Making the RIGHT Choice!
If you are thinking of becoming pregnant, or you are already pregnant, it’s extremely important that you have access to good medical attention for you and your baby. Many studies have shown that early and sufficient medical attention is vital for you and your baby’s health and well being. If you choose to be treated by an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) and if you have a doctor who you have the utmost confidence in and feel “at ease” talking to, then your choice is an easy one. However, if you choose to be treated by a midwife or doula route, then do your homework. Acquire a midwife or doula that has plenty of experience and we suggest to you that you hold many interviews before selecting one to help you through your pregnancy.

However, if you’ve relocated to a new city or town, changed insurance plans, or don’t feel comfortable with your current medical doctor, then you may find a new one. If this the case, you should ask around about doctors, meet with a few, and choose the one you feel the most contented with.

We here at Babies Online have put together some guidelines and recommendations:

Three Pieces of Advice:

1. How much?
   Make sure when you make the appointment with an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) you ask the receptionist about pricing. Most doctors set aside 10 to 15 minutes for an initial consultation. If your discussion lasts longer than that (up to a half an hour), there is a chance you may be charged another fee (consultation).
2. The Hospital?
   During your decisions regarding an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN), you will also be deciding where you will deliver your baby. Ask questions about the hospital, like “Does it have a birth center?” or “Is it family- and child-friendly?” or “What kind of relationship does your obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) have at this hospital?”
3. The Paperwork Formalities?
   When the choice has been made, remember to telephone your old doctor and ask to have your medical records mailed to your new obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN). Your new OB/GYN will need access to your complete medical history.

Questions for the OB/GYN:

• Their Background:
  Find out from the doctor how long he/she’s been in practice and what he/she likes best about a job as a doctor. How long will it take you to contact them in a non-emergency situation? How would you reach your doctor in an emergency?
• Group or Solo Practice:
  If the doctor is in a group, ask how often you’ll see the other doctors. What percent of the doctor’s own patients does he/she deliver? If the doctor works privately, ask him/her about who you will see when they are away.
• Typical Pregnancy Care:
  Ask the doctor which tests he/she routinely performs. Do you, the patient, have any concerns about one of them? If so, ask the doctor how he/she would handle those concerns. If you’re thinking of working with a midwife, talk it over with the doctor in the beginning. Is the doctor open to working with a midwife? Is she associated with a midwifery practice? Find out how experienced the doctor is with high-risk pregnancies (for example, twins or multiples, gestational diabetes or hypertension can all result in a “high-risk” classification) and what you could expect if your pregnancy becomes high-risk. Does the doctor perform vaginal births after cesareans? Finally, ask if he/she recommends that you take a childbirth class, and if so, which one.
• Labor, Delivery, Postpartum
  Ask if and when the doctor (or the doctor from the practice who’s on call) typically meets a patient in labor at the hospital. If you’d like to use a doula (labor coach), see if the doctor has any suggestions. Does the doctor like working with coaches? Is there someone the doctor can recommend? Does the doctor or the practice have recommendations for labor pain? What procedures does this doctor routinely perform during labor (for example, fetal monitoring, IV’s or episiotomies). Is there any procedure you don’t want to have, and if so, what happens then? Ask what happens after your baby is born: Will you be separated? If so, for how long? Can the baby stay in your room with you? Can your partner? Are there any special services for new moms? Are there lactation consultants or other professionals available to answer special questions?

Conclusion
Above all do not worry about asking too many or too few questions. Don’t feel dumb or stupid about questions. Remember: the only dumb or stupid question is the one that is NOT asked. It is important to get answers, and it’s also important to give yourself the chance to figure out if this obstetrician/gynecologist’s (OB/GYN) demeanor and approach is a good match for you.

There is no better way to capture your baby’s first year and all of his firsts than by taking pictures of him. It used to be that parents were limited to the use of a standard film camera and then having to wait till the pictures were developed to see how they turned out. While some people, especially professionals still choose to take pictures this way, many people have moved on to using a digital camera for their picture taking needs.

