Delivery Room Photography?

BrookieB86 · May 2016

Hello mamas!! Just curious to see if any other moms-to-be here have considered or are planning to have delivery room photography done? This is my 1st and I haven't been too worried about doing bump pics so far (20w today) but I've always thought that there would be a lot of personal value in having delivery room photography done. I'm not sure how my family or DH's family will react since I know both of our mothers would say that they should be able to be in the delivery room as opposed to some stranger, but I know both of them would be way too in my face and I really just want DH to be the one next to me and we've known our photog for a long time and I know that she will be respectful of the space and will pretty much be just like another member of the medical team in terms of not trying to rub/console/talk to me when that's the last thing I want. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and MIL deeply, but I just really want to focus on bringing my baby in to the world without anyone but DH and the medical peeps coaching me.
Am I an awful person or has anyone else dealt with this sort of situation?

yellowrose314 · May 2016

I haven't decided yet. A very close friend of mine is a newborn photographer and has done delivery photography before, and both myself and my husband are super comfortable with her being there but I honestly don't know if I'm going to want pictures of that moment. Neither of us are squeamish, and yes I know it's the miracle of birth and whatnot, but I don't know if I feel the need to have those pictures. Maybe I'll regret that, who knows. I have months to decide.
I also hummed and hahhed about having my mom in the delivery room (DH and I are 100% on not wanting his mom in), but after the last 2 weeks I've decided I absolutely want her there with me because for the last week it was a major possibility that she wouldn't even live to be there. So there's also the fact that do I really want that many people around me, plus the medical team? I'm stuck on no for now...

CoffeeBeanFiend91 · May 2016

Most hospitals won't allow it just a heads up before you put down a deposit check with L&D first.

frogdog06 · May 2016

I don't think it's awful at all. Giving birth is an intimate moment and if you want it to be between just you and DH, then I think that's totally okay. The other members can wait in the waiting area and meet LO during your hospital stay.

I would love to capture that moment when my husband see's little one for the first time. I think it's a great idea of allowing a photographer in the room. You wouldn't have to mention it. How would you go about finding one?

tinypikachu · May 2016

I'd love for us to have a photographer there to capture the moment but we haven't decided yet. All the ones in my area need a few months heads up as they don't take more than two or three clients due in the same month, just in case. L&D will allow them but I also need to check with my OB as I don't know if he's okay with that (I imagine he is as he has professional pictures in the office of births).

As far as the family issue, I would have the photographer and DH there and that's it. I know my mom will want to be there and if we had a good relationship, I'd love that, but we don't. She might not take it well but that's just how it is. I might tell her that we'd rather have the intimate moment to ourselves. If she pushes back, I'll be honest and tell her we just don't really have that relationship and there's no reason to pretend otherwise. Really, a photographer would be there in the room like a nurse or the doctor, there's no reason for a family member to feel like that's the same thing.

mommytimesfour · May 2016

I love photos in the delivery room. I was going to hire a photographer to be present when I deliver, but with the cost I had to choose between birth photography or newborn photography, so I chose newborn. I have my kids' newborn pictures displayed all over my house but I wouldn't feel comfortable displaying any from my birth. That was the decision maker for me. If you can have a photographer there I say absolutely do it!

Blairbear28 · May 2016

I have photographed 3 births and each time the mother has said the photos were wonderful to look back on. Being that you are so busy during delivery it is hard to remember specific moments and the first moments of a new life are so beautiful.

marajay6 · May 2016

I don't know if I would actually want photos of the actual birth, but I would love to have more photos of those first few hours after birth. We have like 2. We took our camera to the hospital but my husband never really got it out of the bag until the next day when we were in recovery. There are no pictures of me or my husband holding our minutes old son. I only had my husband in the delivery room and we were both enjoying the moment too much to take the time to capture some pictures. That said, we probably won't hire someone to do birth photography for this child. But hopefully we can remember to get a few more pictures.

