Some newborn photographers will insist that you bring your baby to their studio within the first two weeks after they are born. They want your baby to be very, very sleepy so they can place baby into those cute poses. 

As a lifestyle photographer, I don’t have this 2 weeks  rule. I will be photographing your baby and family in a more natural way so it’s not as important to rush to schedule your newborn pictures, if you don’t want to.

For my style of photography, there isn’t actually one perfect time that suits everyone. You can determine which time frame works best for all of you. I will give you some pros and cons for each time. If you decide to wait, that is fine, just be sure to take lots of pictures yourself so you capture those first few weeks. This time passes very quickly and your baby will get bigger each day.

The first few days of a new baby are very special. So soon after the birth, and most likely sleep deprived, your memory might be foggy. Photographs can help you remember what you felt like at that time especially if you are in the picture too.

When deciding when to schedule your newborn photo session here are some things to consider:

Under two weeks old

Pros – 

It is nice, during a shoot, to get some pictures of your baby sleeping. Babies are so darn cute when they sleep. The younger your baby is, the more he or she will sleep. 

Your baby will only sleep tight and curly during the first 10-14 days. After that babies get used to stretching out.

Your baby will sleep during most of the shoot which will allow us to move your baby around quite a bit to get a variety of poses and backgrounds. A sleepy baby is a happy baby. 

Often you have family members visiting and your husband may take some time of work. It can be helpful to have extra hands during the shoot, especially if you have other children. You may also want your extended family to be in some of the shots.

Cons – 

The downside to doing a newborn pictures quickly is that you may not feel that great. If this is your first baby, you will be adjusting to a new schedule that involves a lot less sleep than it used to. You may not feel as comfortable and as happy as you normally are, which might show up on camera. Preparing for a photo shoot may feel like an added stress.

You may not feel that well physically, especially if you had a C-section.

Three – Six weeks

Pros –

Waiting has its advantages. You might be a little more organised as the weeks go by and feel more like “yourself” again. You might feel more secure caring for your baby and handling all the details. 

I personally think the post-birth bellies are a beautiful reminder of what just happened, but it’s important that YOU feel good about yourself too.

Cons-

Your baby will most likely be awake during most or all of the session. You babe may not appreciate how much we move him or her around as we shift from one pose and location to another. Baby may not be as happy and may need more breaks for feeding and care but no worries, we can take as many breaks as needed. 

Seven to Twelve weeks

Pros-

Some parents like to wait a little longer to capture more of their baby’s personality. This age range is a great age to capture a more alert baby, with open eyes and maybe a smile or two. Interactions with parents and siblings (and pets!) will be a lot different too.

Cons-

Your little one will not be a newborn anymore. If you wanted to capture their newborn flaky skin, their teeny, tiny fingers, and how your baby curled up when he or she slept, you might have missed that window. Hopefully you at least have your own pictures that you took.

So there are pros and cons for each time frame. The most important thing is to pick the time that suits your family best. The good news is that I am quite flexible and agreeable. You may schedule your Newborn session for baby’s second week but then change your mind and push it back to a later day. That’s ok. There’s no additional fees for rescheduling.

If you can’t choose the best time, why not do an early newborn session then a session when your baby is around 6-8 months and finally a last one around his/her first birthday?