Your Newborn: Your Choices and Their Safety

It’s overwhelming, especially as a first-time parent, as you prepare for the entrance of a tiny, brand-new being. You are bombarded with the choices you can make for this little one who is completely dependent on you. Researching car-seats and strollers becomes priority, and though it feels like distant future, even college-tuition looms in your mind. As you wade through your choices of childbirth method, feeding options, diapers, onesies and bibs, you also have to navigate through the well-meaning, but often over-offered advice of others. Home-birth, Hospital, Natural or Epidural, Breast is best, Bottles, Cloth or Disposable, Organic, All-natural….do I really need something that sucks their snot? (I’ll answer that one for you, Yes. Yes, you do.)

Seriously, it’s kind of funny that people have been having babies since the beginning of time, but bless them, Adam and Eve didn’t have to walk through the aisles of Babies R’ Us with a scanner trying to make those life-altering-decisions, “Do I choose a Diaper Genie or Diaper Champ?”

Of course, I’m saying most of this tongue-in-cheek, because I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You’ve got this. Whether you choose cloth or disposable diapers, you’re going to be dealing with poop just like the next parent. Whether your baby is breast or bottle-fed, they will manage to spit up all over your outfit just when you’re walking out the door.  Most of the stuff that we stress about before the birth of our first child and maybe subsequent children, is really non-essential.  However, it’s all driven by one motivator. You want the absolute best for your baby.

You’d protect that little one with your life, so making sure they have the right kind of swaddle blanket feels paramount.  While many things are a matter of preference and choice, your baby’s safety is at the heart of many of those new-parent decisions.

As their protector, you can and should take your responsibility to keep them safe. And here’s the segue….that includes their safety with your newborn photographer.  You can and should ask your photographer questions! There are tons of posts and good information on this out there.  It’s a good thing to research. Know in advance that many of the poses that you see on the internet are composites and a parent or assistant’s hand has been edited out.  A baby is not made to go into those poses naturally.  Know in advance what kind of style and experience a photographer provides and if you are comfortable with that for your new baby.

This whole post was actually prompted by a friend who just mentioned on Facebook that her doctor recommended that anyone in contact with her infant for the first two months should have the Pertussis (Whooping Cough) vaccine.

My doctor mentioned to me well over a year ago that Pertussis was re-emerging and it was extremely dangerous for newborns.  If an adult is going to be around a newborn, they should strongly consider getting vaccinated.  Guess what?  Of course I got that shot in the arm! Part of my job is ensuring your baby’s safety while we capture their newness.  It’s awesome for them to look cute in that tiny headband, but their safety is priority. Know what?  It’s okay to ask your photographer if they’ve taken that precaution and what other precautions they take for your infant’s session.

Newborn photos are priceless. They capture that tiny, amazing miracle at it’s very beginning.  That way, when you’ve become a natural at this parenting thing and are scraping mashed peas off the wall, or chasing your naked toddler through the house with their diaper, you can look back and remember the miracle of their newness.  Making the choice between an Organic Cloth Boppy, or a Breast Friend pillow will be long forgotten, but the miracle of that moment will be captured.  Just make sure that it is done safely.

You’re busy researching cribs and high-chairs.  So, do not hesitate to ask your photographer some questions before you entrust them with your most precious possession.