You’ve probably heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to birth photography. There’s just something so beautiful about capturing your baby’s first moments into this world. Unfortunately, not everyone has the budget for a professional photographer at their birth. I’m here to tell you that there are ways to afford one and it starts with planning ahead!

Save before you get pregnant

If you want to afford a birth photographer, it’s important to start saving up before your baby arrives. The best way to do this is by setting up a separate account for your birth-related expenses and then putting money in it every month. This way, when the time comes, you won’t have to make last minute decisions about paying for things that may or may not be covered by insurance or other funds. You can use a budgeting app like YNAB (You Need A Budget) or Mint if you need help tracking how much money is coming in vs going out each month and making sure that there is enough set aside for an important expense like birth photographer!

Book early in your pregnancy

The sooner you book your birth photographer, the better your chances of getting on their calendar. When a photographer is booked for a birth, they only take a limited number so that they can make sure they can get to all the births. So if there’s a particular style of photography that you want and want to get it at the best price, get in touch as soon as possible.

Ask for a Payment plan

One of the best ways to afford a birth photographer is by asking for a payment plan.

The reason I say this is because it will break the total in small amounts, and it’s easier to commit to paying $100 per month than it is to pay $900 all at once.

Think about it like an online subscription service or magazine—you sign up for something that costs $10 or so per month and then you receive the next payment when it comes due. You can do this with your birth photographer as well!

Put a birth photographer on your baby registry

The next time you’re compiling your baby registry, don’t overlook the value of including a birth photographer. If a friend or family member asks you what to buy for your baby shower, include them among the list of items for which you’d like to receive gifts. You can even provide links to examples of their work so that they’ll have an idea of what type of photos they can expect from them!

Adding a photographer to your baby registry can be another way of letting them know this is important to you without having to say so explicitly yourself. Babylist allows you to create a cashfund for anything you’d like people to contribute to. Adding a birth photographer to that list can help raise funds toward your goal.

Sell things to put money toward your photographer

• Sell clutter.
• Get rid of the stuff you don’t need.
• Free up space in your home, and then use the money that you would have spent on those things to pay for a birth photographer.

You can sell old clothes at consignment shops, or Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace if they are still in good condition (and it’s free). If you have furniture items, consider selling them on Craigslist too! It might take some time to sell these things—but if it means being able to afford a birth photographer, it will be worth it!

Cherish the photos of this once in a lifetime event

The birth of your child is a once-in-a-lifetime event. This is an investment you will not regret. Sharing those photos with family and friends will be something they will treasure for years to come. It’s also an amazing way to show your children how you were born, so that when they grow up, their own kids will know the story too!

I hope these 5 tips can help you. They don’t require much effort, but they do require you to plan ahead. If you can do that, then the chances of getting little to no photos of your birth will be slim. When all is said and done, this is one event that you will want documented for years to come. A birth photographer isn’t just a photographer; they are also there to support you in this journey and help make sure everything runs smoothly. I want everything to go as planned so that you can focus on bringing your new bundle of joy into the world!