doula is your doula.

Some are more clinical and structured.
Some are deeply intuitive and hands-on.
Some specialize in hospital births, while others thrive in home birth settings.

And none of those are wrong.

But one of them will feel right.

How to Choose the Right Doula (Trust This Process)

1. Pay Attention to How You Feel—Not Just Their Resume

Yes, experience matters. Training matters. Reviews matter.

But more than anything:
How do you feel when you talk to them?

Do you feel safe?
Seen?
Heard without needing to explain yourself?

Because during labor, you won’t be analyzing credentials—you’ll be responding to energy.

2. Alignment Over Aesthetics

It’s easy to be drawn to a polished Instagram feed or beautifully branded website.

But ask yourself:

• Do they support your birth preferences?
• Are they flexible if things shift?
• Do they respect your intuition, even if it changes in the moment?

The right doula doesn’t impose—she supports.

3. Ask the Questions That Actually Matter

Skip the surface-level questions and go deeper:

• How do you handle unexpected changes during labor?
• What is your approach if I feel overwhelmed or panicked?
• How do you support partners in the room?
• What does advocacy look like to you?

You’re not hiring a service.
You’re inviting someone into one of the most intimate days of your life.

4. Consider Your Birth Setting

Whether you’re planning a home birth, birth center, or hospital delivery in Los Angeles, your doula should feel confident and experienced in that environment.

Each setting comes with its own rhythm, policies, and dynamics.
The right doula knows how to navigate them without disrupting your experience.

What I See as a Birth Photographer

I don’t always act as both a birth photographer and a birth doula. Sometimes, families want separate people in those roles. As a birth photographer, I’ve been in rooms where the energy felt chaotic… and rooms where it felt sacred.

The difference is often the people in it.

When the right doula is present:

• The room softens
• The birthing person relaxes into themselves
• Partners feel more confident and connected
• The entire experience becomes more intentional

It’s not about controlling birth.
It’s about feeling held inside of it.

You Deserve to Feel Safe in Your Birth

Not rushed.
Not dismissed.
Not like you have to fight to be heard.

You deserve to feel:

• Supported
• Respected
• Grounded
• Powerful

And the right doula helps create that space.

Final Thoughts: Trust Yourself

Finding the right doula in Los Angeles isn’t about choosing the most popular name or the most expensive package.

It’s about choosing the person who feels like a steady exhale.

The one who walks into the room and makes you think:
“Okay… I can do this.”

Because you can.

And you shouldn’t have to do it alone.

The post Finding the Right Doula in Los Angeles appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

Early in your pregnancy, it is important to make informed decisions about where you give birth. There are several factors to think about such as location of your preferred provider, where you feel safest and financial and insurance concerns. The decision of where you give birth impacts your involvement with decision making during labor and delivery, the type of care you receive and the choices and options you have during labor.

If you are a healthy pregnant woman, the choices can include a hospital birth, a freestanding birth center or a home birth. If you are at risk for a medical condition or currently have one, you will likely want to plan a hospital birth with an obstetrician. Your care provider can tell you about situations that could require more specialized care.

This decision goes hand in hand with which maternity care provider you use. Home and freestanding birth centers generally use a midwifery team where as a hospital birth will use an OB or a midwife.

What is a Homebirth?

Simply put, a homebirth is giving birth to your child in your residence rather than a hospital or birth center. These births can be planned or unplanned. For the sake of this post, I will focus on planned homebirths

To have a homebirth, you like likely still need the assistance of someone experienced and qualified during labor and delivery. This can be

• a certified nurse-midwife (CNM)
• a certified professional midwife (CPM) or other direct-entry midwife
• a midwife whose education and licensure meet international standards
• a naturopathic or medical doctor who practices obstetrics

Is a Homebirth Safe?

This is tricky. It really depends on who you ask or where you get your information. Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) nor American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) currently recommends homebirths. They maintain hospitals and birthing centers are the safest option.

A 2014 study including nearly 17,000 women who had a planned home birth with the assistance of a midwife found that there was no significant increase in neonatal death compared with planned hospital births. This study can be seen in the National Library of Medicine. This landmark study confirms the safety and overwhelmingly positive health benefits for low-risk mothers and babies who choose to birth at home with a midwife. At every step of the way, midwives are providing excellent care.

“Home birth mothers had much lower rates of interventions in labor. While some interventions are necessary for the safety and health of the mother or baby, many are overused, are lacking scientific evidence of benefit, and even carry their own risks. Cautious and judicious use of intervention results in healthier outcomes and easier recovery, and this is an area in which midwives excel. Women who planned a home birth had fewer episiotomies, pitocin for labor augmentation, and epidurals”.

“Most importantly, their babies were born healthy and safe. Ninety-seven percent of babies were carried to full-term, they weighed an average of eight pounds at birth, and nearly 98% were being breastfed at the six-week postpartum visit with their midwife. Only 1% of babies required transfer to the hospital after birth, most for non-urgent conditions. Babies born to low-risk mothers had no higher risk of death in labor or the first few weeks of life than those in comparable studies of similarly low-risk pregnancies”. 

There is still a lot of debate around the safety of planned home births. However, there are numerous factors to consider before you make the decision. For low risk pregnancies, the risk of neonatal mortality in home births is not significantly higher than in a hospital, as long as a trained medical professional is present to assist.

