I got a few pictures in the delivery room when my son was born, but most of them were from when we were waiting and then there were several afterward. I wish I had some more pictures of the actual delivery. I don’t necessarily want pictures of the birth itself, front and center, but I would have liked to capture the look on my husband’s face when my son first emerged, or my son’s first moments on my tummy. In the weeks following my son’s birth, I would often repeated ask my husband to describe the scene for me. I was so in the moment that many of the details of events happening around me were lost. It was cool to listen to my husband’s account. I wish I could have seen photos of it all taking place!
If you are planning on having someone take photos during your birth, there are a few things to consider and prepare for. First of all, you should obtain permission from both your doctor and the hospital where you will be delivering (unless you are giving birth at home, of course). Some hospitals have restrictions and may limit when you can take photos. You may need to keep the staff out of the shot, for example.
Second, you should discuss ahead of time exactly what you want captured and what you don’t. Different people have different definitions of what is tasteful and what is not. If there are certain shots you definitely do or do not want, this should be communicated ahead of time, not in the delivery room.
Finally, if you are having a family member or friend take pictures with a basic digital camera, here are a few pointers. Flash is distracting, so plan on using your camera’s high sensitivity mode. Black and white is the most flattering for birth photos, since it hides blood and patchy skin. Make sure to capture details like the baby’s weight on the scale and get a family photo of mom, dad and the baby before the baby is whisked off for exams.