FAQs

1. What are your fees?

Please send a request to me via the homepage or the contact page and I will be happy to discuss the fees with you.

2. Does it cost different if I hire you in the first trimester verses right before birth?

No, the cost is the same. I will walk with you the whole time and work hard to educate you before birth. The earlier you hire me, the better because we have more time to plan your birth and talk about what is expected before each trimester.

3. How do I hire you for my due date?

First, contact me for a consult and I will meet with you at a location of our agreement or due to COVID-19 if you prefer an over the phone consult I do offer those at this time.. After that I will hold your due date for 7 days to give you time to decide. Contact me and tell me you want to hire me. After that it is two simple steps. 1-Fill out the form with my contract that I will give you. 2- Pay the $350 deposit via the invoice I will email you. This fee is a nonrefundable deposit and secures your birth on my calendar. The remainder of the birth doula fee is to be paid by the 36th week of pregnancy.

4. Do you support women planning a c-section?

Yes! I will accompany you to hospital before and/or after your elective cesarean, and be present with you during the birth, as hospital policy allows, to provide support, information on what to expect, and assistance in making your cesarean birth a positive experience. I can remain with you while your partner goes with baby if baby must be taken out of the recovery room for medical purposes, help with initial breastfeeding, answer questions about speeding recovery from a cesarean, and let you know what to expect in the first few days afterward. In the case of an emergency Cesarean, support personnel are usually not permitted in the OR, so I will be present with your partner to provide support during the surgery and will provide you the same support after the procedure.

5. Do you have a set amount of time you will support me at birth?

Not at all. I can't control when, where, or how long your birth will take. I want to support you for as long as you need.

6. Do you support moms who are having an epidural or other medications during labor?

Yes! I educate you on your options and then help you to have the support you need for the birth you want. Doulas are not just valuable to women planning natural or unmedicated births. They have an important role to play in supporting any birth, no matter the level of intervention involved; often especially if there are interventions! Drugs may help to minimize the pain at different stages in labor, but they may not minimize anxiety, fear, confusion and other emotional and psychological upset a birthing mother may experience. A doula also helps you make sure birth plan and your preferences are granted and your doctors gain full consent from you before anything is performed.

7. Are you comfortable praying with me in pregnancy or labor?

Yes! I love the Lord and His word. He is part of my life and who I am. I will gladly pray with you silently or vocally. I would also read scriptures or religious birth affirmations with you.

9. I'm concerned about unflattering/graphic images, is birth photography still for me?

Yes! I work specifically with each client to determine their preference prior to the labour. This is what our prenatal meetings are for. I will only capture and deliver images that you request. I work around YOUR comfort level - some mothers want to see full crowning image, others request complete privacy and discretion. Some want lots of placenta images, some can't handle the sight of blood. Either way, I'm totally confident we can create a beautiful one-of-a-kind album telling YOUR birth story.

11. I don't think my partner would be supportive - do Dads like having a photographer?

The feedback from birth partners I have worked with have been overwhelmingly positive! By having a professional photographer available, Dad can foucs 100% on supporting the mother and experiencing the moment - without having to hold up a camera or iPhone! Bonus - he gets to be documenting as your heroic pillar of support during this life changing event! And heroism looks good on him.

13. Won't it be strange to have a stranger in the room when I'm having a baby?

Everyone is a stranger before they become a friend! I meet every client 1-2 times before the birth to begin building that trust and relationship. As soon as you hire us, we become an important part of your birth team! Your partner, Doctor, Nurses, Midwives, Doulas, friends... your team should be made up of pros who you trust, who are committed to helping you achieve your optimum birth experience. As doula or photographer, my experience and training gives me the ability to work with ad around your team as a pillar of confidence and support. I believe in you and am here to help you achieve your best birth experience possible!

15. Can you be a doula and birth photographer at the same time

In a word - yes. If you think about Pregnancy and Birth as an enormous iceberg, the actual time of delivery in the very tip. Doula support and prenatal education occur extensively in the months and weeks leading up to your delivery. Birth planning, pain management techniques, fetal positioning, and more! Acting as both your doula and photographer in birth is a privilege and a balancing act! This works best when I know what your expectations are ahead of time. We will have plenty of tine to discuss how I can best meet all your needs as a birth attendant and photographer. Squeezing your hand or stepping back and squeezing the shutter button whiles you and your partner have an intimate moment. This looks totally different for each client: know that I am committed to serve YOU in whichever way necessary, depending on the flow of your labor and delivery.

8. What do doulas do? Are you a midwife?

We are not midwives and do not deliver babies. I support you with education and comfort techniques in labor, while the midwife takes care of the delivery of the baby. Doulas take care of you from the waist up and midwives do the medical care from the waist down.

Doulas do the following:

One or more prenatal visits as needed
Assistance in writing your birth plan.
Unlimited telephone and email support during pregnancy and for six weeks following your birth.
Providing resources and/or referrals.
Labor support at home, birthing center, or hospital
24 hour on-call assistance beginning at 37 weeks gestation and continuing until your birth.
One - Two postpartum visits (one at 5 days and one between 3 weeks of birth- 2 months).
Prayer either silent or verbal. I am a Christian who love to incorporate scriptures and prayers to support you.

10. Will my pictures end up all over the internet?

Another misconception... No. We only share what you are comfortable with sharing. We honor your decision whether it be to share your pictures with the world or only have them for yourself. These photos are for you more than anything else.

12. is Birth Photography actually worth the cost?

Couples spend thousands of dollars on wedding photography - the birth of your child is no mess important. A wedding is booked on the calendar for a year in advance - but no one can predict when a birth will happen! Your birth photographer works on call 24/7 for five weeks surrounding your due date. This requires an enormous time commitment. The result is a gallery of photos that will be cherished for a lifetime and beyond. Again, the response from clients is overwhelmingly positive: the investment you make in your birth story photos is well, well worth it.

14. Can't my husband or Mom take pictures for me?

Of course they could, but then they wouldn't be in the photos! Part of capturing this one in a lifetime event involves documenting your loved ones as they become a dad, aunt, or grandmother for the first time (or all over again). There is also a big difference between savoring the moment and snapping photos. Your family deserves to witness this event without the stress, distraction, or expectation of having to capture it.