Highly Commended & Discussing Safely Posing Newborns

Some of you may have seen the competition I ran to win a Bump to Baby package in association with The Mumdrum a short while ago. We didn’t get time for the bump shoot as baby Frankie decided to arrive a month early, so when I met with Mum Sara it was for her beautiful daughter’s newborn shoot.

I achieved some absolutely stunning shots of Frankie which I will blog fully in the coming weeks; she goes straight in at #1 Best Sleeper on my growing list of newborns! The image below was one I was especially pleased with so I shared it as my ‘sneak peek’ on social media and also entered it into the SWPP monthly image competition, and I was absolutely thrilled when it was judged as ‘Highly Commended‘ in the societies very popular baby category.

 

You may not realise the work that goes in behind the scenes at a newborn shoot in order to ensure baby is sleeping peacefully then carefully moved into position for just a couple of frames per pose. Any fellow photographers reading this will appreciate the image of Frankie, who was also kind enough to give me a sleepy grin as the shutter clicked, was quite perfect.

The CEO of the baby charity The Lullaby Trust (formerly FSID) responded to the safely posed image on Twitter with the following:  @EmmaLouisePhoto Disappointed that your winning photo is of a baby on its tummy asleep. Not safe sleep. #SIDS (the full exchange is here).

Just to clarify, it wasn’t a winning photo. It was one photo of many from Frankie’s session that her mother had won which I chose to share. Baby was in this position for just a few moments and this is not the usual way that her mother or I would allow baby to sleep.

Many more images were taken throughout the session, including some of Frankie on her back and also being held by Mum. The way that Frankie was posed for this image is a very common newborn pose employed by many experienced, insured and trained professional photographers but is one which should always be done so in a safely controlled environment.

Frankie had fallen asleep on her mother’s chest as she lay above and the posing area was set up ready for when she was settled enough to be transferred. The room was warm, Mum was employed to be my “spotter” – informed of what I was doing and within arms reach in case baby startled or moved suddenly. The baby was moved into a position comfortable for her, I ensured her airway was completely clear, the blanket was pulled tight and away from her face then the subsequent pose was held for no more than a few moments before she was scooped and wrapped up by Mum again ready for the next photo.

I know people who have been sadly affected by the loss of their baby and the ensuing devastation that such a bereavement causes. I am aware of SIDs guidelines. As a mother and photographer with good conscience I have a duty of care to my clients, big and small, to ensure that what I do is safe at all times.

Now I completely understand The Lullaby Trust’s concerns, though I must state that it is absolutely not my intention to promote unsafe sleep through these images. I have previously blogged about safely posing newborns because unfortunately I do frequently see images of babies posed dangerously, including similar images like Frankie’s where the baby’s arms and hands are not used to lift and support baby’s head and so their airway is blocked by blankets. Images like those horrify me which is why I feel it important to educate on the art of safely posing newborns.

Among the ‘Safer Sleep for Babies‘ advice The Lullaby Trust promotes, which is designed to significantly lower the chances of SIDs, is the ‘Back to Sleep‘ campaign.

“The position your baby is placed to sleep in each night is one of the most protective actions you can take to ensure your baby is sleeping as safely as possible. There is substantial evidence from round the world to show that sleeping your baby on their back (known as the supine position) at the beginning of every sleep or nap significantly reduces the risk of sudden infant death.”

There are lots of factors which can increase the risk of SIDS and therefore lots of ways in which you can act to reduce the risk, The Lullaby Trust have produced an excellent and informative leaflet covering all of the guidelines in detail here.

This week The Mumdrum are running SIDs awareness week and will be hosting a live web chat in the Baby Talk forum (on Thursday 17 October from 12 noon – 1pm) with Jenny Ward, The Lullaby Trust’s Head of Advice.

If you are intending to commission a photographer to capture your newborn please ensure that they are  fully competent in posing newborns. If during your session the photographer doesn’t tell you what they are doing, you feel uncomfortable with the way that they are handling your baby or uneasy about anything please don’t be afraid to stop them – babies are precious, not props!