Is Newborn Photography Safe During a Pandemic? | Fort Worth Newborn Photographer

You have dreamed of welcoming your new baby and all the little details that go along with that dream.

You have planned a nursery and packed a hospital bag. You went through tons and tons and tons of baby names. You have been reading books about newborn care. You have purchased all the little. tiny. clothes. And you have dreamed of having newborn photos taken.

But, then a pandemic happened.

Things are looking and feeling much different than what you had initially envisioned. Your OBGYN is telling you that you need to wear a mask to deliver your baby. Your bestie can’t be in the delivery room. Your special order nursery drapes are running late because of supply problems. And you are wondering if having newborn photos taken is even safe?

Obviously, the health and safety of your family and your new baby are above all else, but you also really hate the thought of NOT having a professional capture this magical time for you.

So, is it even safe to have someone photograph your new baby during a pandemic?

Before I respond to this common question, let me preface this with: This answer truly will vary from household to household, and you need to follow your gut. If you read my response below and you feel good about it, then great. You can move forward with booking your newborn session.

However, if you read my response and your gut is still uneasy, you still just aren’t quite sure about the idea of newborn photos, then I think you should listen to that hesitation and hold off on them.

Even if this is your first baby, “Mom instinct” is a very real and powerful thing and you should learn to honor it.

Okay, so back to the question, “Is newborn photography safe during a pandemic”. My official answer is MAYBE.

I know, what a bummer to not give you a definitive opinion but let me explain why I say maybe.

First and foremost, I think your family and your photographer need to be in close contact and 100% open with one another. If anyone on either side gets a fever, has symptoms, or has been directly exposed to someone with the virus then the session should definitely be rescheduled.

However, if both your family and the photographer are following current CDC health guidelines (no fevers, no symptoms, no positive exposures) then as long as safety precautions are in place, a newborn session can be safe.

For my own clients, I have been doing the above and am extremely flexible with requests to reschedule. I am also taking additional safety precautions including wearing a mask, washing my hands upon arrival to your home, using sanitizer throughout, and keeping my distance as much as possible.

I am also refraining from holding your baby. This is the worst ever for me but I want to keep everyone safe, so I do it. I mean, not holding newborns for almost a year may be slowly killing me but it’s fine. I’m fine. I will absolutely do what is needed to keep your baby safe.

So to make a long story short, if your family and your photographer are honest about symptoms/exposures ahead of time and the photographer takes safety precautions during the session, then Yes, a newborn session can be safe during a pandemic.

I am still actively photographing and booking newborn sessions in the Fort Worth, Dallas area for 2021, so if you are interested in more information, you can reach out to me here. To see more of my newborn work, you can look here.

*I am not a medical professional and this advice is not to replace the advice from your own doctor.