The digital camera has many benefits. Not only can you shoot a picture and then delete it if you don’t like it, giving you more room to retake the picture, but you can upload the pictures from your camera onto your computer in order to crop them, edit out blemishes and red eyes, or just make a little tweak to the coloring or contrast in your picture. You can then upload your pictures to a site like Clark Photos, where you can order copies of the pictures you want, in the sizes you want them, or gifts for friends and family members. How do you go about taking the BEST pictures of your baby however?

Posing
Don’t always worry about posing your baby. Sometimes the best pictures are the accidental ones, taken on the fly or spur of the moment. Catching that sideways glance or the tummy time moment might prove to be magical. There are times when posing your baby may be called for. If you want to get a good shot for Christmas cards you can try sitting your baby up, or leaning him against a background or object, and hoping he will smile for you…just so you get that perfect shot. All pictures don’t always have to be posed and planned out.

Background
Think about your background. Take your baby to the woods or to a field of flowers to get some great shots of him. If staying at home consider what your baby is going to be wearing and use a sheet or blanket in a complimentary color. If your baby has bright blue eyes, taking pictures on a blue back ground might really help bring them out. If you have a bright outfit that you want to put your baby in for pictures, try using a black or white blanket as the background, so that your baby stands out more. Pick colors that will draw out your baby’s best features and highlight the mood of your baby.

Props
Props are nice to throw in with pictures done at home in order to change things around some. In the spring get some fresh flowers and let your baby play with them while you snap away. Or take your baby outside and put him in an old wagon taking pictures of the scenery. Pets can often bring out the best smiles and laughs in a baby, so using a pet as a prop during your baby’s photo shoot may get you some great shots. Pictures taken of your baby while he is playing with his favorite toys can be fun and more true to life, as they would rarely be posed and more than likely be “fun” pictures that you will look back on and laugh about. Keep changing your props around so that the pictures always look new, fresh and exciting.

Coloring
Not only can the coloring of your background change a picture and make it exciting, but the coloring of your picture itself can give it a completely different feel. With digital cameras and/or photo enhancing software you can buy for your computer you can easily change any color picture to a black and white or sepia theme. With many cameras you can actually take the picture in black and white. Since most pictures are done in color, these colorless pictures often add a different feeling to your picture, whether it is an old fashioned or vintage. Certain props may go better with different coloring as well, for instance picture of your baby girl wearing an oversized flower rimmed hat would look great as an old-fashioned picture in the sepia coloring.

Other Family Members
Adding other family members to pictures with your baby can make them not only unique, but sweet. Posing dad and your baby, or having dad take a picture of you and your baby will be cherished and loved for years to come. If you have more than one child, taking pictures of the siblings playing and laughing together will give you a lot of picture choices for albums, gifts and to hang on your wall.

Never be afraid to try something new with your baby when it comes to taking pictures. It may work, it may not work. In reality, 20 years from now you probably won’t remember why many of the pictures that didn’t work, turned out the way they did. They will still be pictures that captured a split second of your child’s “babyhood” that you will never get back. So take your camera and take lots of pictures! Have fun with it! Soon your baby won’t sit still long enough to allow you to get good pictures, or he will get to a point where he doesn’t want pictures taken of him and the easy days of picture taking will come to an end.

You want to take the best pictures you can of your baby, of your family with your baby, of family vacations, first birthday parties, concerts in the park and more. There are a lot of things you can do to help your pictures exceed even your wildest dreams.

1. Prepare in advance.
Before you shoot, frame the background first through the viewfinder. Make the entire background, including corners and sides interesting. First frame the background and then place the subject.

2. Have patience.
Talk to your subjects and let them get comfortable with you. When they start to forget the camera is there, you can take more natural candid shots.

3. Avoid using the flash.
The light looks unnatural and washes out colors and facial features. If you’re using film, try 800-speed films, which are widely available and allow you to take sharp indoor photos without a flash.

