Why you should spend more than you are planning on your infant car seat

Many of my clients and friends are well aware that I am very conscious of car seat safety. What is the big deal? 

Despite a 43% drop in road crash deaths of children 12 and younger from 2002-2011, more than 9,000 children in that age group died in crashes during that period, says a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Researchers found that one in three children killed in crashes in 2011 were not buckled up, and that nearly half of black and Hispanic children who died in crashes in 2009-2010 were unbuckled, compared with 26% of white children. USA Today Article

300 children are involved in car accidents every day and 2 die. 75% of all car seats are installed incorrectly. It is important to remember these five points when selecting a car seat for your child and installing it correctly:
 According to Safe Kids Worldwide, these are the top five mistakes parents make installing car seats:

Right Seat. Check the label on your car seat to make sure it's appropriate for your child's age, weight and height. Like milk, your car seat has an expiration date. Just double check the label on your car seat to make sure it is still safe.

Right Place. Kids are VIPs, just ask them. We know all VIPs ride in the back seat, so keep all children in the back seat until they are big enough to ride without a booster seat.

Right Direction. You want to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, usually until around age 2. When he or she outgrows the seat, move your child to a forward-facing car seat. Make sure to attach the top tether after you tighten and lock the seat belt or lower anchors.

Inch Test. Once your car seat is installed, give it a good shake at the base where the seat belt fits. Can you move it more than an inch side to side or front to back? A properly installed seat will not move more than an inch.

Pinch Test. Make sure the harness is tightly buckled and coming from the correct slots (check car seat manual). Now, with the chest clip placed at armpit level, pinch the strap at your child's shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any excess webbing, you're good to go. NBC Story

Things to consider when shopping for an infant car seat. Inexpensive infant car seats start at around $50 and range up to $200

• An infant car seat is only usable rear facing and holds and infant until they weigh between 20-35 pounds. The car seat is easily removed from the car with a carrying handle to move a sleeping infant into the house or into a stroller system . INFANT CAR SEATS ARE NOT TO BE PLACED IN A SHOPPING CART. They are not designed that way and there have been multiple deaths recorded.
• If you are using a hand me down or used car seat check to see it is not expired. Most infant car seats expire between 5-7 years. They expire even faster in our Southern Utah heat due to how the heat affects the plastic. Never use a car seat that has been in an accident no matter how small.
• You have to be able to tighten the straps very tightly so that you can fit two fingers underneath the strap and you can not pinch any of the strap between your fingers.

• Seat must be at 45 degree angle
• No more than 1 inch of movement side to side when installed
• No head rests of strap pads added to the seat as anything not included and tested with your seat can greatly affect the safety
• Harness must be through the right slots in the seat. If rear facing the harness slots must be below the child's shoulders. If forward facing (which is not possible with an infant seat) they should be at or above the child's shoulders.

• Chest clip must be at nipple level.

• No coats, blankets, swaddlers or anything else between baby, seat and harness. Dress the baby in warm but thin clothing. 

As you are looking at a car seat consider how long it will be in use for the child. Once breastfeeding is established, we expect babies to gain at a rate of about 5-7 oz per week (close to an ounce per day), for about the first 3 months. Between months 3-12, weight gain tends to slow down. It is normal for the rate of weight gain to slow down, but it is not normal for weight gain to stop completely or for babies to lose weight. The average breastfed baby doubles their birth weight by about 5-6 months, and at 1 year, they typically weigh 2.5 times their birth weight. So for a baby that weighs 7 1/2 pounds at birth on average s/he will weigh nearly 18 pounds by their first birthday. In my personal experience they often weigh much more. Many children also grow very tall quickly.

So why bother with a more expensive infant car seat system?