Sarafuss · May 2016

We had a birth photographer lined up for our last birth. She comes to the hospital when you are about 7cm dilated and stays for around 2 hours after birth. Well she missed the birth by a few minutes because I progressed so quickly (8cm to baby in 30 minutes). It turned out to be fine though since DD was rushed to NICU so they wouldn't have been the pictures we wanted anyway. And we got our money back. I don't think we will do birth photography this time but I'm thinking about having a "Fresh 48" session done so we can have some pictures of when the kids meet the baby.

erinmarie86 · May 2016

I did not have a birth photographer nor do I plan to have one this time....In regards to having your mother or MIL in the room, i completely understand and with my first i made it very clear in my birth plan and with my husband that my mother and MIL could be in the room while labor progressed but when it go time to push the baby i only wanted my husband. Luckily my LO came fast and no one could make it so there was no drama of people getting hurt (i know that's not the case all the time...though i certainly hope this one is as fast as the last)...I think a good compromise for you is to allow them in the room while you labor, maybe even get some pictures with them...but when it gets time to really deliver the baby you can have the nurses ask them to leave (let them do your dirty work)

LizC216 · May 2016

The Fresh 48 sessions are amazing! I did one back in March for my friend. I have one of my photography friends lined up to do a Fresh 48 session for us this time around. I want to remember all the little details after birth and this is a great way to do it.

SuperFudge00 · May 2016

NOPE!!

itiswellwithmysoul · May 2016

My mom took pictures for me, and I am grateful.for them and her

BrookieB86 · May 2016

marajay6 said:

I don't know if I would actually want photos of the actual birth, but I would love to have more photos of those first few hours after birth. We have like 2. We took our camera to the hospital but my husband never really got it out of the bag until the next day when we were in recovery. There are no pictures of me or my husband holding our minutes old son. I only had my husband in the delivery room and we were both enjoying the moment too much to take the time to capture some pictures. That said, we probably won't hire someone to do birth photography for this child. But hopefully we can remember to get a few more pictures.

That's one of the reasons that I really want a photographer :-) DH and I are both terrible about thinking to take pictures!

BrookieB86 · May 2016

erinmarie86 said:

I did not have a birth photographer nor do I plan to have one this time....In regards to having your mother or MIL in the room, i completely understand and with my first i made it very clear in my birth plan and with my husband that my mother and MIL could be in the room while labor progressed but when it go time to push the baby i only wanted my husband. Luckily my LO came fast and no one could make it so there was no drama of people getting hurt (i know that's not the case all the time...though i certainly hope this one is as fast as the last)...I think a good compromise for you is to allow them in the room while you labor, maybe even get some pictures with them...but when it gets time to really deliver the baby you can have the nurses ask them to leave (let them do your dirty work)

That's the plan

My family is really close and this is the 1st grandbaby on DH's side so I know that they'll all want to come and be there during labor but we definitely plan to ask everyone to wait in the waiting room during final labor stages and pushing. My mom has 3 grandkids already and will probably be more accepting of waiting out in the waiting room, but I sort of see my MIL trying to stick around. DH already knows that is not an option though and is totally in agreement. I just have a horrible guilty streak so I know that if he weren't on board that I'd be totally vulnerable to giving in and regretting it later

BrookieB86 · May 2016

frogdog06 said:

I don't think it's awful at all. Giving birth is an intimate moment and if you want it to be between just you and DH, then I think that's totally okay. The other members can wait in the waiting area and meet LO during your hospital stay.

I would love to capture that moment when my husband see's little one for the first time. I think it's a great idea of allowing a photographer in the room. You wouldn't have to mention it. How would you go about finding one?

A girl that I used to work with does a pretty good photography business on the side. She has done some Christmas picture shoots and things for us before and would have been our wedding photographer if we had gotten married locally. We are both really comfortable with her and she does great pictures. She hasn't ever done L&D photography before just because we live in a relatively rural area so she hasn't had many opportunities to but based on her previous work I am totally confident in her abilities

mrsvoorhees-2 · May 2016

I do photography part time and would love to do a birth session but it's just so expensive. Knowing I'll be paying hospital bills soon, I just can't swing it. It's totally worth the price though, they're on call 24-7 for usually an entire month, so I can't blame them for charging a lot. I'll be taking my own Fresh 48, I just won't be in them. Haha it sucks being the photographer!! My family gets pictures all the time but I'm never in them

