The day has come and your sweet baby boy or girl is finally here! After you’ve settled in at home with your little one, the next step in announcing your baby’s birth is taking newborn photos to share your joy. Loved ones and friends are looking forward to seeing the newest addition to your family and nothing makes a better statement than sending out photo birth announcements. Among many other items on your baby-at-home checklist, we have you covered with suggested time frames on when to take newborn photos below.
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When to Take Newborn Photos?
In order to capture your newborn in adorable curly poses, you should take newborn photos five to twelve days after giving birth. If you want your baby’s sleepy and curly newborn demeanor to be photographed, try not to wait any longer than two weeks for the newborn session. When it comes to setting a date, you should reach out to your photographer before giving birth to avoid any added stress in clearing your calendar. Typically it’s a good idea to schedule the session to take place a week after your expected due date. The date may change seeing as how baby will arrive when baby wants. However, you should do your best to give your photographer a tentative date since classic newborn photos of your baby curled up, like they’re in the womb, have a short window of time to be taken. If you’re working with a popular photographer, book your session 2-3 months in advance of your due date.
Avoid taking photos earlier than five days after your baby’s birth, since your baby will still be adjusting to feeding times. Your newborn session will go smoother if your baby boy or girl is less fidgety and on a consistent feeding schedule. The sleepier your newborn is, the easier it will be to adjust their poses and photograph them without clothes on to capture some of those classic newborn photo ideas you’ve been looking at for inspiration.
Yes, you can take newborn photos after two weeks but you’ll have to opt for different poses and concepts. Your newborn will likely be awake during the session so you should go for photos that include the baby with clothes on and wide awake. Taking newborn photos after two weeks isn’t unheard of and your photos will still turn out well. However, your little one won’t curl up so easily after two weeks so we encourage you to take a different approach with your photos. Babies begin to stretch and extend their arms and legs after two weeks, making it harder for them to naturally curl up during photos. Don’t be discouraged though by timing as you should still schedule a newborn session even if two weeks have passed by.
For these photos, you can even hold your baby boy or girl in your arms for a warm and intimate newborn photograph. You can also take a photo of your baby laying down and have the photographer take a photo from above for a beautiful angle.
Newborn Photo Tips
Since newborn photo sessions typically last for 3-4 hours, we have a few tips to help you get ready for the day. These tips will keep both you and baby happy throughout the session:
- Make sure your newborn is well fed before the photoshoot so they’re less fidgety. Always bring formula to the shoot or step away to breastfeed during the session.
- Avoid putting loose clothes on your newborn. The newborn usually doesn’t wear clothes during their session but if you’d like to dress your baby boy or girl up, be sure to find clothes that fit well.
- Try a baby bonnet or knit beanie for your baby’s photos! Newborn photos should be full of warmth and joy. A handmade hat for your baby will add some charm to these photos and do the trick.
- Make sure the room is heated and warm so your baby doesn’t get cold.
- Don’t forget to bring a pacifier to the shoot.
- If you’re using any buckets, baskets, or props for the baby’s photos, use weights at the bottom of the prop to ensure that the baby doesn’t tip over. Always remember that safety comes first.
- Let the photographer connect with the baby. In order for your baby to feel comfortable, you should avoid crowding your little one. It’ll be tempting to run over whenever your baby becomes restless or cries, but you should do your best to let the photographer comfort the baby so the baby doesn’t feel startled by too many changes. Always remain in the room though during your baby’s shoot.
- If you plan on being in any of the photos, be sure to bring a change of clothes just in case things get a bit messy (which they likely will).
If you’re preparing your birth announcements, don’t forget take a look at our guide on birth announcement wording to answer all of your questions on birth announcement etiquette. If you’re still in the beginning stages of your pregnancy and not yet ready to schedule newborn photos a few months out, you can start preparation for your maternity photos instead, using our time frames on when to take maternity photos.
Taking the time to stop and document your journey with your little one is a priceless moment. These newborn photos will remain timeless in your family history and will be cherished by loved ones throughout the years to come. One day, your baby will be old enough to see themselves as a newborn and their reaction will be just as special as yours.
