PHOTOGRAPHER FREEBIE: Birth Story Client Questionnaire

As a birth photographer, the relationship we build with the birthing people we serve is incredibly important. We are about to step in to their sacred space in order to document one of the most vulnerable, powerful, and transformative days of their lives. I have found that the more I know the birthing people and families that I work with, the better I am able to capture their story.

Aside from the ability to connect with our clients and families, questionnaires serve the practical purpose of being well prepared for the technicalities of documenting their birth story such as: What kind of labor you might expect from them, when you may want to arrive in their labor, who to expect in their birth space, etc. Having all of this information in the very beginning and in one easy to access spot allows us to be true professionals- prepared and ready.

So where do we start?

First of all, let’s get our basics covered. The first portion of my Birth Story Questionnaire looks like this-

Name:
Pronouns:
Phone number:
Partner name:
Partner pronouns:
Partner phone number:

I always ask for pronouns. It is important to me to be inclusive and to demonstrate that inclusivity is important to me by using inclusive language and not assuming pronouns. Often times in labor the birthing person may not feel up to calling me or texting me themselves. I make sure everyone who is planning to be present at the birth has my phone number stored in their phones and that I have theirs stored and programmed to bypass silent / do not disturb settings.

Guess date:
Intended birth place:
Phone number to birth place:
Address of birth place:
Members of Birth Team and their phone numbers:
Other family support and phone numbers:
Past birth history (Please include how many weeks at birth, duration of labor, any other details you would like to share:
Current pregnancy details?
Birth plan details:

It is very important to know the details of any past labors. If a birthing person has a history of fast labors I will plan to leave much sooner than I would for a first birth. Knowing the birthing persons history allows me to make an educated decision about when I should plan to leave to join them in the birth space.

Knowing their plan for their upcoming birth allows me to feel prepared when entering their birth space. It also allows for you to know if you are comfortable documenting the type of birth they are planning for. For instance- some brith photographers are not comfortable being present for unassisted births.

I cannot recommend enough to have the phone numbers for every member of the birth team programmed in to your phone and to advise your client to have your number programmed in to theirs as well.

Knowing their birth team serves another purpose. If there is a birth worker you know you do not feel comfortable with to the extent that it would impact your ability to document a birth it is better to know before booking. I personally am able to work with most birth workers but do know there are some out there that are reckless at best. I would not feel comfortable documenting a birth under their care. Asking this question at the start gives me the opportunity to avoid that situation entirely.

The last thing I want when I get the call that it’s time to join a birthing person is to be sitting and looking up an address. Be sure you already know the address. If the birth place is a hospital or birth center I would recommend looking it up in Google Maps well in advance and saving it as a location.


What things are your priority for me to capture?:
Please list any boundaries for things you do not want captured:
Would you like me to step out of the room for vaginal exams, releasing waters, or other procedures?

I like to make sure what my clients prioritize and where their comfort level ends. The last thing I want is to deliver images that will make a newly postpartum person feel overly exposed or violated. One thing that I do discuss during consultations is that they may down the road wish they had gotten images they originally did not think they would want. I offer the option to take ALL the image and to put images that may go past their current comfort level in to a separate folder of their gallery. That way they can choose to never see them at all- or to visit it down the road if they choose. I NEVER pressure my clients in to images that they are not comfortable with.

I also like to ask ahead of time if they would like me to step out of the room for exams and interventions. Even when clients say there is no need I often will step back and turn away- unless they are a client that has expressed the desire to have everything possible documented and has a birth team that is on board.

Lighting can make all the difference in image quality. Things that I some times use to ensure the very best image quality are- diffused flash bounced off the ceiling, opening blinds, and using artificial light such as flameless candles, a string of twinkle lights, or a waterproof flashlight (in case of water birth). I can document your birth without added light, but images may be softer.
Please list below any methods you consent to me using at your birth:

I like to talk more about lighting at in-person consultations and to show examples of different scenarios so the birthing person has a solid visual idea of the difference lighting makes.

Some times during labor, delivery, or after there can be tense moments. Do you prefer for me to continue to document (to the best of my ability while being careful not to interrupt your birth team) or to stop shooting until things have calmed down?:

This is so important to ask ahead of time. When the moment arises is NOT the time to try to ask. You never know when things might go a direction you didn’t see coming.

I also make sure to let my clients know I will absolutely NEVER put capturing images before safety. If a birth team member asks me to stop documenting so that they can focus on interventions that is exactly what I will do- even if a birthing person has said they would like as much documented as possible. I will also stop documenting if there is too much movement in the birth space and I feel I cannot get in to a place to capture images without potentially getting in the way during needed interventions.

Do you want a birth announcement image posted within 24 hours or do you prefer I wait to hear you’re ready?:

A good amount of birthing people are not announcing their birth right away. There are people who prefer to soak it all in and keep it to themselves for a little while. I include birth announcement images within 24 hours in my package- but those do not need to be posted to my page if the birthing person isn’t announcing yet.

Absolutely never, ever post an announcement image before checking in. There is nothing worse than having someone announce your birth before you’ve gotten the chance. Do not be that person. Ask in advance.

What is your comfort level with images being shared on social media?:

While I do ask this in advance, I do also offer my clients a more specific way to let me know what they are ok with being shared and what they are not. I use Pic-Time to deliver my images. Pic-Time galleries offer the ability for your client to “hide” images. I let my clients know verbally to go ahead and hide anything they do not want shared on social media and I remind them again in their gallery delivery email.

Would you like to send me your birth story, in your words, to be used in a blog post on my website?:

I am beginning to offer my clients this option as I prefer their birth story be in their own words- not mine as an observer.

Is there anything else you wish for me to know about your birth story?:

Leaving this option open allows the birthing person to share anything else that they feel is important but does not fit in to any form answer. I have learned such amazing things about the families I serve through this one little question. It has become a staple question in any questionnaire I send out.

If you think of additional questions you think may help you to better know and serve your clients, absolutely add those to your questionnaire! You can also (and should) change any language that does not feel right to you. Our words help our birth clients get an idea for who we are as a person. Don’t hesitate to show your personality in your questionnaire!

I hope you have found this post of questions to include in your birth client questionnaire helpful. If you would like to be notified when I post future Freebies for Photographers, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter below!

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