You buy the cheapest infant car seat that Walmart offers: Cheapest 

Cosco Juvenile Light 'N Comfy Infant Car Seat, Dots:Rear-facing: 4 lbs-22 lbs; for child measuring 29"
Side impact protection
5-point harness
4 harness heights for the best fit as baby grows
Includes retractable canopy
Latch equipped with convenient latch storage
Cost: $47


Problems with this seat:

• Difficult to tighten harness because you can only access from the back of the seat. This is huge!!! That means every time you need to buckle your baby in you will need to take the seat out and turn it around to access the back to you can can tighten the straps enough. To get the baby out of the seat you will have to turn it around to access the back to loosen the straps.

• Insufficient padding making many babies fussy and uncomfortable during the rides.

• Harness made of cheaper material making it easier for them to twist and tangle. A twisted seat is not safe.

• It has a latch that is difficult to use you must place one piece on top of the other before you insert it into the buckle.

• No built in head support. 

• 22 pound weight range means many babies will need a new seat before 1 year old. The average 12 month old male weighs between:19.8-22.9 pounds, 12 month old female weighs between:18.2-21.4 pounds.

• 29 inch length measurement is also small. The average 12 month old male measures between: 29.2-30.5 inches, average 12 month old girl measures between:28.5-29.8 inches

So based on height and weight you will have to get an additional rear facing car seat once your baby is about 12 months old on top of the other issues the largest of which is how difficult it is to get the harness tight enough.


 Let's compare to a more expensive infant car seat from Target: More Expensive

Graco Snugride Click Connect 35:

• 
  
• Features: Adjustable Harness, Removable Seat Pad, LATCH Compatiblity, Level Indicator For Proper Installation, EPS Safety Foam, Rotating Canopy, Removable Head Support
• 
  
• Safety and Security Features: LATCH Equipped Car Seat, 5-Point Harness, Rear Facing Only, 2- Piece Chest Clip, Side Impact Protection
• 
  
• Rear Facing:Minimum Weight: 4 Lb.; Maximum Weight: 35 Lb. Maximum Height: 32 "

Cost: $150

Improvements made with this seat:

• Easy to tighten harness as it is right in the front of the seat.

• Adequate padding for comfort

• Thicker less likely to tangle straps

• Simple buckle

• Built in head support

• 35 pound weight range means it will fit most children until the age of 36 months (3 years) based on weight alone. Average male is between 29.5-34.3 pounds, Average female is between 28.4 -33.4 pounds

• 32 inch height means it will fit most children until the age of 21 months (1 3/4 years) based on height alone.Average male height is 32.7-34.3 inches, average female height is 32.1-33.8 inches

I personally had the Graco 35 for my last child and he (who was very small for his age) fit in it until he was 3 years old. If you have to replace your infant car seat earlier you will have to buy an additional convertible car seat. When you do get a convertible seat with a minimum of 65 pound weight limit. Keep your child rear facing as long as possible a minimum of 2 years but as long as 4 years. The large size of their heads in comparison to their bodies makes them much more likely to be injured in a car accident if they are forward facing.

Many parents want to start out with an infant seat and there are some benefits. If you are really trying to save money it is best to just buy a convertible seat with a high weight limit to 65 pounds then your child stays in one car seat until they are ready for a booster seat.

The best bang for your buck in my experience in this Diono-RadianR100-Convertible-Seat

• The Diono Radian family of car seats are the only convertible+booster seats with a full steel frame making them one of the safest car seats available today
• Rear facing 5-to 40 pounds. Forward facing 20-65 pounds (up to 57") in 5 point harness. Booster to 100 pounds.
• Aluminum reinforced sides and energy-absorbing harness system for added safety
• EPS foam for side impact protection
• Folds flat for travel and fits 3 across in a mid-size vehicle

You will only have to buy one car seat ever for your child-infant to booster. Because of the high quality of materials this car seat does not expire for 8 years in harness mode with an additional 2 years in booster mode. That is 10 years for one car seat. This is also the narrowest car seat around making it possible to fit three of these across in a sedan, SUV or minivan.

How do I Know When I am Going to go Into Labor?

How do I know when I am going to go into labor? 

Oh how I wish I could answer this question for all of you. If I had a crystal ball and could I would be rich! This is such a common question in my practice. Women in the United States have been lulled into a false sense of planning by the medical community making them believe they can detect when they go into labor. 

