Newborn photo practice

I have to disagree with your first recommendation on this one John, but I didn't want to click a red x on your post, and Smoke I do know you're just kidding around about duct tape.


Don't use some of the poses shown in baby videos and photos, and don't wrap babies in that gauzy fabric restricting movement. That's inconsistent with how we position and/or swaddle babies. If it isn't something you'd otherwise do with a newborn, then it shouldn't be done for the sake of taking a picture.

I worked for 20+ years as an Early Intervention Specialist. I've read in medical/education journals that improper swaddling can lead to hip dysplasia, but I don't know how much/how often could be problematic (because I don't think I ever ran across it til baby photography online). I think it would be more likely to be a concern depending on a baby's muscle tone, and a baby could develop it just due to that without swaddling (no fault of the parent/caregiver, due to 'low' tone or medical/physical reasons). I CANNOT recommend what I saw in TwoColor's photos because the wrapping appears extremely tight, and we do NOT bind a baby. Proper swaddling allows for room for movement.

It's probably better that the feet are peeking out of the fabric and it doesn't look too tight, but the fabric is still wrapped around the legs. I'm going to post a couple of links that show proper swaddling. I'd think about returning that fabric because you just don't need it; you can use cute or pretty baby blankets, etc. If you use this, just arrange/drape it loosely. A concern to me is that apparently issues with the hip may not show up for years.

When we work with babies we position so the head, neck, and trunk are in alignment, not twisted or flopped, etc. Of course babies can get themselves into awkward looking positions but we don't place a baby into some of the positions shown in photos/videos. You need to keep in mind a newborn's trachea is awfully small, and I've seen photos that made me wonder if the baby's breathing was compromised. (The chin in hands, up on elbows is a concern to me because we don't place babies in that position til they can hold up the head.)

I think a reflector and window light sounds good, and maybe candids are a good way to go. I imagine you'll be spending time watching the baby anyway, so watching for an opportunity for a right moment for a photo should work fine.

A few months ago when my daughter was sending Pinterest photos, I did find one of your old posts about safe baby poses and sent it to her. I told her that I will not do any of the head in hand or too tight swaddling. More the natural, loose look. The 3 photo composite I plan is with the 2 dogs. I don't want the dogs knocking into the baby.

My daughter is a nurse at a rehab hospital....strokes, knee replacements, etc. Which still makes her a new mother & no experience. She has a friend with a camera and I will stress the importance to her about safe poses again just in case her friend shows up after I leave.

I've been watching a lot of YT videos on newborn photography. One photographer was doing great until the last half of the video when she did the head in the hands and was not a composite! I saw one with the baby face down straddling a moon shape thing. Why?
 
Yeah John, that gauzy fabric, and wrapping babies up the way that's often done using it. In the video it talks about using baby blankets, cotton or thin flannel, not that knit stuff. I've never seen that except in some baby photography videos, and don't know where/why/how it got started. I'd rather see it taken off the market or tossed out.

I think it may not be that problematic for most babies, especially if the legs are tucked rather than out straight. But we don't position babies in the ways used in many baby photos, and we don't wrap babies up that way and prevent movement.

Cheryl I don't know why it's being done and imitated so much. I don't know what happens to some people when they get a camera in front of their face. I figured you knew what was appropriate since the doll here wasn't wrapped up too tight, I'd just leave it a little looser. But I often post suggestions anyway because you never know who might be reading or sharing, etc.

Oh, face down, straddled in/on a moon shaped thing, I don't think I even want to see that or know what in the world is going on there. I just know with some photos I've seen, if I'd ever gone to a home visit and seen some of this stuff, I would've had to do something about it - probably at least showing the parent some proper positioning and documenting it in my notes. I never saw anything this in all the years working with kids.
 
The 3 photo composite I plan is with the 2 dogs. I don't want the dogs knocking into the baby.

Wise choice. Sadie Mae is so gentle with kids that I don't think she would ever intentionally hurt a small baby. That doesn't mean I'd put her next to a newborn. Accidents can and do happen.
 

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