4. Avoid the outdoors during the middle of the day.
Bright daylight is unflattering and washes out your subject. Instead try capturing your subject in the rich tones and long shadows at sunrise and sunset. If you must shoot during the day, move your subject into a shaded area out of direct sunlight.

5. Get closer.
Being too far away from your subject can take away from the uniqueness of your pictures. Often the key to giving a photo pizzazz is to move in and capture the details of your subject, leaving out extraneous things in the background.

6. Take night pictures.
Nighttime offers different lights and shadows that you can incorporate into your pictures to make them look unique. At night you can use flash, a street lamp or even holiday lights if they’re bright enough.

7. Ex-nay on the pose-ay.
Don’t have your subject pose. A picture caught in motion often makes a better and more memorable shot.

8. Have comfortable surroundings.
If your subjects have to pose, have them find a comfortable, natural position. Here’s when a little leaning or slouching is permitted. Standing straight can make unflattering lines and give boringness to your picture.

9. Use props.
If you’re taking a portrait, include a telling item in the picture. A favorite toy or rocking horse for a child’s picture, or a wedding picture in the background of a couple’s 50th Anniversary picture. The props will create conversation about your picture

10. Unfocus the background.
A background can tend to take away from your picture so try taking your picture with the background blurred and only your subject in focus.

When it comes to taking photos your bright little bundle of joy there are a few simple things you should keep in mind in order to make sure your little star really is the center of attention—at least in the baby pictures. There is an old adage that is as appropriate in the world of taking baby pictures as it is in almost every other aspect in life. KISS. You heard correctly, keep it simple sweetie (sugar, silly, or insert “S” word of your preference here). The point is that keeping the setting for your photo of baby as simple as possible will bring all the focus on your darling rather than the ‘fussy’ background.

Sheets and bed linen make an excellent backdrop for babies of all ages. The simpler the better when it comes to this particular background selection. Other great backgrounds include uncluttered floors, carpets or rugs with uncomplicated patterns or better yet no patterns, and a clear blue cloudless sky (though clouds aren’t really that distracting in most instances). Sandy beaches also make an excellent backdrop or setting for a really cute baby picture and we all need at least one beach picture of our baby’s. Be sure to keep the sun at your back and away from the baby’s eyes for best results.

In addition to creating a setting that isn’t overly complicated for your photo of baby you should also make sure that your baby is comfortable in the setting. It doesn’t matter how perfect a setting is if your baby isn’t going to leave your side long enough to take a photo. Beaches are a good choice for many reasons. First you have an uncomplicated backdrop. Second you have the added benefit of a novelty (something that is interesting to touch, feel, play in, and unfortunately taste). Third, it offers its very own entertainment to your child. He or she will be distracted by the seashells, the sea gulls, the sand itself and in the process will worry less about the camera which makes for even better baby pictures. These photographs will be great entries for any baby photo contests you are considering.

If you can’t exactly enjoy a day at the beach in order to fill your baby photo album, perhaps you could combine some of the settings I mentioned above with a little creativity in order to create an excellent setting for your baby photos. If you have an old washtub and a rubber duck or two lying around the house, these make excellent choices for baby photos. You could hang a blue sheet or blanket as a back drop and let your little one sit in the wash tub with a duck in each hand. To make things interesting you can take different photos within the same setting by adding an umbrella for baby to enjoy or watching him or her try to climb into a rubber boot.

The most important thing to consider when creating the perfect setting for your baby photos is to choose a setting that is comfortable and fun for both you and your baby. The fact that we as mom think it will be fun for baby doesn’t always make that the case so always be willing to be flexible. It is better to have a photo of a happy baby rolling a ball on the carpet than a miserable baby in the cutest of settings.

When it comes to taking great baby pictures most mothers do not have the benefit of a professional photography career in order to provide the proper insight and experience for taking great photographs of their little ones.

If you are wondering how you can take better baby pictures then you will want to follow some of the great advice you will find below.

