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Writer's pictureErin Loughlin

Why You Should Add a Birth Photographer to Your Care Team!


Chicago hospital birth newborn mom smiling holding baby in hospital bed with flower tattoo on her thigh and nurse clamping the umbilical cord directly after labor

Have you been considering preserving your birth story through professional birth photography? It's a life event that cannot be replicated and deserves to be thoughtfully documented with knowledge and care.


Erin Loughlin birth photographer and maternity photos smiling in a flower jumpsuit

Hey! I'm Erin Loughlin, the Birth Photographer behind Loughlin Birth + Family Photography, I am dedicated to documenting authentic moments and creating intimate art. I am driven by human connection and raw emotion that deserves to be preserved.


Having a professional birth photographer on your team can ensure your moments are beautifully captured for your family to cherish for decades. Here are a few reasons why you should consider adding one (me?) to your team!


Chicago prentice Evanston midwives obgyns hospital birth labor mother laying on side in hospital gown husband giving comfort with hip squeeze and cool cloth while giving birth

  1. Capture the Full Story


Birth is a journey with many significant moments, as a birth photographer I aim to arrive in active labor and document through approximately two hours postpartum. When you feel like you need your doula's support is the time I aim to arrive as well. This allows me to capture the details and emotions that present prior to the moment you meet your baby. Labor is actually my favorite stage to document. There is so much power, love, and support in the room to help carry you through - it's honestly palpable and it's dang beautiful to witness and capture. I call these "little-big moments" they are the ones that are more likely to forget over time but they really deserve to be remembered.


Home birth mother laboring in bathroom taking a shower to comfort in labor with dark room and framed in the doorway

2. Professional Quality and Experience


Birth Photographers are skilled professionals with experience in that unique and sacred space. We understand and adapt to lighting challenges, capture fast-moving moments, and focus on subtle emotions that define the experience. Our experience and expertise ensures that the photos will be high quality, beautifully composed, and artistically rendered.



3. Allow your Support Team to be Present


Having a birth photographer means your partner, doula, and other support persons can be focus on being entirely present with you rather than worrying about capturing photos (in a dark-ass room at that). This allows everyone to fully engage in the moment, providing emotional and physical support without the distraction of trying to document the event.



4. Preserve Authentic Emotions


The emotions that present during your birth experience are raw and genuine -- moments of intense concentration, overwhelming joy, and profound love (are there more emotions? yes - yes there are). A professional birth photographer knows how to capture these authentic emotions in a way that feels natural and unobtrusive. These candid images are priceless.



5. Create Family Heirlooms


The photos taken during your child's birth will become treasures, serving as a reminder of the journey you underwent and the joy of welcoming your baby into the world. These images can be shared with your child as they grow, helping them understand the love and effort that surrounded their arrival. They can be shared for generations to come, I promise it's not all crotch shots. In fact, it can be zero crotch shots.



6. Celebrate the Role of Your Birth Team


You picked them! You hand selected these humans who you felt in your heart/gut/bones would best support and care for you during one of the most vulnerable days of your life. A birth photographer captures the invaluable support of your birth team. Those who squeezed your hips for 12 hours and cried with you when you met your baby. These moments of support and connection are worth documenting, and documenting well.




7. Empower and Inspire


Seeing the photos of your birth can be incredibly empowering. They serve as a visual testament to your strength, resilience, and the deep connection within your family. These images will serve as a reminder of your capabilities and the LOVE that surrounds you. You're a badass.


In conclusion, adding a birth photographer to your birth team is more than just a decision to take photos; it's about preserving the profound experience of bringing new life into the world. Their presence allows your support team to fully engage in the moment, captures the authentic emotions and significant moments of the journey, and creates timeless keepsakes that you and your family can cherish forever.


If you are local to Chicagoland/SE Wisconsin and considering birth photography, I would love to speak with you about how I can best serve your family as it grows. I can be found here and here as well. Wishing you nothing but the best experience.







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