Why You Should Consider Hiring a Photographer For Your Birth

When I mention that I am a birth photographer as well as a birth doula in Vancouver, I get some interesting looks. Most of the time, the response is along the lines of “Why would I want photos of my baby being born??”. To be honest, the actual birthing part makes up about 2% of the photos that I take at each birth. Each family is different, and you are free to choose what you’re comfortable with. If you don’t want pictures of your baby emerging, that is a-ok; there will still be plenty of incredible moments captured for you. 

So why should you consider hiring a photographer for your birth?

For the person birthing the baby, labour can go by in a way that makes it difficult to notice all of the things happening in the room during birth. To see images from your birth can often be empowering. For some people, it’s healing. It’s amazing to look back on your birthing experience and see what was going on at the time. Who was there supporting you? Where were you? What was the order of events? It’s also interesting to see the emotions of that time from a different perspective, and special to have the first moments with your baby documented. First snuggles, first family photo, first latch, first cries, first cute yawn.. It’s so wonderful to look back on those first hours! 

Just like weddings, birth is a major life event. However, birth isn’t often documented in the same way that weddings are. Maybe that’s partly because in the media, birth is usually depicted as being gross or scary.

In reality, birth is often slow, and it can hold so many different emotions. It can be beautiful, light, heavy, moody, full of energy, quiet, or funny. Quite often it takes my breath away. 

Regardless of what each birth is like, the images are always true to the families I am supporting. The personality, love, and intimacy of the birthing space always comes out. I am so in awe each time I get to capture glimpses and give them back to my clients.