How early should I book a birth photographer?

One of the questions I hear most often from potential clients, is how early on in their pregnancy they should book a birth photographer. With that in mind, I thought it would be helpful to parents-to-be to share some of my ideas on timing and why.

Knowledge about the process: 

Knowledge is power. Sitting down with my clients to talk through the processes of what they can expect from me, the various outcomes that can play out during delivery (whether it be a planned C-section, an emergency delivery or a natural birth), creates a sense of calm and understanding from both parties. I always have at least one face-to-face meeting with my clients before the big due date. This not only ensures that they are comfortable with me being a vital part of their birth team, but it also affords me the opportunity to answer all their questions, no matter how big or small they may seem at the time.

Building a relationship:

Connecting with your birth photographer and being comfortable that you both have the same understanding of what you want is so important. It carries through the entire pregnancy. Having a reliable, unrushed communication source will be of great benefit to you as the client: You are trusting your birth photographer to document a life-changing event. If both parties have spent time and energy on creating and nurturing an intimate bond, you can rest assured that your birth story will uniquely reflect YOU. Take the time to make sure you find the right birth photographer for your needs.

Getting your permissions in order:

With hospitals, comes paperwork and getting your required permissions in time to avoid disappointment. Your doctors, labor- and theatre staff need to give permission to have your birth photographer with you. It is not a complicated process, but it should certainly not be neglected. Allow enough time to make sure everything is in place so that it does not add any extra stress in an already stressful time.

Cost:

Lastly the dreaded word - BUDGET! Birth photography is an investment (I can fill multiple blog posts with the various reasons why…). The bottom line is that this service documents a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Something that can only be truly appreciated (or missed!) after the fact, which makes it hard to ‘measure’ beforehand. Knowing that having a baby is an expensive season in life, many photographers offer their clients payment plans to pay off fees over time. This allows parents-to-be a lot more flexibility.

Time:

There is no denying the unpredictability of birth. Babies arrive when babies arrive. Even the plan for a scheduled C-section can suddenly be changed! For this reason, birth photographers are only able to commit to a limited amount of bookings per month. With so much else to think about when expecting a baby, many parents-to-be book their photographer many months in advance. So diaries fill up quickly!

As you can see, it is certainly advisable to book your birth photographer sooner rather than later! My recommendation would be to arrange this service within your first trimester. As a mother, I understand only too well how fleeting and special your baby’s birth is. This is not something that you should look back on and regret not documenting!