Spindlek · May 2016

I photographed births for two friends last year and when I look at their photos I really want to have those moments captured as well, but I haven't decided for sure. I think some of it will depend on when I end up going to the hospital and whether or not I settle on who the photographer would be (I have a lot of close friends who are photographers but they aren't typically birth photographers so it's a lot to ask them to be on call!). I do think I'll at least have someone come to the hospital after he's born (the Fresh 48), which might be a nice compromise if timing makes getting a photographer there too difficult!

camichael84 · May 2016

The idea of a Fresh 48 appeals to me, but due to costs, it's newborn pics or a Fresh 48 for us, and I'd rather have the newborn photos. The idea of delivery room photos do not remotely appeal to me. I do want DH to get more pictures this time right after DD2 is born than he did when DD1 was born, but I have no desire to have the labor captured on film. I can remember it perfectly well, and don't really think I'd enjoy seeing it from a third eye view.

mrsvoorhees-2 · May 2016

@camichael84 I wouldn't really want labor photos, but I loooove the photos of the very first look!

camichael84 · May 2016

@MrsVoorhees I'd be scared how mine would turn out. Lol. Those final pushes for me were a "get it out" experience. I hate to say it, but wasn't thinking of my daughter really at all until I felt the weight of her on me. So I think when I saw her for the first time, it wasn't with loving new mother's eyes. Of course I can't be sure, but I know it was nothing like I'd visualized in my head.

mrsvoorhees-2 · May 2016

camichael84 said:

@MrsVoorhees I'd be scared how mine would turn out. Lol. Those final pushes for me were a "get it out" experience. I hate to say it, but wasn't thinking of my daughter really at all until I felt the weight of her on me. So I think when I saw her for the first time, it wasn't with loving new mother's eyes. Of course I can't be sure, but I know it was nothing like I'd visualized in my head.

Bahahaha yeah, very true...I felt kind of out of it, like it wasn't really happening. I would probably have a confused, and maybe a little constipated face. Plus it's not worth it to hire one when I really only want one picture.

mom2adoodle · May 2016

I'm having only DH and my doula there during the birth (well, and the medical team lol). I don't think it's wrong of you to be worried about having multiple people there. It's a personal preference! As for the photos, maybe UO but I don't want any. I'm also not very sentimental with photos and we barely have photos around the house. I also don't like the idea of later not approving of how I looked at my baby, how DH was holding the baby, etc. LOL.

homebird · May 2016

I am a pro. photographer and took them for my sister, but she's the only birth I've done. I'd love to do it more often but I work full-time and don't have the availability to drop everything and be there at a moment's notice.

I love birth photography so I would absolutely have it done.

OBMommy · May 2016

I love love love them! Also, a patient once gave me a copy of the pic of me working while she was in labor and it was the BEST thank you gift ever.

beccawittmis0115 · May 2016

I had birth photography done with my first and they are probably some of my most treasured photos. I have an awful memory so it was important for me to have a way to remember the day. She is on of my best friends so she did it for free. She shot labor, delivery (just not the actual birth, I did not want either of us seeing that haha) and about an hour or 2 afterwards. I plan to have her again this pregnancy.

With my first, it was just me, my hubby, my other best friend for most of the end of labor. I was induced and really didn't start feeling anything until maybe 6 or 7 pm and he was born at 1:30am. My mom and MIL were in a out of the room until time to push then it was just me and hubby. Nobody had an issue with it. This delivery, I'm considering allowing my mom and MIL to stay during the actual birth as it will be likely both of their last grandchild, so it would be special for my MIL as she won't have the opportunity again (only my Hubby will be having grandkids for her haha).

eightynine · May 2016

No; I think it would be a distraction for me and I want to be present in the moment.

Cricket Bug · May 2016

Heck no. I hate having my picture taken on a good day... lol

I am not sure I understand all of these family members wanting to be in the room during labour. Why do they want to be there? Maybe my family just has a different dynamic, but I honestly can't imagine any of them actually wanting to be there in the thick of it, let alone having their feelings hurt when (and it would be when, not if) I said no.

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