What Does it Mean to be Low-Risk?

As mentioned before, studies have shown that homebirth for low-risk mothers have very positive outcomes. But what does it mean to be low risk? Low risk mothers are free of conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, blood clotting disorders, type I diabetes, gestational diabetes managed with insulin, preeclampsia, bleeding (that is separate from bloody show) or placenta previa at beginning of labor. This is not an exhaustive list. Please contact your health care professional about any health conditions you may have.

What is a Hospital Transfer and why would I need it?

During a planned home birth, you might need to be transported to a hospital for monitoring or treatment if complications develop. While this is not an exhaustive list, your health care provider might recommend transfer to a hospital if:

• Labor isn’t progressing
• Your baby shows signs of distress
• Your baby presents in a position other than headfirst
• Pain relief is needed
• You have high blood pressure
• You experience bleeding

Pros of a homebirth

• a familiar, comfortable setting
• more control
• no pressure to use medications or interventions
• high chance of having a vaginal birth
• more support and individualized care than in a hospital
• opportunity for unlimited skin-to-skin time with baby after birth
• high rates of exclusive breastfeeding
• reduced cost
• religious or cultural considerations
• convenience when previous births have happened very quickly
• freedom to labor as you wish
• eat or drink
• take warm showers or baths
• use candles or aromatherapy

Cons of having a homebirth

• It is not a safe option for everyone, depending on your individual risk factors.
• Insurance may not cover any associated costs.
• You could still be transferred to the hospital in the event of an emergency.
• Birth can be messy, so it’s best to be prepared with plastic sheets and clean towels.

If you are considering homebirth, learn about others’ experiences, read read read, and talk to your doctor or midwife. Once you are cleared for having a homebirth, enjoy the process and don’t forget to hire your birth photographer and doula! I have an option for both here.

The post Should I have a homebirth? appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

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.

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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.

The post What is Birth Photography? appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

It has been one year now and things haven’t really settled down that much. The birth world has been hit especially hard. Not only are birth photographers and doulas being denied access to hospitals to be with their clients, but even family members themselves have been denied entrance. Taking this down time, I reflected on the reality of the situation, studied to become a certified doula (almost there!!) and took some time to read some thought provoking books about what constitutes a good birth, maternal care in America and what women really want.

I honestly don’t see hospitals easing up on the number of people present at delivery time especially in the metropolis that is Los Angeles. This begs the question, will home birth be on the rise?

Planning your homebirth

So you have decided, after much thought about what a good birth means to you, that a home birth is the way to go. The first thing is to find a trained health care provider. This could mean a certified nurse-midwife, a certified midwife, a midwife whose education meets specific standards or a doctor practicing obstetrics within an integrated and regulated health system.

I have worked around Catherine at Home Birth Services of Los Angeles. She is very calm, knowledgeable and very kind. I have also heard wonderful things about Heart to Home Midwifery and GraceFull Birth. Depending on your insurance, often times the cost of having a midwife is covered, but of course check not only with your insurance, but with the midwife you would like to use. While having a homebirth can be empowering, financial hardship is not.

The second thing is do make a birth plan. You can do this yourself or if you choose to have a doula present, she can help. How will you control pain? Will you labor in a birth tub? What supplies for a home birth will you need? Talking to your chosen midwife can help with these questions.

Prepare for a hospital transfer. Discuss the signs and/or symptoms that might necessitate a hospital transfer. How does this coordinate with your birth plan?

Who will be in the birth space? Keeping in mind the need to have calm, security and connectivity, will there be a doula in addition to a midwife? Will there be a birth photographer? Your other children? Your mother or just you and your partner and the midwife?

This mother had her partner, sister in law, mother in law, midwife, student midwife and me, the birth photographer. That seems like a lot, right? It wasn’t. It was every bit as intimate, warm and connected as if it were just her and her partner.

Being a birth photographer is wonderful. However, becoming a doula has given me a whole new perspective that I can go on and on about (obviously!!). Please feel free to check out this homebirth during COVID.

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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!

The post Maternity Sessions During COVID and other News appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

I started this September with the most lovely momma, Teri, who came in to my studio for some maternity photos. Since she wanted something she could display in a frame prominently on the wall, I went into creative mode. I envisioned her in a beautiful red dress within a painterly soft image. A woman is only pregnant for 9 months…which is a blip on the lifetime radar. Something that comes and goes all too quickly. Because time is precious, capture these beautiful moments of pregnancy not just you, but your children and their children.

Booking A Session

Booking your session is super easy! If you are between 30-36 weeks, give me a call or send a message. My studio is currently in North Hollywood. I offer hair and makeup complimentary with some packages. Other packages, you can add on hair and makeup. It is terrific fun to get all dolled up and truly embrace the beauty that is you.

Who can be in the maternity photos?

I welcome you, your partner or any children that you already have. It makes the most beautiful image when siblings are there. It really underlines the fact that your growing baby is loved and cherished!

What about props?

I am a huge advocate of props. That being said, the right props can increase the personalization. The wrong props can clutter. Bring something to the session that is meaningful to you such as a musical instrument you play, a book you wrote (or a favorite reading one)! I will incorporate it into your personal piece of art.

The post A Los Angeles Maternity Photos appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

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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