BIRTH PICTURES

babyh0419

Are any of you lovely ladies considering having a professional birth photographer or have you had one with a previous delivery? I'm seriously considering hiring one as I've hopefully got something special in the works with this delivery. -TIA

EDIT: Thank you ladies for the help

lyse01

I’d love a maternity/newborn shoot, but I probably don’t want a photographer in the hospital with me. 

florallimeade

I looked it up and the ones around me were around $1000 since they are basically on call around the time you are due. It was out of our budget, but if we could afford it I definitely would!

MRDCle

Make sure you check with the hospital you’re delivering at. Not all allow birth photography. Ours allows photos during labor but not during birth itself. 

babyh0419

Is there a certain reason for you that a birth photographer isn't appealing? I don't mean to be nosey .Trying to make sure I think everything through. 

babyh0419

@florallimeade I have looked into pricing also and you're right, it's not cheap! I'm really considering it though. My oldest daughter has the opportunity to deliver my baby with the Dr's help of course. 

babyh0419

@MRDCle Very good point. I did however check into it and the hospital doesn't mind pictures but they don't allow video. 

lyse01

@kc_partyof6 two reasons: 1) I don’t think I’ll be very pretty mid-contraction so my vanity forbids it (also I’m too cheap to get clothing that will photograph well for this specific purpose), and 2) I can’t imagine where I would display the photos. I can imagine maternity and newborn (and family) photos on social media, in albums for posterity, and framed in my house, but actual birthing photos? I think they’d end up in some digital abyss.

babyh0419

@lyse01 I completely understand where you're coming from. I've thought about those things as well. I'm not sure I'd post them all over my walls but I do have an Instagram where I could post for family/friends...whoever that wanted to see a few birth pictures that aren't too graphic. I'm just really excited as my oldest daughter has the opportunity to deliver her sibling. I'm really wanting it well documented for that reason. I'm just slightly on the fence.

thatbaintforbetty

@kc_partyof6 out of curiosity is this something your daughter has expressed interest in or is it something you want? Cause I gotta tell you if my mom asked me to be a part of the birth of a sibling I would run screaming for the hills.

Actually my own sister is traumatized from just being in the room when my mom had my youngest sister. And she was 20 at the time. I was there not by choice and while I am not traumatized like my sister I definitely don’t want to do that again. 

Have you actully witnessed a birth? From that angle?

babyh0419

@thatbaintforbetty Yes! It's something she WANTS to do. In fact, as my eldest child she has been there for her 2 other siblings births. It's something she's always been interested in. And yes I have witnessed quite a few births as I was a doula for a while. And yes from that angle!

TheSouffleGirl

@kc_partyof6: Just 'cause you asked, I haven't looked into it because I like to keep my most intimate moments to myself, and, as part of that, I'm not sure I would want to see them through someone else's eyes.  I even feel a little weird gazing at the wedding pics that are just me and DH staring at each other lost to the world, ha, and much prefer remembering feeling that way to seeing it from a third eye. But I realize at least the wedding thing is probably just me!  And I realize that I'd likely feel different if it was a family affair like yours, bc I don't mind the group wedding pics at all. I hope your daughter finds it an awesome (literally) experience.

babyh0419

@TheSouffleGirl I totally get that! It's definitely not for everyone. I have a few pictures from my previous births and I love looking back at them. They weren't professional pics, my mom took them. But this go 'round I think I'd like more professional pictures. Still thinking on it.

wildcosmiclove

I'd love to have a birth photographer, but I just can't bring myself to pay for it, lol. I also think it's cool that your daughter wants to help catch her sibling. There is nothing wrong with kids being present at birth as long as everyone is comfortable with it & there is a plan in case things need to change.

babyh0419

@wildcosmiclove I understand about the $$. It's not cheap and if it weren't for my daughter helping deliver her sibling I probably wouldn't even consider it. And my eldest daughter has been present for her other siblings births so she definitely wants to be there.

stefanielyn1991

Oh no I don't post a picture unless it's taken from the right angle lol so I can't imagine wanting anyone to see me like that! Kudos to the women who do this though! 

photolover0522

I’m a family photographer, and I’ve shot several births. They are my most favorite shoots!!! Those first moments between parents and babies are breathtaking. My faves are pictures of baby getting their first bath and dad gazing at baby (a lot of times in tears or with so much joy) getting their bath and measurements done (many moments that moms miss and cry over when they see). Anyway, I don’t think I’ve ever had a client that regretted them - they usually tell all of their friends and want me back for the next birth(s), so if you’re on the fence...I say GO FOR ONE!!! Now, if I could just convince my husband that this is a necessary expense...because like many have mentioned, birth photographers aren’t cheap!

babyh0419

@stefanielyn1991 lol I do figure not all pictures would be ideal but I'm hoping to really capture a few beautiful pics.

babyh0419

@photolover0522 Thank you for that!! I do love the few pics I have of my other births but with them not being professionally done I don't have many. (My mom took just a couple) With my 13 yr old daughter's opportunity to help deliver her sibling I'm kinda really wanting a professional. 

