Birth Photographers – My Thoughts

Call it a journey. Call it a process. Call it becoming a bad ass Goddess. Whatever you call it, birth is an incredible event. It’s a phenomena that we will experience only a few times in our lifetime, some of us will experience it only once. It is a priceless, irreplaceable moment in time that often can’t be quantified to those who were not in the room. It can last for hours and while the contractions seem as if they’ve been coming for days you still look at the clock and be surprised at how much time has actually passed. As time ticks by the world continues to function much as before, only now it is irrelevant to you. It does not matter what the people outside are doing, whether it is raining or warm, or whether it is night or day, because you have created this cocoon for yourself and your partner. And, of course, for your baby.

You say that you will remember your baby’s birthday for the rest of your life. And, of course, you will for the most part. But some of those moments it just wouldn’t be possible for you to see. The look on your face as you finally climb over that mountain and birth your baby and hold them close to you. The look on your partner’s face as they see their son or daughter for the first time. The first skin to skin moment with either of you.

It’s not just the moments you expect to want to cherish either. It’s those little moments that can sometimes slip away, in the haze of exhaustion and exhilaration. The cord being cut, the moment your baby is separated from the placenta that helped them grow from the size of a grain of rice to the baby they are now. Of course you also grew that placenta. You might not give it much thought in the busyness of everything else but I know that I now regret not seeing mine.

I didn’t use a birth photographer with either of my children. It wasn’t a service I was aware of however the premise makes a lot of sense to me. It is assumed that you will have a professional photographer at your wedding, why not at your birth? I have only a handful of photos from my births and none of them are good quality or even at a good angle! Of course by choosing a photographer you are inviting someone else into your birthing environment, and you must feel comfortable with them. Make sure you meet them beforehand to discuss your needs, wants and concerns. You will be able to feel if they are a good ‘fit’ for you and your family.

The images on this blog post are from Lumiere Photography  and are provided with very kind permission from the family. She works across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire as she is based in Loughborough. If you are interested in a birth photographer then have a look at her portfolio and send her a message!

And if you’re looking for a doula – pre-during or post brith, Melissa offers various services, have a look here