Full Auto / Portrait question

[Chansen]

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum - my name is Christian and I just recently purchased my first DSLR, a Canon XT. Seems like it will make nice work for the use we plan for it... nothing pro, just wanted quality home pictures. Well my question is this:
My wife is due with our first baby any day now... and when I say any day I mean any minute. We have someone that said that they could take pictures in the delivery room, but my camera is so new I hardly know the ins and outs myself, let alone showing someone else. Do you recommend just using Full Auto in this situation? If I set it to mode "Portrait" can I turn the flash off and the camera will make other adjustments like shutter speed to compensate so my images aren't too dark? Will Full Auto let me turn the flash off and do the same? Sorry for such a laundry list of questions on my first post here. I would really appreciate any suggestions here... like ISO setting? Thanks in advance to anyone who helps out!
Christian

[mjs1973]

Welcome, and congratulations.

Full auto (the green box) will not allow you to turn the flash off. Program mode (P) is the exact same thing as the green box, only the flash will not fire, unless you press the button to pop the flash up yourself. I'm not positive, but I think you can adjust the exposure compensation in P mode, but I would have to double check to be sure.

I don't know if you can turn the flash off in the other full auto modes. Again, I would have to check when I get home.

[Shooter Tiff]

I don't know a lot about that camera but most work quite well in auto. if you are shooting without a flash you are probably going to want at least 1/100 exposure it insure a steady shot. To get that you can just bump up the iso or use a bigger aperture. if you want to use the flash then press the button that pops up the flash and the auto setting should take over form there. you will probably want to use a low iso if you are using a flash. If you need it to be even simpler just go with auto iso as well and if you can't get a stedy shot try popping up the flash.
best guess is to spend 10 minutes now and figure out how to reliably take a well exposed photo in your house
hope I haven't confused you even more
good luck and congrats on the new baby

[Frog]

Things to consider...Will wherever the delivery room is, let someone in to take the pics?
Do you or your wife want someone there, taking pics?
Will taking pics yourself, get in the way of sharing the moment with your wife?