Why You Should Book a Not-so-Newborn Photo Session
Did you know you can book a newborn photo session anytime between the first two weeks of welcoming them home to when they are 4 months old?
The only time your newborn needs to be less than 3 weeks old is if you are doing posed newborn photos where your baby is asleep. Lifestyle newborn sessions don’t require your baby to be asleep or out of your arms, so their age doesn’t matter as much. If scheduling a newborn session during those first few weeks of their life seems daunting, booking a lifestyle newborn photo session when your baby is older can offer a few unique benefits:
Your Baby is More Alert and Engaged:
By 4-6 weeks, babies tend to be more awake and responsive to their surroundings. This is when we can capture those precious wide-eyed moments, where they’re actively engaging with their environment, you, their parents, and even start to smile!
More Personality Comes Through:
Babies start to show their personalities as they get a bit older. Waiting a few extra weeks can allow you to capture moments that feel more like them, with facial expressions and gestures that become distinctively theirs.
More Recovery Time for Mom:
Giving yourself a few extra weeks can provide more time to recover from birth and settle into life with a newborn. This can make for a more relaxed and enjoyable experience during the session. If you have a C-Section, scheduling a session several weeks out can give your body time to heal and allow you to sit and lay down in more positions comfortably.
More Time to Adjust to Routine:
By 3-6 weeks, families often have had a bit more time to establish a routine. This can help everyone feel more at ease during the shoot, with less stress about timing naps, feeds, or general schedule. You’ll have more time to have your home feel clean and organized which can help relieve some stress around having photos take place in your home.
Capturing Early Bonding Moments:
Waiting a few weeks allows time for those deeper, tender bonding moments to emerge and be captured. Parents may feel more relaxed and connected with their baby, which often shows beautifully in lifestyle photos. You know how they want to be held, their quirks during breastfeeding, songs they react to, all those little things you want to remember because they’ll change soon.
Gentle Growth Changes:
Babies grow quickly, and by a few weeks old, they often look a little more “filled out” while still maintaining that newborn softness. This can provide a unique look in photos, highlighting those early days while showing how your baby is developing.
Siblings May Feel More Comfortable:
If you have other children, especially toddlers, waiting until the new baby has been home for a few weeks might give older siblings time to adjust. This can lead to more natural, heartwarming interactions captured between siblings and the new baby. It also allows for easier sibling photos because your younger kids will be able to hold your newborn more safely without a lot of assistance.
Overall, lifestyle sessions tend to focus on connection and the little details of family life, and waiting until the baby is older can beautifully highlight those early family bonds.