1. Pay attention to your lighting. Whenever possible use natural lighting for your photographs but be careful that you do not have shadows overpowering your little one’s sweet smile. The right lighting can make a good picture phenomenal at the same time it can also ruin a perfect photo opportunity. If you have a digital camera with really good quality photo editing software and a firm knowledge of how to use that to your advantage lighting is still important but not as critically important. The truth is that very few of us have that benefit in our corner so it is better to err on the side of abundant natural lighting whenever possible.
2. Make sure your baby is comfortable. Believe it or not this often gets overlooked in the process. If your baby has a wet or dirty diaper he is much less likely to be cooperative when it comes to giving those elusive smiles. The same holds true for days after vaccinations or when teething. You also want to avoid taking photos around your baby’s traditional naptime as this tends to be a time when your baby is trying to settle down according to his routine and photos may prove to be disturbing. Choose your photo moments carefully in order to insure a happy baby.
3. Whenever possible try to choose your background. There are times when a great picture simply presents itself and you would be crazy not to take it. However, there are other times when choosing the right background will insure that the focus remains on your beautiful baby rather than getting lost in busy things going on in the back. The simpler the background for your baby photos, the better.
4. Take plenty of photos so that you can go through and weed out those you aren’t pleased with. You may just find that there are times when you hit the jackpot with that one special shot. This is especially easy if you are fortunate enough to have a digital camera as you have essentially unlimited mulligans when it comes to baby pictures.
5. Take photos at the level of your little one rather than looking down on him through the camera lens. This will make you seem less threatening and the prospect of your being behind the camera far less intimidating to your little one. Also remember to interact with your baby during this process so that he will respond to your voice and act accordingly.

While these five tips may not tell you how to take the perfect baby pictures every single time they offer practical advice that is a great place for any photographer to begin when it comes to taking pictures of baby.

Snapping pictures of your baby is probably one of your most favorite, new-found past-times. And in the age of digital ‘everything’ it can be a very simple and pleasing process. But when it comes to taking black and white photos as compared to color images, the process changes a bit. Following are some tips for getting the best results from your black and white toned baby pictures.

No Fear
Don’t be afraid to snap away because as they say, ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’. Not only does that statement hold very true in this particular instance, but it’s also some of the best advice you can heed while attempting to master the art of taking black and white baby photos. As a matter of fact, you might want to first consider practicing by taking pictures of various types of other of images to get accustomed with the process. It can save you a lot of time and effort before actually getting baby all ready and positioned for shots you’re not certain will come out correctly. This way too, you can take your black and white photos of baby with the utmost confidence and assurance that you’ll end up with your desired results.

The Benefit of Natural Light
Natural light is one of the best ways to get great results when taking black and white baby photos. Everything you see through your lens is pretty much exactly how it’s going to appear in your picture, e.g., shadows, tones, etc. So whenever possible, use this organic element to your benefit as it will greatly assist in your black and white baby picture taking endeavors.

The Eyes Don’t Lie
Trust your eyes and utilize them as the best judge for light and dark tones on your image – in this case your beautiful baby. Because our eyes naturally determine contrast and shadows for us, this is one very helpful, ‘built-in’ attribute you possess that will greatly assist in achieving perfect black and white shots of your baby. And although you may have to ‘train’ your eyes slightly in effect, to imagine the shadows and contrast in black and white tones, a little practice goes a long way and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.

Foreground and Background
Try to snap your black and white baby photos against as ‘unbusy’ of a background as possible. Because these images are basically in monochrome tones, things tend to blend together if there’s too much going on in contrast. At the same time, try to keep baby’s outfit simple with solid patterns and colors. You want your baby to stand out in the picture so keep in mind that less is more for obtaining the most appealing results when it comes to backgrounds and foregrounds in black and white photos.

Black and white photos are especially perfect for capturing all those special facial features and expressions. They also add a degree of extra drama which results in a truly artful impression of your baby that will stand the test of time for years and years to come.