Here are a few things that will not detect that you will go into labor soon:

1. You are dilating. But but but. Nope. Doesn't matter. I have seen women walk around at 7 cm for a couple weeks then go on to have a normal length labor. I have seen women go from 1 cm to baby in one hour. It is not a good assessment of when you will have your baby.

2. It is your due date. See #1 below.

3. Your baby has dropped. This can happen in labor.

4. Your previous baby was born at 39 weeks (or 40, or 37). Your previous gestation amounts can play into the equation but based on 11 years of birth work I would never put money on it.

For those of you (like me) who appreciate a good check list here are a few warning signs (party signs?) that labor may be on it's way in the next week or less:

1. You are over your estimated due date. I tell every first time parent to add 8 days to their EDD based on their last period and count on baby coming no sooner that that. Make sure you share your new EDD with everyone. But what if the baby comes early you ask? You have your baby a few weeks early and no one raises an eyebrow, but go over your due date and the texts and phone calls won't stop until the baby is out. Even mom's who have had a baby before often hit their due date.

2. You have had a seriously good cry. This usually occurs as a prenatal appointment after you come in puffy and glaring at your care provider that you are still pregnant. The cry often occurs from the build up of hormones in your body preparing you for labor.

3. It has been one week since you have had a night of contractions where you were "Sure this is it."  and you almost called(or did call) your midwife.

4. You have loose bowels. You have spent most of your pregnancy more blocked up than usual thanks to iron supplements and slowed down digestion which helps with greater absorption of nutrients that is typical in pregnancy. Suddenly things change the other direction. Emptying becomes the word of the week.

5. You have lost your mucous plug although these regrow all the time and it is not uncommon to loose them a couple of times before baby comes.

6. You get up in the middle of the night to fold baby clothes. Nesting anyone?

7. Everyone in the family has gotten a really nasty cold, flu, or stomach virus and it now starting to feel better. It sounds crazy but  this almost always happens. Every one gets sick about a week before baby comes. Mom is super stressed about being sick or having sick kids while in labor. Everyone gets better and then the baby is born.

8. Your toddler has decided s/he is ready to toilet train. Completely serious. You wanted to do it all your first trimester but didn't have the stomach for it. You tried to do it your second trimester but the child wasn't ready. You had given up hope the third trimester and were sure that they would be in diapers in college. Week before the baby comes and wamo they want to use the potty and you spend a week washing pee soaked underwear.

9. Your mother-in-law who came into town to be here for the birth just caught their flight back home. Your body has a way of waiting to go into labor until it can be a private event. This can also be the sister, best friend, mother etc. I really do not have a vendetta against mother-in-laws.

10. Baby is moving less. It is very important to pay attention to baby's movements in utero as this is a positive warning sign that baby is doing well. Often right before labor there is a moment of calmness from your little one as s/he prepares for birth. They have just plain run out of room and their head is wedging deeper into your pelvis. This comment usually comes up during a prenatal appointment, but more than a handful of times I have gone to a clients home to check on things because mom was concerned that the baby wasn't moving and there was something wrong only to arrive assure her everything is fine and she is in early labor.

Regardless of everything above your baby will come when it is the right time for him or her. There is a point when almost every woman meets a point of surrender. She will be pregnant forever and she is ok with that. For now she will enjoy the joy of the baby growing with in her. Then the baby will come. The beautiful thing about birthing at home is that we get to follow the Divine plan and allow our bodies to do what they were meant to do, birth a baby perfectly.

Day 3: Haiti

Day 3

This day was Saturday, a free day at the clinic. No prenatals or classes scheduled. I slept in a little but not too much as I knew I needed to go check in on Medaline and probably discharge her. Not being woken by Martha let me to believe that her contractions stopped and she had slept. I was right and after she had some breakfast, oatmeal, I sent her home with a prescription for a syphilis, and HIV test plus and ultrasound order with instructions to do them all on Monday and return for a prenatal on Tuesday unless the bleeding worsened or she was in labor again. She happily agreed. I ate breakfast and some Benadryl and Tylenol for the cold and promptly fell asleep on the couch in the family room where I slept for 90 minutes or so. I woke disappointed that the power was out again, but Mary invited me to go on a walk 1/2 a block away to the cemetery which had manicured lawns and huge shade trees. I agreed and here I am now.

