Written By: Jackie Jahfetson
As we take down the holiday decorations and spring into a new year, we welcome 12 months full of changes and surprises. For some, the new year means that a new member of the family is expected to arrive. But before your spouse rushes you into the delivery room, it’s important to book early for that newborn session.
10-day Window for Newborns
Ideally, parents should schedule a newborn photo session prior to the birthing to guarantee an appointment, but if that is not possible the best time is as soon as your baby is born. Don’t wait until the last minute if possible; book while you’re still pregnant so there’s a spot reserved for you. Karolina reserves two days during the week for newborn sessions to ensure those that are booked prior to baby arrival will have their spot.
Newborn photography sessions typically take about 2 hours. It’s perfect to book while they’re within 3 to 10 days old, because they may only need to be fed once and they sleep for most of the time. This makes it a lot easier to pose babies and curl them since they still feel like they’re in their mother’s womb. After they’re past 10 days old, they hit that growth spurt and are more alert and sensitive to light and aware of their exterior surroundings; they no longer enjoy the same posing or wrapping.
It’s never too late to book
If your baby is older and you miss that 10-day newborn window, or if your baby was at the hospital for complications longer than expected, you can still book a newborn mini session. These sessions feature only basket and wrapping poses and last for about an hour. Karolina works well to wrap the baby and put them in various baskets to create that newborn feel to her shots. Once babies are past 10 days old, they become a little more difficult to work with in terms of placing and posing them without them being aware of their surroundings and not liking the posing. Wrapping helps the baby to calm down and allows for the images to look amazing.
So, if you still want to book a baby session, Karolina recommends getting that session anywhere in between 15 days and 1 month after they’re born. Don’t wait to do a photo shoot when your baby is 2 months or 3 months old, because it will become near to impossible to create that newborn vibe and they’ll rarely want to be wrapped as they begin stretching.
So to all of you mothers out there that are expecting in 2022, book that newborn session now!
Dickinson Newborn Photographer