I don’t believe that I know anyone who had a photographer at their birth, or may be it’s just something that’s been kept private. However; I highly recommend having someone there! We were on the fence for a long time about whether to have someone take photos or not, to the point that we didn’t have a firm plan.
Nicole Griswold was is a photographer I found to take newborn photos, I knew that if we had planned for hospital birth that a photographer came round shortly after delivery to take photos and I thought that sounded lovely so I needed to find someone who would come to our home as I had zero plans to leave the house! I also didn’t want someone who posed the babies – as cute as those are, they aren’t us. Nicole was recommended on Facebook, I checked her out and saw she did maternity photos too so thought that would be nice to see if we were a good match together.
This was a little tricky on my end because I ha don interest in getting maternity photos done, I just wanted some nice photos of the two of us and find one to put on our Christmas cards. I hadn’t posted much on social media about being pregnant, maybe one or two photos on Instagram but I still had a fear of another miscarriage. I felt comfortable letting people know at Christmas I was pregnant as then I was almost to term.
Nicole was happy to do a “non maternity, maternity” shoot for us and we got a couple of lovely photos of us in it. This was the woman for us, the person to come in and take photos of our newborn once they arrived! She also mentioned she did birth photos, and I was intrigued but unsure how I felt having someone observing and watching me labor and deliver. It seemed quite intimate. Newborn shoot was booked for beginning of Feb!
We stayed on the fence pretty much up until afterwards. We thought nearer the time, okay let’s do it, but by that time Nicole was booked around the due date and like doula’s she didn’t want to overbook incase she couldn’t make it. I felt okay with that, so I definitely was still on the fence as I wasn’t disappointed. What she did offer though, was if she was available then she would be there, and if she was busy on another job or unavailable then she wouldn’t be there. That worked for us. It was like a commitment but still not a commitment. As it turned out my due date came, and then went. It went some more and a little more. I had one last day to deliver at home before I had to go to hospital, and Nicole had a booking on that day so I accepted that she wouldn’t be there.
What happened though, being the lovely woman she is, she said to still keep her updated. So a text or call – unsure which my husband did – in the early hours meant she was able to make it, and due to how quickly things progressed she was able to stay for the birth. I remember saying at some point “oh hi Nicole, you’re here!”
I had no idea Nicole had arrived, no idea where she was whilst she was there, she was like a stealth ninja. What we do have however are the most beautiful photos of one of the most natural things in the world. The first time we saw our photos me and hubby cried, cried in emotions, cried in laughter as there are come corkers in there, and cried in gratitude.
Our newborn photos were the same, Nicole is such a calm and wonderful presence that she makes everyone look amazing. We have these wonderful photos to keep of such an amazing day, and then amazing first week. She is someone else we have not enough words of thanks to give except recommend her over and over again to anyone who is looking for a birth and newborn photographer!
Nicole Griswold http://www.nicolegriswold.com
The Gordon's Miscellany 