I think I am going to take this time to describe MBH the best I can. It is a large concrete building painted a pale yellow and white. The yard is compound like everything else in the neighborhood, probably .5 of an acre. There are three doors on the front of the house. The one on the left leads into the kitchen which has a refrigerator, oven, back up propane powered cooking station and falling apart cupboards full of dishes and pots and pans all covered with clean cloths or mesh screen to attempt to keep out insects. A wall of 5 gallon water bottles for the water cooler lines one side. If you continue through the kitchen you enter the court yard where they have the outside kitchen to cook, do laundry and wash dishes. Dishes are washed in three large tubs. One for soaking and cleaning, one for rinsing, and one for disinfecting with bleach water. Through the second door on the front of the house you enter the teaching and post partum room. Four single beds line the walls. There is a baby care and weight station and pictures of teddy bears and nursing mothers on the walls. The room is separated by another little entry room by a navy blue drawstring curtain. Yesterday this room was full with Mama Baby class participants, Mamba baby families, and postpartum families, about 20 in all. Through the blue curtain is an entry room from the postpartum room, kitchen and reception area. It has one bed there for triage and treatment plus a child sling scale where the child sits in a special cloth that is suspended from the ceiling on a scale. There is a small cabinet with pregnancy tests, HIV tests, glucose tests, thermometers etc. When you enter through the third door on the front of the house you enter a screened porch. This is where the mothers sit to wait to be called in for appointments. You don't make exact appointments. You tell them to come in 4 weeks and they come back around then. The first to arrive gets the seat closest to the door and is the first called. So they begin to arrive around 8 am and by 9 am when it is devotional time we have 10-30 women there. That room leads into the small reception area with a desk and an armoire that holds medications and vitamins. To the immediate right is the garage which has been converted into a large store room for supplies. On the far end of a reception area there is another bed that is used for triage or as an extra prenatal space. To the left is the hallway to the kitchen and postpartum rooms as well as the stairs to the upstairs. Just past the storage under the stairs is a labor room with the MBH logo painted on the wall. Two beds and a bathroom plus a supply shelving area.  From reception to the right there is a single labor room decorated with birds. A bathroom. A double laboring room decorated with painted flowers. There is also a hall way that leads out the back of the house to the grounds keepers’ home. Up the stairs opens into a great room with a small desk and office supplies. There is a large family sized black table with benches and two love seats and a coffee table. Shelves along the walls hold books and food supplies and condiments that belong to the midwives and other house staff. There is a door that leads to a covered deck. I spend a lot of time out here and often nap there. Off the great room is another large room called the over flow room. It holds overflow baby supplies and medications that will get too hot in the garage plus 3 more bunk beds for over flow staff. I often sleep on the top bunk as a breeze from the deck on the end makes me feel less clausterphobic.  Off the great room are the midwives quarters with a bathroom and 4 sets of bunk beds. Mine is a bottom bunk in the far corner away from both windows. Thus the closterphobia.  Another midwife room off the great room leads to Mary’s room where the directors stay, there are two beds. There is a bathroom and a third bedroom which has four bunk beds where the site manager, Santo, who I have not met yet because he is out of town, sleeps. The yard has a huge empty swimming pool, a chicken coup, two green houses and plants everywhere including beans, peas, tomatoes, corn, egg plant, lettuce, greens and other plant foods. Trees of mango, papaya, banana and sugar cane are also around. The whole house is very clean. The cleaning woman wipes the walls and mops every floor with a bleach solution every day. Building materials are difficult to come by so paint is chipping, windows need caulking etc. but they keep things very clean and tidy and I feel very safe even with all of the insects around. I am hoping for a few labors to come in today.

