What is "On-Call"? | Dallas \ Fort Worth Birth Photography
It is a new year, with new goals. One of which is to do lot better job at blogging. I'm not the greatest at written words, but this year I plan to challenge myself to write at least a blog a week. My hope is that I can at least blog 3 days a week.
Two of my many passions are both photographing and education. I am the type of person that let 16 people (yes I know, crazy) be apart of my own birth in June so that not only did I have my village, but that others that could learn. And boy did they! I plan to share my own Birth Story this year too. But first, before I share all the amazing birth stories from this past year. I have something to say that is very near and dear to my heart. I want you to know what the "On-Call" life is like, if just a glimpse.
When I am your Birth Photographer and I tell you I am on on-call:
I blocked off two weeks before your due date and two weeks after.
I stay within a 30 mile radius of my house or my sitters house.
My sitters for my kids are also on call
I have back up photographers on call if for some reason I can't make it.
If I am at my child birthday party and you call, I leave. If I am at family dinner, I leave. If I am on a date night for the first time in 3 months, I leave. Etc.
If your birth is 3 hours long, I am there. If your birth is 36+ hours long. I am there. (This means that my sitter also is on call and watching my kiddos for as long as it is needed).
If my family wants to do something or my friends want to hang out, I take a separate car so at anytime I can leave and come to your birth.
My bags and my kids bags are packed. My clothes are laid out so I'm not trying to waste time finding out what to wear.
When I book family/DITL or other type sessions we pick two dates. That way incase you go into labor the family already has their back up date set. All my clients Are told when I am on call so it is no surprise if for any reason we reschedule their session.
I love love love being a Birth Photographer, but the on call life is hard. It's hard on me, my kids and my husband. It's hard on my sitters too. I could get the call anytime of the day or night.
When you hire a birth photographer you're paying for the on call lifestyle. I loveeeeeee those that are wanting to get into birth photography. I support and mentor a few myself. But lately I have heard some of the saddest stories from moms that chose someone cheaper and the out come was terrible.
Birth is something you can never re-do. It comes whenever it comes and there is 100% no control over it. Even inductions and c-sections dates can change.
If you are portfolio building births, please take the on-call life seriously.
If you are looking for a birth photographer, make sure you ask them what "on-call" means to them. How seriously do they take it?
(Stepping down from soapbox, just have heard too many stories the past couple months).
