Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Shirtless Babies: He Says/ She Says

He says: "Where’s her shirt? She's not a newborn, she should have a shirt on in these pictures."
She says: "She's a cute chunky baby, and she’s got at least a year before this is considered inappropriate."

What say you?

53 remarks:

Dorothy said...

I'm with you. I say you're good until after a year. Like you said, she's still a roly poly baby.

Meg said...

I have pictures of me running around 'topless' till I was almost 4, I think...it's not weird unless you make it weird!

She is SO cute!

Maya said...

Shirtless is fine! I think my parents let me run around shirtless till I was 3 or so.

Lena Hope said...

I agree with Meg, It is not weird unless you make it that way - even for girls. I think children can do the whole rudie-nudie thing until 5 or 6 years without it being bad or weird. In fact sometimes it is just plain side splittingly funny :D

Megan said...

A female friend who is Norwegian says in Norway they run around topless until they hit puberty (summer only ;) and it's no big deal. Americans are so sensitive that they sexualize even babies and breastfeeding. Ridiculous.

Christy said...

As stated before, it's only awkward if someone makes it out that way. I think anything until 4-5 is fine, definitely under 2 is a-ok. Especially with the extra baby chunk, she looks so incredibly cute.

mamadews07 said...

I think she is fine... She is just a roly poly baby that is super super cute!

Iiona said...

It's only bad when someone makes it that way. My daughters still walk around the house shirtless and they are 3 and 4 :-)

Darcy said...

awwww she's an innocent, fresh from God!

and plus, I'm pretty sure we girls in my family were top nude until at least 7, but then again, I am from North Dakota :-) .

aWickedRose said...

Maybe for him it's coming from a religious place? Like maybe recently in a men's group meeting there was talk about modesty? Or maybe he just saw something recently that struck a nerve?

Francesca said...

I think it is totally fine until puberty ie when they start growing breasts :-) Lots of little girls in Australia run around on the beach with no tops on for years! Let their innocence go on for as long as possible I say......

What I Did Today said...

I'm with you. Until she can understand what you're saying when you introduce the concept of modesty (in my opinion), she's just fine bein' a cute, naked baby.

Melek said...

I went topless for a very long time....upwards of 4 or 5 at least in certain places. She is just a baby, it's darling :)

Jessica said...

You already know my thoughts...it's cute until 2 or so. I'm not saying it's not okay after 2 that's just my cutoff for cuteness.

momwifefitnesslife said...

You so win this one! She is too cute!!!

Jen Has A Pen said...

Let it be said... if I had the physique for Lil J, I'd be topless in most of my photos. ;-) Wait, I sort of do have her physique. At 30, I can't quite rock it the same way.
I'm thinking she's good to go shirtless for another couple of years, but I'm no expert.

Traci said...

You've got to show off those belly rolls when they're still considered cute!

CurlyKye said...

Awwwww She looks so adorable here. She definitely has gotten into the swing of things with "Mommy the Photog"!

Heather Dugan said...

LOL, naked for as long as possible! or at least topless.....my three and a half GIRL strips down to her panties as soon a we walk in the door......even in the winter. I have so many cute clothes for her yet I can't keep her in them.
We end up covering ourselves soon enough!

erin said...

I leave my little girl topless every now and then, and I think it's the cutest thing EVER!! Love the chub while you can!!!

Mommy's Sippy Cup said...

I say cute, cute, cute, cute, massively adorable! Love it!

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Baby Shopaholic said...

Too much cuteness! Your baby is a born model!!!

LiciaLee said...

She is totally fine. She can run around naked like that for years!

ashalily said...

I would have to agree with you on this one! She's still a baby, i mean in certain parts of Europe young girl go swimming topless well past the age of 7.

Chrissy @ Boerman Ramblings said...

i say this is the cutest picture ever!

formerly known as emj said...

definitely fine till at least 2, mainly cause its just too darn adorable :)

Jennifer said...

I think it is fine until kids are aware of their nakedness. My neighbor and I used to let our two year olds run around naked in the sprinkler, one boy and one girl.

Brandi Elam said...

That expression on her face is adorable and you've definitely got at least a year before it's considered inappropriate!

cristi said...

I'm not a modest person I'm general, i mean i still breastfeed my 15 mo daughter in public all the time, but I actually agree with your husband. Not bc I think it indecent or that she isn't so adorable with her bunny outfit. It's sweet. I just feel like there are a lot of weird people out there who would look at a naked baby in a "different" way than all of us moms who just see cuteness. And that makes me uncomfortable. I wouldn't want my daughter looked at as a sexual object by some random stranger online. Sorry to bring the party down, but you asked and I just wanted to share my thoughts.

melifaif said...

Oh yeah, she is good! And cute. Have I mentioned that??? Hahahaha...bunny foofoo.

stillleveling said...

I went shirtless well after a year. I think I was five before my dad started insisting I wear one. My boy cousins always got to go shirtless on hot days and I didn't understand why I couldn't.