Chicken Coop and Banana Trees

Green Houses and Mango Trees

Women Waiting for their Prenatal

Birth Room with MBH Logo

Sun Room Birth and Prenatal Room

Birth Room Birth and Prenatal Room

Flower Room Birth and Prenatal Room

 Laundry is almost always drying around the Clinic yard

Sugarcane

Papaya Tree

Staff Family and Dinning Room

Clinic

Swimming Pool- This made me laugh because there is almost a page in the volunteer handbook about how you need to dress modestly when you are using the swimming pool :)

Passion Fruit Vine

When we got back I spent several hours napping as did the other midwives. We then decided to go for a walk up to the rock quarry about half a mile away. We stopped by the MBH children’s library and met the family featured in the you tube video. We saw many different people, animals, and houses. When we got to the quarry rain water had collected to form little pods where people were bathing and animals were watering. We climbed a steep hill and we were able to see all around us up the mountains to the east and the ocean to the north. It was very beautiful.

When we got back a labor was there a first time mom named, Tetalley. She was very sweet. We had spaghetti for dinner and mom and her sister Nahnah walked around. We told them to come and get us when things got more intense. I crawled into a new bed under a mosquito net out on the porch and waited. Around 10 Martha came and got me and told me she was active. I went down and found her rolling in bed with the pain. We got her centered and I did an internal exam and found her to be 100% and 5 cm. Her mother had shown up by that point and kept pulling up her skirt and opening her legs wanting her to push out the baby. I finally got her to leave her alone and she labored with us holding her hands, rubbing her back, and putting water on her belly. Around midnight she said she had to poop and I checked her and found her ready to push. Martha went and got Mary and they were going to turn on the generator when a miracle happened and the power went on. She had a very tight hymeneal ring. I was worried about her tearing on the birth stool so she pushed a few contractions there and then we moved to the bed. She would not have torn except for a nuchal hand that popped out. Baby had great apgars and cried eagerly.They worked beautiful together and grandma was so happy.

 I ended up needing to suturing her up a bit. She showered and then we moved her to the postpartum room where we worked on breastfeeding. I crawled into bed at 2:30 but still didn't sleep well as the baby was up often during the night and I went down to help the mama. She was exhausted and a little shell shocked which is pretty normal for a first time mom no matter where you live.

Photos of individuals shared with permission that was obtained prior to taking photo.

Birth Photography for St. George and Cedar City Utah

I have had the privilege of working with Rachael Steele of Steele the Moment Birth Photography several times. Here is her fabulous facebook page.  If you are interested in birth photography I would highly recommend looking at all of the wonderful local options. The photos will be something you will cherish forever and everyone I have ever spoken to about them have found them well worth the cost. Below you will also find some beautiful examples of her work. I was at several of these births as a second midwife to Laura Hopper another wonderful local midwife resource. 

Here is my interview with Rachael:

When did you first become interested in photography?

I have always had a fascination with the idea of being able to photograph and freeze moments in time…a fascination that started very young and was inspired by many artists including Anne Geddes. I remember even at about the age of thirteen, setting up a fur rug to take a picture of my newborn sister, as well as a close-up picture of a beautiful flower and thought somehow that I was going to put it together to make this beautiful piece of art! Not quite sure how I thought I was going to do that to be honest, haha. Yet the desire to make art out of a precious new life while at the same time capturing all her little details forever was definitely already there at that point!

What about birth photography?

I first heard about birth photography from a fellow twin mom on the mothering.com twins forum actually! I had just started to really get into the world of professional photography, and as I also had such a love for the whole birth process (but no desire to be any kind of medical personnel) I could not believe what I was hearing! Two of my passions all wrapped up into one! And not only that, the whole idea of the sentiment behind it…I am a very sentimental person. Yes, I save everything. I wrote every single detail down in a pregnancy journal with both of my pregnancies, did baby books, kept little sentiments, had hand and foot molds done, etc. Everything I can get my hands on to sort of capture those little details that are so soon forgotten. What a wonderful idea, to be able to preserve those memories and at the same time, allow the support team to work with mom and not even worry about taking pictures! Phenomenal! Not only did I wish I had thought of it with my births, but I wanted so badly to be able to provide such an invaluable service to as many families as I could.

