Who Is Allowed To Post Your Baby On Social Media?
The moment your baby arrives, so does something else: excitement.
Phones come out. Pictures are snapped. Family members feel proud and want to share your beautiful little one with the world.
And sometimes, that beautiful moment comes with an unexpected tension.
Because you might not want your baby’s photo posted for hundreds of “friends” (many strangers to you) to see.
More and more new parents are making thoughtful decisions about how (or if) their baby shows up online.
The question isn’t whether grandparents love your child. It’s whether they understand the kind of care you’re trying to take with their digital footprint and overall safety.
And these conversations? They’re much easier before emotions run high.
▶▶▶ [Get the Social Media Boundaries With Family Toolkit for $4] ◀◀◀
Why Now Is the Time to Talk About It
Setting expectations ahead of time takes the sting out of later corrections.
If a grandparent posts something because they’re simply excited—and you then have to ask them to take it down—it can feel personal. They may feel like you don’t trust them, or like they’ve already failed some invisible test.
But if you gently and clearly share your preferences before baby arrives? You shift the tone. It becomes about clarity, not conflict.
“It’s Not That They Don’t Care…”
In our family, we decided early on not to post our kids’ faces online. Still, that boundary was crossed a few times.
Not out of disrespect—but out of unspoken expectations. I realized we hadn’t clearly explained our why. Especially for older generations who didn’t grow up in a world where every phase of their life, family vacation they went on, school and camp they went to, was captured in social media posts. For this reason, it helps to slow down, explain the idea of digital footprints and the unknowns of where AI is going, and share your “why”.
You’re Not Overreacting
If you’ve ever felt pressured to “just go with it” or “not make it a big deal,” I want to gently offer these statements:
➼ You’re not overreacting.
➼ You do get to make and enforce this choice.
➼ This isn’t about being controlling—it’s about your kiddos safety in this digital world that is moving FAST.
We don’t know what digital privacy will look like in 2 years, let alone 20. The conversation may feel awkward, but the clarity you create is an act of protection, not paranoia.
What Boundaries Might Look Like
You and your partner get to decide what works best for your family. Some examples to consider:
No faces shared
(back of head only, profile allowed, or stickers over faces)
No posting without checking in first
Private photo albums or shared folders for family
Waiting to announce the birth until you’ve had time to adjust
Not tagging your child’s name (first?, middle?, last?) or actual date of birth in posts or comments.
No pictures or comments that share what specific school, sports team, camps, etc. your child is participating in.
Need more ideas? I’ve put together a resource you can download below.
Even if you feel clear on your boundaries, actually saying them out loud can be hard—especially when it’s your parents or in-laws.
Want help putting your social media boundaries into words?
Grab the Social Media Boundaries With Family Toolkit — a resource designed for expecting parents.
Includes:
A partner conversation guide to clarify your comfort zone
A list of boundaries to choose from (no faces, no tagging, etc.)
Ad-lib style message templates you can personalize
Gentle “why” statements to help family understand
Scripts for when a boundary gets crossed (because it happens)
This isn’t just a script pack — it’s a soft, smart roadmap for communicating with love and clarity.
▶▶▶ [Click to Download the Social Media Boundaries With Family Toolkit for $4] ◀◀◀
A Gentle Reminder
Most people are doing their best. But they’re not mind readers. You get to define your comfort level, and communicate it with kindness.
This isn’t about control—it’s about connection.
Clear, compassionate boundaries help protect both your baby and your relationships.
And that’s the kind of sharing that matters most.
▶▶▶ [Get the Social Media Boundaries With Family Toolkit for $4] ◀◀◀
Want more bite-sized strategies and encouragement like this?
Come hang out with me on Instagram @letstalkbeforebaby
Or email me anytime at letstalkbeforebaby@gmail.com — I’d love to hear from you!
