Newborns And The Net
Given our affinity for images of our offspring (from ultrasound and beyond) and the dynamic impact the Internet has had on our world, it is only natural that our bundles of joy wind up on the web within minutes of their birth.
Most hospitals offer a newborn “Online Nursery,” service that includes taking a digital picture of the baby and posting it on the hospital’s website. Some hospitals even offer a messaging feature. The parents can write a message for those who visit the website and visitors to the website can also offer a greeting to the new parents.
Hospitals provide security codes giving parents complete control of who can visit the site and see their new baby. The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO) has strict privacy and security guidelines that govern online nurseries.
Some hospitals even offer, “baby press conferences,” so that the proud parents can personally introduce their new baby, just hours after birth, to loved ones around the world. Parents who choose to participate in the press conference receive their own private family web page and are asked to put together a guest email list. After the baby is born, a conference time is scheduled. Invited participants receive a password. The “audience” for the press conference can have interactive communication with the parents and the new baby.
Even for the most technically challenged parents, the Internet and digital cameras have made sharing newborn pictures a very simple matter. Photos taken with a digital camera can be immediately uploaded to a computer and promptly posted on a website.
The days of waiting for the postman to see pictures of an out of town delivery have gone the way of the pony express. Now proud grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles and friends can see the baby in seconds with the simple click of a mouse. Even more importantly, soldiers who serve our country in Iraq can get a glimpse of their new son or daughter on the web.
Some Babies Have Their Own Websites
Some parents are kicking it up a notch and devoting entire websites to their new babies. These sites can be used to announce the baby’s birth, keep out of town relatives and friends informed and display the latest pictures of the little one. For parents who are not computer literate, there are many web hosting services that can design a site for you.
Need A Baby Gift?
The Internet has forever changed the way we shop for baby gifts. Expectant parents can register their choices on the web and people from all over the globe can purchase the perfect gift for the new arrival with the click of a mouse. In fact, new baby websites have themselves grown in popularity as gifts to new parents. The sites can be designed to include interactive features such as message boards.
Online baby books are another popular item. The cost of creating an online baby book will vary depending upon the complexity and size of the book. A complex book with multiple graphics, animation and numerous pages will be pricier than a simple book. A baby website or virtual baby book that is frequently updated can be worth its weight in gold to out of town friends and relatives.
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