 Tell me about the first birth you attended whether you took pictures or not?

Well, the first birth I ever attended would have been my oldest sisters. I was probably 17 or so and just there to support my sister. Even at that young single age I remember being a little bit shocked since I had never really seen a baby be born before, but I have been so amazed since then and continue to be amazed at the human body, the things that it can create and the hard things it can do! I attended several other family member births after that and it never ceased to amaze me. Following a long period of training and being mentored specific to birth photography I took on my first birth client, a dear friend of mine where I was able to photograph her breathtaking home birth. It was such a remarkable thing to be a part of. And from that moment on, I knew it was my calling in life to be able to preserve these special memories for people. 


Why would someone want birth photography?

As one of my birth photographer colleagues says, “Because they only take their first breath once.” You know, this is the hardest thing for me to answer sometimes. I know the answer…but it is hard to describe. Each one of my clients could tell you, but kind of like having a baby, you will never fully understand until you have had the experience. For many mama’s it is so very healing and empowering to be able to actually see the work and the labor of love they put in to bringing their child into this world. To be able to see the love and support that surrounded them throughout the whole process. To me, there is no greater gift a person can give themselves, their baby, and their posterity than to have professionally captured those fleeting moments.

Why hire a professional?

As much as it would be nice to be able to have just anyone record your story, the sad truth is that many of those special moments will be missed, and those moments are things that you cant get back. As a professional birth photographer I am trained to hone in on the details and quiet moments that matter the most, often times they are little bits of importance that the average person may not catch as “important” but is very much a part of the journey. Many people may think it’s just the difference in the camera, but that is not the case. Yes…I have a nice big camera, but it is just a tool, and knowing how to use it properly is what makes the difference. I chose my camera and lens’s specifically to be able to capture great images in low light situations and have been trained in just about every aspect/scenario that comes along with birth. The difference in training as not just a professional, but a professional birth photographer is of immense importance.

Can't dad take pictures?

Words cannot describe! Please if I may share a link that will show you exactly what moments you would have missed if dad were behind the camera instead. As a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers, a group of us got together to share our best images that just begin to describe the answer to this question. Please, enjoy our video “Hold her hand, not the camera” 

What if I don’t want pictures of the baby coming out?

This is what makes birth photography so great! It is totally up to you how much or how little you want in your photos. Either way, rest assured you will have a complete birth story start to finish regardless of what you choose. It is purely personal preference. Some people want images they maybe even just want to keep to themselves to see the hard work they did, some may just want the images of babies head coming out where you cannot see anything else revealing, and then some choose to wait until baby comes up for their first breath. There is no right or wrong choice; it is absolutely up to you!

What about modest pictures?

Again, it is completely up to you how you want the images to turn out. There are almost always angles I can use to take the images in a way that it is as modest as you would like it to be. I am always very conscious and respectful of the birth space and my clients’ privacy and do everything I can to make it comfortable…more like a “fly on the wall” kind of experience.

What if I do want pictures of the baby coming out?

Absolutely. I have no problem with however my client decides they want their images taken. 

What type of editing do you do?

Well, to start off…each of my clients gets a folder of color images as well as a folder of black and white images. Many birth photographers will just do black and white, but often times I find that I absolutely love the color image and I don’t want to take that away. For that reason, I provide both. So it is up to my client to decide which ones they like in color and which ones they like better in black and white. As far as actual editing, I “process” each of the images a certain way, I don’t ever “touch up” the images. I won’t remove things out of the photo or change anything in a way that does not depict the trueness of the actual experience. Most of what makes the images what they are, is the way that I actually “take” them in the first place. It’s true there is cropping and tilting and converting to jpg format, etc. and all my images go through a similar process, but it’s all just a way to get the images into a usable format. 

How do the doctors and midwives like working with you?

