How old should my baby be for newborn photos?

This is a common question parents ask when they start thinking about getting newborn photos of their baby. Ideally, newborn photos should be taken during the first two weeks of life. I recommend coming in when your baby is 6-14 days old. This is not a hard rule, but I have found, through years of experience, that this is the best age for photographing newborns. By this point, parents have established a feeding routine for their baby, but the newborn is still tiny and and sleepy and will be more likely to sleep through posing. We can still get cute photos after this ideal age, but the sessions start to get harder. As the baby gets older, they will no longer have days and nights mixed up and they will be more alert during the day. When babies are first born, they party all night withe mom and dad and sleep all day. That starts to shift around weeks 2 or 3.  After this, they also start to stretch out more and no longer curl up into those adorable positions.

What if my baby comes early? Should I wait until they are a little older?

I get this question often. The short answer is no. As long as the baby is home and healthy, I still suggest coming in during the first two weeks of life. Due dates are pretty much just guesses when the baby will come. Sometimes little ones have a mind of their own and come early of their own volition. There are other times when mom needs to be induced because of a medical complication.  If the baby has spent time in the NICU, I recommend coming in for your newborn session after your little one has been home and healthy for 1-2 weeks. Babies very quickly become adapted to life outside the womb. They also grow really fast!! The goal of newborn photos is to capture your newborn just as you met them.

See how her little legs are curled up in the photo below? As the baby gets older, they no longer naturally curl up like this.

I know bringing your tiny newborn in for photos requires a great deal of trust. I am  honored when a client trusts me with their baby. With  13 years of experience handling and photographing newborns, your baby is in good hands with me.

View more of my work: http://www.gretchenbarros.com/newborn/.

 

 

Here is a link to other client’s experience with me: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gretchen-barros-photography-camas