kate_e_nb

@TheSouffleGirl I'm with you on the wedding photos. I hate having a camera around, I feel like it almost distracts from what should be an intimate event. I'm even hoping that I'm able to keep cameras out of the hospital altogether when family comes to visit. May have a hard time enforcing that one though... Mom and MIL are big camera phone in your face people. That being said, intimacy is an extremely personal notion and it means something totally different to different people. @kc_partyof6 if you think having photos of this event is something that will be special for you and your family, you should go for it! I'm sure it will be really nice for your daughter and her sibling to look back at those photos and bond over the first time they met. 

babyh0419

@kate_e_nb Thank you! Like I said before, I know it's not for everyone lol Honestly, my modesty went out the window with my first birth so people seeing me isn't the issue. 

phoenix92885

I would really love to get some photos of the things im going to miss. Like my boyfriend holding her for the first time, or a picture of my boyfriend passing her to me (one of our wishes for our birthplan is that he passes me our daughter for the first time to hold). I'll be getting a csection so my view is going to mostly be of the ceiling. I really want to see her come out too! Only one person is allowed in the OR with me so idk if we will get the opportunity to have those photos. I plan to ask my OB if we can get a photographer in too when we schedule my csection. 

saraleigh2

I’m a very private intimate person especially when I feel vulnerable. So for me birth video and/or photography is out. The only people present at my last both were my husbands, mother, midwife and her assistant. And I was alone with my husband and/or mom most of the time. 

I love to see birth videos snd photography, I might even appreciate seeing some birth photos of myself but I’ll make due with candid pics from my mom, husband etc as I just don’t want anyone else with me. We have hired a doula this time (my mother’s a bit older now and I don’t want to lean as hard on her this time). But that’s it no more people! 

I think its it’s really cool that your daughter is so interested in birth! Definitely going to be a special moment to capture! 

lyse01

@babyh0419 sorry to hijack the thread but I figured we could open this up to maternity and newborn shoots too. What are people seeing as the prices for these photos? Anyone done one before and have some experience to share? I’m especially curious about where all the split-front dresses are coming from.

loveanddatadriven

@lyse01 My husband and I had a maternity shoot done at 27 weeks and it was magical! I know that's a little early, but we were leaving the West coast to move closer to family, and we (I) wanted our pictures taken at the beach with the Pacific Ocean. It was $350 for the photographer + $30 for the dress. I can't believe how well they turned out. Everytime I feel not quite glamorous as a pregnant person, I like looking at the pictures to remind me of how special this journey is. Husband was looking at me the whole time like he was falling in love me with all over again. There are lots of cheap maternity dresses on Amazon that photograph well but wouldn't hold up under in-person scrutiny. I got one for $30 (not split front) and I was glad because I totally got caught by a couple waves that saturated the dress from the knees down in sand.

thatbaintforbetty

@lyse01 you can find them on Amazon. I was looking for maternity dresses and saw a bunch. 

I would have loved to have maternity or newborn photos last time but couldn’t afford it. I would really love to have some this time considering how excited DD is for her sibling. But sesssions here are around $500 from what I’ve seen and don’t include any photos or prints or anything. I just don’t have that kind of coin sitting around. 

MRDCle

Our newborn shoot will end up being $320ish. Our regular photographer was running a special at the end of 2018 so we got it 25%. We got some maternity shots at our holiday mini session so I think I’ll skip the full session. 

HGRich

We didn’t do a maternity shoot with DD and I regret it because I looked so good. Haha. This time I’m rather larger. But SIL is an amateur photographer and is going to do some for free, which is our budget anyway. She did our engagement photos, family photos, and pregnancy announcement photos and I really liked how they came out. (She didnt do any photos with DD because she lived across the country at the time.)

My one concern is that I DO want some birth photos, sort of. With DD I invited my mom to watch the birth with the caveat that she had to take some specific photos. Well, afterward she hadn’t really taken what I wanted and they were blurry. I did get a couple of photos of DD just born and on my chest so I’ll treasure those. But none of DH cutting the cord or her first latch or my cute birthing socks, or labor, or pushing. Sigh. Oh well. This time I don’t know what to do. I’d like DH ago take some, but I know he’s going to be busy. We can’t afford a photographer. Maybe I can convince SIL to come into the room, but I think she’s a bit squeamish about it, and she also may not be able to take off work. 

Anyway, I know that doesn’t really answer the questions, but maybe it helps to have an STM agree that photos are so worth it! 

jayhawkmom4

We are not doing birth pics but I am biting the bullet and doing a newborn shoot. My husband doesn't know yet and is going to die when he hears how much. But I just really think I will regret it if I don't. 

There is a pretty big range here. I have seen from $300-$900. The one I chose is $475 with 15 pictures. I think the session allows for 3-4 hours depending on baby and if he needs to eat during it, etc. 

mrstmoose

We are just doing newborn photos. We do family pictures every fall so I don't feel that I'm missing out on not having maternity pictures done. I would love to have birth photos but with a RCS, I don't think that's possible. Besides, our photographer charges $400 for the newborn pictures and another $300 if you do the birth photos (that's with a $100 off). So it just doesn't seem financially responsible to have pictures done twice in a two week period. But that's just me/us.