I have a really good working relationship with a lot of providers including midwives, doctors and nurses. I have worked with a lot of them in the area so most of them are familiar with me and it has been a great experience! I have had both midwives as well as doctors tell me that they actually really enjoyed being able to see their job from that perspective as well.

When do you like to get called to the birth?
Basically once my client is in active labor I want to be there. For most home births, I will show up shortly after the midwife does. I want to be there soon enough to get “laboring” shots as well as pictures of those moments when their support members are there for them and helping them through their progress. I want to be able to get detail shots before hand also, in a way that sets the seen. Pictures of all the stuff that is out and ready for baby, maybe what other family members are doing while waiting, the weather, the date on a newspaper or calendar, and things like that.

What if I have a c-section?
Well, in general the rule is that as long as it is not a complete emergency and the doctor and anesthesiologist are okay with it, then it is allowed. There are no actual policy’s set in place at our local hospital that prevents photographs from being taken, as long as there are no photographs of any actual procedures. Even if something turned into c-section and I was not able to photograph that part of the birth story, there is still a story to be told. Even if the birth story images went from mom and dad walking into the OR, a picture of the empty room they were in and a picture of the clock at the time, then a picture of them coming out with their new bundle of joy. Then a lot of times they can wait to do the length, weight and footprints til they are in a regular room, so everything is still there and the story is still complete.  

Tell me about the difference in shooting photos at a hospital birth verses shooting a homebirth?
Really there isn’t much difference as far as my job goes. The hospital ones I do tend to mostly be medicated, not all, but most. So those ones are easier to gauge how long I have. But that’s not always the case. The only other difference besides the “security” at the hospital is that the lighting is usually always the same in the hospital, very 2 dimensional. Because of that, I shoot a little bit differently in order to create 3 dimensions. Just technical stuff though. Each birth is different regardless of whether it is in the hospital or at home.

Do you do maternity and/or newborn photos?
Yes, absolutely! I specialize in maternity, birth and newborn. I have packages for each so you are able to combine either of those options together, which makes it nice for my clients to sort of be able to build their package how they want between those options.

Tell me about the birth where you learned the most about taking birth pictures?
Oh gosh, that’s a tough one! I’d say I have several. No matter how long a photographer is in the field, you learn something new at every single session I think. For me it was important to learn everything I needed to know about taking birth photos, before ever stepping foot into a birth to “practice” on, as birth is not something you can retake if you miss something. But if I had to pick, I would probably say some of my “firsts”. For instance my very first home birth, my very first hospital birth, first twin birth, first c-section, etc.

How long after the birth do I have to wait to get pictures?
I will usually give you a sneak peek within the first 24 hours of the birth. That way you have some beautiful images you can share with family and friends immediately to announce the birth of your new little one! I always say 4 to 6 weeks for the CD of all 150 to 300 images, although I have gotten them back within a couple of days. It sort of depends on how much work I have at the time. But is never beyond the 6 week mark and usually by 4 or sooner. If you need images for birth announcements, etc. I am always really flexible with emailing you a couple if you would like.


How much do you charge and what is included? 
Well, I always tell my clients in the beginning that it may be something you need to save up for. I do take payments as well, but it is along the lines of wedding photography (except that a wedding photographer isn’t on call 24/7 like I am ). Right now I am currently charging $400 for the birth, and have packages that include either the newborn or a maternity session for $575 and my “Whole Bundle of Joy” package which includes a maternity session as well as the birth and newborn sessions for $750. (These are my current specials that require a $100 deposit to hold at that price)

Any final words?

I just want to emphasize how priceless and invaluable birth photography is. No matter what your concern, I have never once had an unsatisfied customer. It definitely isn’t something you will regret! But I can’t tell you how many people I have talked to that never quite get around to booking their session until it’s too late and they say how much they had wished that they had done it. For me, it’s not an option. Not just as the professional birth photographer, but as a mother myself. My next birth, no matter what the obstacle, I will make sure I have my birth documented in a professional way so I can freeze those moments in time so the memories can always be fresh in my mind.