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What age should we take newborn photos?

Let me start by saying there is no wrong time to photograph your baby. They grow and change so quickly and every stage is special and worthy of recording. 

If you’re looking for sleepy, curled-up newborn the sweet spot for newborn portraits is 10-14 days old.

But… there are many reasons why that may not be possible – either the photographer’s schedule, parent’s schedule, baby’s other appointments, extended NICU stays or extended recovery for parents may mean we schedule the session outside of those dates. Here’s a little more info about what you can expect scheduling week by week.

This general information may not apply to your individual situation so don’t stress if your session is earlier or later than planned. 

With 15 years of experience, I’m comfortable working with babies at any age whether it’s hours or weeks old. I have experience working with babies with special needs including babies recovering from birth trauma, surgery, premature birth and those needing specific positioning or monitoring.  

Here’s a look at the considerations for sessions in the early weeks:

Before 7 days old-

This first week is of course an adorable stage and I’m always happy to work with babies in the single-digit days old but there are some considerations for this age:

  • Giving birth is hard and complete recovery takes many weeks – in these first days rest is essential for both parent and newborn.
  • Babies are just getting used to breathing air, digesting food and being out in the world. Giving them comfort and rest while they transition to the outside world is essential.
  • Often there are appointments to the pediatrician and weight or bilirubin checks and those appointments take precedence.
  • Many babies are less than 7lbs and tiny babies startle easier during posing. It’s not that tiny babies are stronger than big babies but that their limbs weigh less and they can lift them easily when being moved. 
  • Most props, outfits and wraps are tailored to babies generally between 7-9lbs so waiting until baby is in that range gives you more variety to choose from.
  • Cluster feeding while they receive colostrum and transitional milk may make the session last longer than 3 hours.

8-14 days

This second week of life is the ideal time to photograph a newborn baby. 

  • Babies are having full bellies of milk each feeing and tend to have a window of time where they are not cluster feeding as milk supply and demand level out. 
  • They’ve regained their birthweight and are gaining weight. If baby is not back to their birth weight or loosing weight, it’s best to delay the session so you can focus on your feeding routine. 
  • They have erratic movement and uneven eyes when awake.
  • Parents are sleep deprived and recovering from birth – this optional appointment may still need to be delayed to support their recovery. The studio is a place to relax while we photograph baby and we encourage parents to get comfortable on the couch or bed in the studio.

2-8 weeks

8 week old newborn photographer in Maryland

 While this isn’t the ideal time for newborn portraits, babies predictable sleep like a newborn and also have awake time and make eye contact at this stage. Many time scheduling at this stage is due to extended NICU stays or premature delivery. Premature babies should be compared to their adjusted age and not the time since birth. Accommodations can be made for babies who require positional support, monitoring or have other special needs.

  • Parents are further in their recovery from birth and may be more comfortable leaving the house at this stage.
  • Babies bellies are starting to fill out so they do not curl up and fold like earlier days.
  • They may develop newborn acne – generally this can be softened in editing.
  • They may develop cradle cap – generally this cannot be fixed in editing.
  • They’ve gained about an ounce per day and their head is about 1 inch larger than birth so their appearance changes quickly!
  • While <2 week old babies fold their legs comfortably across their belly button, older babies cannot “fold” their legs above their hips. 
  • May smile (3-4 weeks) and make eye contact. 

in-home documentary style newborn session

Baby Quinn’s parents did a few things so right for their session and it turned out to be some of my favorite images of all time!

  1. Booked while they were still pregnant and sent inspiration from my website and of other images in line with my style. I had space reserved so we could book the session as soon as she was born and I knew exactly what they were hoping for because they sent their preferences. 
  2. Put her in neutral, comfy clothes. Babies are tiny and the best way to feature them is to make sure that they are in soft, comfortable clothing in neutral colors without patters, frill, too many layers or distractions. 
  3. Had plenty of awake time before I arrived.  Well, maybe she was just having a little bit of a fuss while her parents got photo-ready but it worked.  Having a full feeding and some awake time is a magic recipe for a content and comfortable newborn.
  4. Turned off the lights and opened up the window shades/ blinds. Having one kind and direction of light suits my style best. 

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2023

Sunday April 23, 2023 12pm 8971 Fort Smallwood Rd. Pasadena, MD 21122

THE GREAT CLOTH DIAPER CHANGE (GCDC) IS A WORLDWIDE CLOTH DIAPER CHANGING CHALLENGE HELPING TO PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF CLOTH DIAPERING.

Heartlove Photography 8971 Fort Smallwood Rd.
Pasadena, MD

HISTORY OF THE EVENT:

Judy Aagard (of Tiny Tots Diaper Service, in the U.S.) wanted to celebrate Earth Day by hosting a family event for the Tiny Tots community. This event quickly morphed into a dream to set a Guinness World Record™ (GWR) for the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously. Shortly thereafter, the Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011 was conceived and organized by a small group of cloth diaper enthusiasts who were eager to demonstrate that cloth diapers were a real option for today’s families.
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