Michelle said...

I think she is still young enough!

Monkey Sews said...

When my kids were little we lived in Hawaii where kids are often completely naked at "local" beaches. I think that the picture is adorable! I agree with the one year old or so cut off point. Once they start walking and talking, they are more like people.
On the other hand, your husband has a point. There are so many perverts out there! I would hate to think of one of them looking at her pictures :( I think maybe letting her go shirtless is fine but not posting the pics. Sad ...

Anonymous said...

i think its fine to take those pictures for personal use, to put on a blog is a different story, IMO.

Baby Making Mama said...

I dunno. In my opinion it's one way or another. If your kids are walking along the beach topless, or running around your yard, who's to stop the perv across the street or at the beach from looking? I don't want to live my life in fear. And I'm much less worried about someone seeing a picture of a half naked baby than some one at the pool sexualizing a shirtless 4 year old.

YUMMommy said...

I totally understand both sides. In this society there are some not so sane and decent ppl out there who prey on little children and get off pics like that. However, as a mom I totally have taken shirtless pics of Moo because she had a cute smile on her face or when I wanted to capture the moments of her first tub bath.

It's just a fine line you have to walk. Hopefully, you don't have any nut jobs visiting your blog just check out shirtless pics of J. I do think these pics will come in handy for a great laugh when she gets in engaged. I'm still getting over the embarrassment of my mom pulling out my shirtless and nude baby pics to show my husband. LOL.

Sarah said...

I say much longer than a year until this is inappropriate! Chubby babies (or even skinny ones) are so cute and it's not sexual until puberty or at least until kids know differences between boys and girls. I say show off that cute baby however you want for at least a few more years! And if your husband has an issue, keep it to your home or backyard or at least with people you know well!

Feliz4life said...

In theory I agree with you. In reality I have to go with hubby. You hear of too many stories about online pedaphiles who this sort of picture might appeal to.

Geigerin said...

I'm comfortable with it before kids have secondary sex characteristics. But for posting online, I would probably go quite a bit earlier with covering up. Certainly, I would think toddlers would be okay. I mean, check out the Huggies commercials. Toddlers in nothing but diapers. And very cute. :)

Baby Making Mama said...

Good point Geigerin, I didn't even think about Huggies commercials and diaper adds, cloth diaper adds etc. If people want to look up pictures of gets for their pleasure 1. They are completely disgusting and I try not to even imagine these people but 2. My site probably isn't one they'd be interested in when it comes to jollies. (I hope). Either way, I don't think her having a shirt on or not would make a difference with those kind of nut jobs, and I'm not going to not share photos at all out of fear.

Nana Kat said...

I'm with you & see no problem with it. I'm a mother & grandmother & would not see a problem with this photo even if it was a picture of my own babies at that age.

Amanda said...

I completely agree with you! There is no reason be fearful of all the freaks out there if you're happy sharing these pictures. Why should society make topless baby cuteness indecent when it is the behavior of those perverts that is wrong. We should instead teach our children that what these psychos do is wrong (as their parents should have done), rather than fix our actions because of them. I think it sets a good example for Lil' J, and society in general. :)

swank|mama said...

I have to agree with you here! Hubby is just protective of his daughter though...as a daddy should be ;)

Anonymous said...

I think it depends upon a few factors such as your culture and your upbringing. I personal am uncomfortable by it because in my culture a child's body is very sacred especially a baby girl. Even if she is a small child she will one day be a full grown woman, out of respect for her body it is covered. I however can understand that many people feel differently about it. I think its important to respect all opinions whither you agree or disagree.

Dani @ OK, Dani said...

I say GIMME A BREAAAAKKKK!!!! Why is America so weird. We sexualize even lil babies (don't get me started on those baby pagents..that's a different story)

A topless baby is simply a baby without a shirt. There is nothing wrong or icky or sexual or inappropriate about that.

Tasha said...

I think it's totally fine as long as they are not in awkward/inappropriate poses!

Nana Kat said...

I'm with you & see no problem with it. I'm a mother & grandmother & would not see a problem with this photo even if it was a picture of my own babies at that age.

formerly known as emj said...

definitely fine till at least 2, mainly cause its just too darn adorable :)

Heather Dugan said...

LOL, naked for as long as possible! or at least topless.....my three and a half GIRL strips down to her panties as soon a we walk in the door......even in the winter. I have so many cute clothes for her yet I can't keep her in them.
We end up covering ourselves soon enough!

aWickedRose said...

Maybe for him it's coming from a religious place? Like maybe recently in a men's group meeting there was talk about modesty? Or maybe he just saw something recently that struck a nerve?

mamadews07 said...

I think she is fine... She is just a roly poly baby that is super super cute!

Maya said...

Shirtless is fine! I think my parents let me run around shirtless till I was 3 or so.

Dorothy said...

I'm with you. I say you're good until after a year. Like you said, she's still a roly poly baby.