Take Photos of the Birth {you can always delete them later}

sony_dslr_a700If I have one regret from both of my birth experiences, it is that I didn't have a designated "picture taker" around.

Not so much for the labor. But for the birth and immediately after the birth. I think I would have liked to capture those early moments of life in all their messy glory. Especially since digital cameras allow you to take hundreds of photos that you can easily delete - without spending a cent or waiting an hour for development.

I should have learned from my first birth experience and "hired" a picture-taker for my second birth experience, but I found myself in a quandary both times. I'm a private person when it comes to intimate moments like childbirth so I didn't want anyone except my husband there...yet my husband was too preoccupied and involved to take photos. Thus, we ended up photo-less for the first 24 hours or so. Bummer.

So - my tip is to bring your camera and to use it. Even if you think to yourself, "I look horrible and I'm going to delete every single one of these."

That's the beauty of digital cameras. You can always hit delete.

Go ahead - take the shot.

P.S. Don't forget an extra set of batteries or a battery charger as well. You could, for example, bring along your Energizer Easy Charger (on sale now at Amazon.com for $5.07, down from $55.37). It's not the fastest charger on the market, but it comes with 2 AA and 2 AAA rechargeable batteries. Just plug it in, walk away, and your batteries will be recharged within 30 minutes. The interchangeable face plates are corny and a waste of resources, but the product itself is quite handy. And did I mention it's on sale for 5 buckaroos?

YOUR TURN: Did you take photos of your labor, delivery, and/or recovery? If so, who took them?

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14 comments on “Take Photos of the Birth {you can always delete them later}”

  1. I just happened across your blog, and I just wanted to say I really like what you are saying in these last few blog posts!

    I agree about having someone around to take photos. I didn't have anyone around to take pics during my HBAC (homebirth after cesarean), now I TOTALLY regret it! If we do have #3, we will have someone around just to take photos and shoot video.

  2. My husband was the only nonmedical person in the room for the delivery of my second. The staff was nice enough to stop and tell him to grab the camera for the typical birth pics... baby on mommy, weighing baby for first time, they even took the camera and took a shot of him cutting the cord. We were not expecting much in the way of pictures, but it turned out that we got some great shots.

  3. Instead of taking pictures, Greg was by my side helping as well as blogging. After the birth, he snapped a few pictures. It was such an exciting experience, we didn't think to snap pictures during labor! Wish we got more after too.

  4. Our doula took our pictures, it was actually part of her service. I'm glad that I have them, well most of them....

  5. I agree.

    Should I have had a natural birth, the Doula we were considering also takes pictures.

    My husband and Mom took a couple throughout the labor, but none of the delivery, or right after the baby was laid on my chest.

    Everyone else was living in the moment, and no one was thinking about the moments afterwards, when we'd want photo's of the moment.

    Nell

  6. I have AMAZING pictures of my son being born -- think close up with only his head sticking out, half way out, etc --- I didn't really plan on having pictures, my mom just didn't want to "really" watch and she said looking through the camera let her see it but not feel like she was really watching, so she was just snapping away....the pictures are SO awesome!! I have them hid away and only a few people have seen them but I am so happy I have them!!

  7. We don't have any "goopy" pictures but hubby did take pictures of Sugar while she was being weighed and measured and then there are lots of pictures of us in the hospital room a couple of hours later. I look bad... but she looks wonderful :)

  8. I was in labor for about 38 hours. We (hubby and I) took pictures of each other when it all first started and then nothing again till the baby was born. We were too preoccupied. ;)
    I ended up having a c-section. A nurse took a couple of pictures of Lily right when she was delivered. I thought that was a nice service. My hubby was under strict instructions to take lots of pictures, he did not fail.
    If you would like to take a look they can be found at http://jinxyisms.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5

  9. No. My midwife asked if I wanted to see our son during labor, as his head poked out, and I said 'no'. I had my eyes closed almost the entire time, just trying to find a 'happy place' and concentrate on feeling the contractions (I felt like it always hurt, and was hard to tell when a contraction would be starting) to push. So anyway, no, no pictures during. Dont want to see that. We took pictures right after. When he still had goop on him and I looked exhausted - but I love those pictures. Its also great to have the pictures my husband took of the midwife weighing our son, etc. All the little things that happened just after, as our son started his life outside of my belly!

  10. Yes! My husband took pictures during labor and when our daughter was born. Don't get me wrong, they are not pretty pictures, but I love having them. We also took pictures during the birth of our son, but we mostly video taped. Looking back, it all seems like a blur, so it is nice to have the pics to look back on.

  11. My husband held the camera in the operating room while my son was delivered, but his hands were shaking so much that he didn't get a good picture. Next baby I plan to have at home, so hopefully the photos will be better. We'll see who's present.

  12. Not so much of our labor and delivery(I didn't even want to see that), but once our little guy joined us we had our nurse take new family pics. Others commented that I did not look so bad. That was nice of them.

  13. I totally agree! I actually wish I had photos of labor too. You think at the time that you will never forget, but you will kind of. I have one photo of me in labor and for some reason I love looking at it. I look SERIOUS. I was serious. It was serious stuff. But now when I look at it I laugh and it ironically brings me great joy to remember what a feat it was!

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