Articles > Roshan's Blog: Cameras in the Delivery Room?

Roshan's Blog: Cameras in the Delivery Room?

Written Tuesday, January 18th 2011 by Alexandra

Roshan's Blog: Cameras in the Delivery Room?

01/18/11

I recently heard on the news that some hospitals are not going to allow cameras in the delivery room for a short time following the birth of a baby. I suspect it is for liability reasons and presume the hospital wants to wait until mom and baby are considered stable. I have mixed feelings about this and I am sure it will upset many parents who want to capture the moment their baby is born.

When my children were born it was just not accepted or expected to allow cameras in the delivery room. After all, Dads had just been allowed into the delivery room to witness the birth and support their wife. Of course, lots of pictures were taken within hours of mom and baby being settled in the recovery room, but not before then. I admit I have little regret over not documenting the birth of my babies as the memories and reactions of “the moment” are still strongly imprinted in my mind.

As a midwife and childbirth doula, I often suggested that they ask someone else in the room to take those first snaps so that the couple could be fully present to savor those precious moments, allowing the parents to look directly at their baby rather than through a lens. Also, do you want to be flashing lights at the moment of a baby’s birth?

Oh, I do understand about capturing everything now that digital cameras make it so easy- but again I sometimes have to stop myself so that I capture events not through a lens but in my mind. As for the hospitals and the new protocols, will these be tough for parents-to-be to follow? What do you think?

-Roshan

Roshan Kaderali is a registered nurse, midwife, lactation specialist and CEO of Mommy's Bliss®. Originally from Tanzania and later a resident of Scotland, she has lived permanently in America for over thirty-five years. You can read more about Roshan


Tag Tagged as birth pictures, cameras, delivery room
Write3 Written Tuesday, January 18th 2011 by Alexandra
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Comments

Alexis
3 months ago
interesting that this was written the day my son was born. we had a home birth and our doula took many pictures, which i look at with amazement!i agree it was nice to have her taking the pictures so that we could truly be in the moment. (in fact i didn't even know she had taken pictures until later). i guess just another reason why i chose a home birth. thanks for posting this.

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