WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO A NEWBORN SESSION?

As a newborn photographer, I frequently get asked when is the best time to do a newborn session?

Newborn photography captures a special time in a baby’s life that can never be replicated. It’s a time when they are changing and growing so rapidly, and every day is a new adventure.

If you are a first time parent, the concept of doing a newborn session might be unfamiliar, especially when you don’t know exactly when your baby will arrive. To that I say, the earlier the better to start planning. I pencil in due dates on my calendar and plan on a week or two on each end of that date to allow for babies who arrive a little early or those that decide to stay snug as a bug for a little longer.

I tell parents to keep me on their “first to notify” list when baby arrives. I then wait patiently to receive that text, phone call, or email with the happy news of baby’s arrival. Then we set our official session date to fit within that optimal newborn window for the photographs.

In essence, there isn’t a “correct” answer to this question to the age of the baby, but more of a guideline. It’s always important to ask the photographer you are thinking of hiring what their age preference is and what their recommendations are and make sure you are comfortable with it.

I have been specializing in newborn portrait sessions for over 10 years and I prefer babies to be at least 1 week old but under 2 weeks. I find this can be the most perfect time to do the session since baby is mostly likely to still be sleepy and flexible from being in your belly. I do recommend closer to the 2 week mark if mom is recovering from a c-section or if baby boy is being circumcised. This allows mom and/or baby a bit more time to recover before the session. Also, part of my sessions include photographing babies without their diapersso I wouldn’t want a baby boy to be uncomfortable in any way while posing him if he is still healing from a circumcision.

And yes, sometimes babies do poop and pee on me, or other things during their session. You cannot work with naked babies and not expect accidents to happen. I call it an “occupational hazard”. 😉

Even though I prefer babies 1-2 weeks old for their session does not mean we cannot do a session after baby is 2 weeks old. We definitely can! Just keep in mind, around 2 weeks of age, babies typically have their first growth spurt, which sometimes includes them becoming more alert and wanting to feed more. This can mean baby may not sleep as well or be as flexible for the session because their little bodies are growing. Getting those sleeping, curly poses that we all love may not be always achievable with an older baby.

Every baby is different though, so I always give it my best during every session and never turn away a client who has an older baby. Sometimes even if they are awake, we can get some beautiful shots with babies eyes open and even some eye contact! I love those types of images too.

I’ve had some babies that were 5-6 weeks old come in for a session and they slept amazingly! Sometimes even better than a newborn under 2 weeks of age! It just totally depends on the baby, their temperament, size and how well they like to sleep! Some babies are just more alert right from birth! In those cases, I swaddle them up for the better part of their session and keep going to get beautiful images too.

I do have prep instructions, with little tips, I give to all my newborn clients beforehand that has seems to help parents and babies be prepared for their session. Of course, even if you follow my guide to a tee, it still does not ensure baby will sleep but I feel it does help us get MUCH closer to it!

If you are interested in a newborn session for your little one, don’t hesitate to reach out. Even if your baby is older, don’t miss out on the chance while they are still so little. They grow so fast and will never be this small every again!

You can contact me for session info and pricing here. I look forward to meeting and working with you!

Jessica is a specialized newborn photographer in the Frisco and surrounding Dallas areas with over 10 years of experience. Jessica has photographed hundreds of babies. Her clients rave about her attention to detail and natural talent, which makes your baby’s session fun and stress-free for you. Jessica is dedicated to giving you beautiful memories for generations to come.