Safely Handling Newborn Babies
A huge, and arguably the most important, part of newborn photography is safely handling your precious new baby. I have invested lots of time and money into ensuring I am posing infants in safely and appropriately at all times. Newborn babies are fragile little things. Perhaps not as fragile as we think they are the second they pop out, after all have you seen an L&D nurse handle a baby? They’re basically throwing them around your delivery room, am I right? But posed newborn photography relies heavily on making sure baby is comfortable and able to breathe adequately throughout their session. But rest assured, a baby will tell you when they’re not comfortable.
Positional Asphyxiation
The main reason a lot of our favorite baby products get recalled is because of positional asphyxiation. That basically means that baby’s neck is in a position that does not allow for the appropriate flow of oxygen. This usually happens when baby’s chin is too close to their chest or if their head is tilted too far back. That is why newborn photographers pay so much attention to the angle of baby’s head. It’s obviously also for lighting and making baby look fairly naturally positioned, but part of their head being naturally positioned is making sure they can breath properly.
In newborn photography, we’re putting babies in a lot of props and baskets that are not appropriate for long term use. I would never in a million years put a baby propped up on her arms in a basket for more than 3-4 minutes. Even when baby is in a basket, for those 3 minutes I have a hand on or very near them. Nothing during your newborn session is more important to me than your baby’s safety.
COVID Precautions
During the COVID pandemic, baby’s safety also includes being extra cautious about their exposure to respiratory droplets. For this reason, and for my own safety as well, I wear a mask throughout your newborn session. Newborns’ immune systems are generally protected by mom’s antibodies via breastmilk, but for mom’s who cannot breastfeed, baby’s immune system is even more fragile. I am up to date on all my vaccinations, including the COVID vaccine (science is AMAZING, isn’t it?), as is the rest of my family and everyone I socialize with in my personal life.
I take your baby’s health and safety seriously. I do everything in my power to ensure their complete comfort and health while they are in my care. The biggest compliment I can receive from parents is not the love and adoration of the images I create for them, it’s when they fall asleep during their newborn session.
