Is it Too Late to Photograph My Newborn?

I got a call from a mother one day….”Is it too late to photograph my babies?” She went on to explain that they were over 2 months old and were still in the NICU. The question really made me realize something. As a baby photographer, I’m well aware that photographing a really new baby 5-10 days old is suggested for certain poses.  We’ve learned that babies stay asleep best at this delicate new stage of life. When I first started in this industry no one ever asked that question. You photographed your baby because … well, you just had a baby and you wanted precious memories of those fleeting years before they grow up and you can no longer hold them in your hands. However, now moms have become frantic by this 5-10 day ‘rule’ that sadly my industry has imposed upon them. Some new moms even go without taking photos because they think they missed the moment. 🙁  So I must tell you, it is never too late to photograph ANY BABY. Sure, we may have to do different poses and have some eyes wide open. And that’s o.k too.  Five to ten days is a general rule of thumb if you want those sleepy, curly photos and if you can make that happen.  If you can’t – that’s ok!! There are numerous ways of photographing a new baby including a more lifestyle approach or just laying sweetly on their backs.

Not all babies CAN fall within that happy 5-10 day scenario. There are so many variations of delivery dates, hospital stays, premature births and infants born that need medical supervision.  So a premature baby like these twins still weighed less than what a full term newborn would weigh. So at 2 and half months old, these baby boys slept all the way through their shoot. Snuggling into each other really helps too! I’ve photographed babies 2-3 weeks old as well without any trouble. With all babies there are some limitations but I feel that documenting this new life is the MOST important thing. If little Johnny can not do the belly pose because he’s a bit older, then not a big deal.  Of course, it’s a great idea to be getting an idea of your newborn session while you are still pregnant. When having a child, the last thing you need is to stress about photographs. Take care of the little one and when the time is right – photos can happen!