Is Having a Birth Photographer at your birth ok?

Is Having a Birth Photographer at your birth ok?

Socially acceptable?

Invasive?

Less Intimate?

I often hear from couples who did not hire me that either mama or her husband/partner was worried about a photographer making their birth space feel less intimate & make it feel exposed.

This is a natural fear, because our society already impregnated us all with so many fears surrounding childbirth. We are afraid what if something terrible happens? What if I CAN'T do this? What if there is an emergency? The fears are totally endless.

And I get it 1,000%

HENCE, AFFIRMATIONS

During my second pregnancy, I came up with the idea of writing down all my fears and then creating a 2nd list, where I wrote the OPPOSITE of those fears in positive form, taping up those affirmations all over my home to read & believe during my pregnancy. When I started this project, I thought I'd have a list of maybe 5 or 6 things.

Well, I ended up having PAGES.

Around 30, 35 FREAKING FEARS y'all that I had in my pregnancy.

THAT is what society did to me. Did it do this to you too?

Society made me BELIEVE I would never succeed in birth, rather fail so hard I'd endanger myself and my baby in 35 ways.

2 years ago, I found out that my maternal grandmother (my mom's mother) gave birth (unintentionally) unassisted at home to twins (my mom being one of them). [the midwife simply did not make it in time, and yet here I was believing I'd fail myself, my husband and older daughter and my baby in 30, 35 ways because of society

So when couples do not believe a photographer will add to their safety, comfort, support and most of all INTIMACY of their birth, they are probably thinking of the wrong type of photographer.

You see, while photographs is what I capture with my camera, from the moment I stepped foot into my very first birth almost 150 births ago, almost 7 years ago, I have NEVER considered myself a photographer.

I have always been and forever will be a birth worker, who above all things, upholds the intimacy & sacredness within a very private and empowered birthing space.

So here is a photograph of my oldest daughter and I holding the sign "SAFE" because when you are in my hands, my dears, you are safer than you've ever been. From my heart to yours, Paulina

#notjustaphotographer

#birthworker