Dear Moms: Get in the Picture

Take the photo mama, trust me on this.

I’ll never have a photo of my daughter and I after her birth — that’s something I’ll regret for the rest of my life.

She was born healthy and well, though it was a rough delivery which ended in an unexpected c-section.

I was battered, bruised, and eyes filled with blood from the strain.

Definitely not a pretty picture.

So I took no pictures.

For two weeks after birth, I had a no-photo rule. For some reason I didn’t want “the world” to see photos of the real me. I didn’t want my bloodshot eyes memorialized for all time.

So I literally took zero photos of myself and my newborn daughter. None.

The first photo of the two of us together is when she is almost a month old.

And I can’t even tell you how much I wish I had more.

Take the photo mama - What happens when you stay behind the camera and the memories you lose.

This might be the earliest photo of me holding AB. I probably hated it at the time. I think it is beautiful now.

When you don’t take the photo, you’re the one missing out

Have you ever looked at a photo of a new mom and thought, “wow, she really should have kept that one to herself.”

Didn’t think so.

When you’ve just brought a new life into the world, no one cares if you look a little rough around the edges. All they see is the mystical glow of new motherhood.

And you know what? You don’t have to share those photos with anyone!

But it’s such a gift to yourself and to your family to have those photos to cherish.

Mama, take ALL the photos.

I’m not just talking about photos from the delivery room.

I’m talking about birthday parties. I’m talking about sporting events. I’m talking about a Tuesday afternoon at the park.

Get in the picture.

Get in ALL the pictures.

Capture those moments forever.

Don’t be the one person left out.

Take the photo mama.

I promise you won’t regret it.

But you might regret if you don’t.

Me and AB this year – no makeup, no worries. I’m glad my mom insisted on taking the photo, and that I said “yes”

These days I’m making an effort to be more present — to get in front of the camera instead of staying behind it.

Sometimes I worry about what I look like — no makeup, yoga pants, hair in a messy bun. But are those small details worth losing out on irreplaceable memories?

No way!

So I take the photo.

I even insisted that my husband take photos of me after birthing our youngest daughter.

I was groggy from anesthesia, swollen, bruised, hair matted. But no matter. This could be my last baby, I don’t want to have the same regrets as I did last time.