When should you have newborn photos taken?
Many people have many opinions about the best time to take newborn photos! The conventional wisdom is that newborn portraits are best taken within the first two weeks of life – ideally, between 5 and 10 days.
Why is the best time for newborn photos before they are two weeks old?
When your baby is born, the cartilage in their body is very soft and pliable, to assist with childbirth. It remains that way for about two weeks. Your baby will naturally fall into some of the classic poses, and be easily “curled up” for those super-cozy shots. Read more here about why babies’ bodies are designed this way.
They also sleep very deeply in those early days, making it easier to get into the flow of a photography session. If they are drinking breast milk, the mother’s milk has usually come in by day 5, which helps them sleep even longer.
Is it too late for my newborn photos?
It is NEVER too late to create beautiful portraits of your baby! Yes, the first two weeks of life are ideal for the traditional newborn poses. But we have so very many options.*
First, your baby might still be extremely flexible and sleepy well into their first or second month. Every baby is different! We might be able to get many of the same poses anyway.
Second, if your baby doesn’t like a certain pose, there is always another one we can try. If they are waking constantly, we will just take a little longer to get through the shoot.
If your baby is already three months old, many new possibilities are open to us! We can get smiling photos, and tummy time photos, and all sorts of images to showcase your baby’s personality.
It’s never too late.
Baby Jaxon here was 5 months old when he came in for his portrait session. We had so much fun that we wore him out. When I saw him getting sleepy, I asked his mother if we could wait until he fell asleep and try for some traditional newborn shots. It worked!
Wondering about the best time to take newborn photos for YOUR family? Reach out and let’s talk!
