Right now I am waiting on call to photograph my first birth. Some of you may think that’s seems strange to document a birth for clients but I couldn’t be more thrilled. It feels like the highest compliment and honor to be there to witness the miracle of life and that my clients would invite me into that safe and private space.

So here are essentials you need to bring with you to your first birth. I have cleared my calendar, checked and rechecked my list and feel ready to tackle this adventure and couldn’t think of a better way to start 2019!

1.Make sure you have a camera body that handles low light well. A little grain is ok for these types of images but being sure you have a camera that is able to handle any lighting situation is key. Here is what I am using currently: Canon 5D Mark iii

2.Make sure you completely charge your battery. It’s a good idea to have a second one as well in case you are at the hospital or home a lot longer than anticipated. And then also bring your battery charger along for back up. Amazon has this battery on sale right now for $13 so it’s a no-brainer to buy and extra one in case.

3.Essential camera gear is a wide angle lens. I plan to bring my Sigma Art 35mm and my Canon 50 1.2mm. The Sigma 35 is a great option to the Canon 35 but the Canon 50mm 1.2 I use 99% of the time during my session.

4.This item isn’t a must-have but always a good idea. If you have one, bring along your macro lens. I have the Canon 100mm and it creates lovely detailed images. If you want a cheaper option, you can buy a lens macro attachment. These are very affordable ($25 on Amazon) and produce a great quality!

5.This is an item I bring to every newborn-and now birth-session: white swaddle. These are an absolute must-have! I can’t think of all the times I have used them to wrap babies, use as a white back ground or an emergency burp cloth, not to mention they are SO soft! I like the organic cotton muslin brand.

6.Be sure to remember snacks and water for you! You never know how long you will wait and it’s good to have a few things with you in case you don’t want to be away from the room. A few of my go-to’s are beef jerky, cliff bars (PB Crunch is my favorite!) and electrolyte water.

7.This item goes every where with me: (I keep one in my car all the time and always on the plane when I fly) neck pillow. They can make all those uncomfortable chairs bearable.

8.The last items on my list is Peppermint oil or gum. Just in case you tend to get queasy around needles or in hospitals-like me-these two items can really help. Also if you are feeling sleepy, peppermint oil can give you a boost and make you spell fresh. I keep this roll-on oil in my cosmetic bag in my purse all the time.

There you have it! My entire list that I plan to take with me to my first birth photography session!