FAQs
What does it mean that you are a collective?
Being a collective means that we’ve built support and interdependence into our business model. It means that we can count on each other so that you can count on us. It means our relationship with one another is built on trust and our values are aligned. It’s important to us that you feel comfortable with both of us, and that you know you can trust us during the vulnerable moments of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. To that end, we act as a team as we meet and learn about our clients. We prioritize relationship building to ensure that you know and trust each of us as you approach your birth. We know you’ll be more than content with the in-person experience that you’ll receive from one of us at your birth. But even more, you’ll have the benefit of a team on your side as you prepare yourself for this transformational experience. And beyond that, you’ll have a doula or photographer who is also being supported behind the scenes, so we’ll be showing up as our very best for you.
If I hire you for Birth Photography or videography only, will you act as a doula at my birth?
We are first and foremost birth workers. That means that whenever we enter a birth space, we do so with thoughtful intention and an understanding that our own energy has an impact on the birth space we were invited into. Whatever role we are hired for, we will be holding space for the unfolding of your experience. But our doula clients get the benefit of, not only hands-on and hands-off doula support throughout their labor, but also in-depth relationship-building, education, resource-sharing, and ongoing emotional support leading up to and after the birth itself. If we’re there as a photographer or videographer only (not hired for doula support), we’ll likely offer a gentle suggestion or words of encouragement along the way, but that is far from the full experience of having a doula walk alongside you on this transformational journey. If you’re interested in having that full experience, let’s chat about adding doula services to your birth photography package.
How Does your call schedule work? Can I Choose Who will attend my birth?
We love all of our clients and develop relationships that make it SO hard not to get to be the one to go to a specific client’s birth. We truly love birth work. But this work, like most (all?) work, just isn’t healthy or sustainable without breaks and balance and physical and emotional recovery. But birth is unpredictable, so birth work in modern times has traditionally been a field that doesn’t allow for a healthy balance. We created this collective, in part, to address this and allow us to really commit to birth work long term in a way that our own individual needs as humans can be honored, too. What this means is that we share a phone number that switches between us depending on who is on call. Dana takes the first couple days of the week, Anna takes the last couple, and we alternate weekends. If one of us has a special event to attend or an out-of-town trip planned, we step up and cover for each other. When you text or call with a question or a labor update, whoever is on call at that moment will answer. And when it’s time to head to a birth, the on-call person will be there. So while you don’t get to choose which of us will be at your birth, we know you’ll be in the best possible hands.
How do you manage the role of doula and photographer or videographer simultaneously?
While the roles of doula, photographer, and videographer have distinct skill sets, combining them is a dance that requires both knowledge and intuition. Knowing which moments require more intense physical support and when something should be documented — whether momentous or a tiny, but significant detail — is a result of both wisdom and experience in the birth space. We find that having a camera in our hands or sitting nearby doesn’t impede our ability to hold space, support, encourage or inform. And while our goal is to tell your birth story through photos or video as fully as possible, doing so doesn’t mean constantly snapping photos or filming. There is a natural rhythm and repetition to birth that allows us to step in and out of documentation without missing anything. We also find that partners tend to be eager to be the primary close, physical support person. And while there’s generally plenty of time and space for us to step in to relieve partners when they need a break or additional physical support is needed, so much of what we do as doulas is emotional work that is easily done with a camera handy, too. We believe that serving as doula and documentarian simultaneously doesn’t take away from either. In fact, the resulting photos or video allow us to further support our clients in processing and understanding their birth experience in a way that can’t compare to doing so without.
If I hire you as my doula only, will you still take photos at my birth?
Our doula-only clients get the benefit of our full attention as doulas at your birth. We don’t bring our cameras to doula-only births, but will happily snap a few photos on your cell phone, if requested. We are grateful that current technology allows for all birthing people to have bits of their experience documented, and encourage partners and support people to snap photos, too, if you and they want. If you’re interested in an artful and comprehensive documentation of your birth story, we’re always excited to attend births as your doula and photographer or videographer and would love to chat about how we serve both roles (also, see above FAQ for more on that)!