THE pop diva Beyonce and her rapper husband Jay-Z have released pictures of their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, surprising fans by posting family shots on social networking site Tumblr rather than selling them in a lucrative magazine deal.

The couple posted five photos, including one showing the newborn in the arms of her famous mother, who appears to be sporting blue nail polish in a tribute to her daughter's name. Another intimate shot shows a close-up of Blue Ivy's tiny hand touching her mother's fingers. Other photos show the baby snuggled and sleeping in a cotton wrap and in the arms of her smiling father.

A message on Tumblr read: ''We welcome you to share in our joy. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this beautiful time in our lives.'' It is signed ''The Carter family''.

Blue Ivy was born on January 7 in New York. Former Destiny's Child singer Beyonce, 30, and Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, 42, married in 2008, and Blue Ivy is their first child.

Life & Style magazine has reported that the couple's close friends Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin bought a special edition all-black Bugaboo Cameleon stroller for Blue Ivy worth more than $1000.