When do I book my newborn photography session?

Firstly, congratulations! I imagine you have found this blog post because you are asking yourself this very question, or you are planning for the future...either way I am thrilled for you!

I get this question a lot so I thought it would be a good time to answer this question in more detail as I don’t ever want to turn anyone away due to not having an available date. I’ve had a few clients tell me they didn’t realise a newborn session would ideally take place within the first 10 days of baby’s life, certainly in their first few weeks, as they classed their baby as a newborn for a good few months. In non-photography terms a baby is often classed as a newborn until anywhere between one and around three month’s old so this is completely understandable, however when taking photography into account I love to photograph babies between 5 and 14 days old.

My diary is extremely flexible when it comes to babies as they don’t really care about your due date, they will make their way into the world when they are good and ready! However, I do limit my diary when it comes to newborns as I only photograph one newborn a day, so in order to ensure you have a session reserved in my diary (meaning I will always find a way to accommodate your session) the best time to book your session is a lot earlier than you might have thought…drumroll please…

After your 20 week scan

You’ve gone past the often obligatory ‘telling only family and close friends’ 12 week milestone, the bump progress photos have started and you may have even found out whether you are team blue or team pink - eeek! So, what’s next on the baby to-do list? Book your newborn session of course!

This is also a good time to think about booking a maternity session, which I recommend happens 4-6 weeks before your due date, but that’s a whole separate blog post that I will link to when it is written :) Back to the babies…

I suggest booking your newborn photography session in Lincolnshire after your 20 week scan because this will pretty much guarantee you a date in my diary. I use your due date to pencil in a potential date for your session which is around 7 days after your due date, dependent on when that falls, which means I am often rearranging a number of pencilled sessions as we get closer to the time.

The main reason for photographing babies at such a young age, is that typically they tend to fall asleep easier, for longer, and more deeply the younger they are. For my newborn sessions, I love to photograph babies awake, as long as they are happy, however the bulk of the gallery is with sleepy photos in mind. My sessions are completely baby-led and typically last between two and four hours, although I’ve been known to have a couple of sessions last between five and six hours! I only photograph one newborn session a day for this very reason, I never want you to feel rushed and I don’t want to be clock-watching or worrying that another client is going to be showing up, all of my attention is on you and your new little bundle. This is one of the most special life journeys that I am documenting for you so I want it to be all about you!

Those first couple of months you won’t believe how fast your baby is changing. When you look at photos from the day they were born till two months old, they might not even look like the same baby! By booking a newborn session with Mama Bear Photography I can take the time needed to capture every little detail of your baby so that you never forget the fuzz on their ears, the shapes of their lips, the length of their eyelashes (which grow REALLY fast by the way)!, the way their brow creases when they sleep, maybe even a sleepy smile if we are lucky! By booking your session nice and early, this then means I will be able to ensure your baby comes to see me while they are still less than a couple of weeks old and before they change too much!

I have photographed newborn sessions in Lincoln up to the age of around seven weeks, and sometimes I have had babies sleep better at four or five weeks than those that have been between seven and ten days old so there is absolutely no guarantee that baby will sleep better at a certain age because it all depends on the individual baby and what they want to do. However, in my experience, babies that are younger are happier to be undressed for their photos, they have only recently been all tucked up in Mummy’s womb so they are happier to be gently manipulated into bendier positions, allowing me to move their hands, feet, heads and bodies into beautiful positions, such as having uncurled fingers in poses rather than tight fists.

Another important reason to book your session early on in your pregnancy is because there’s often just so much to do before baby arrives, especially for first-time parents, that it is one of those things that you can tick off the seemingly never ending list of to-do’s and then sit back smiling smugly because you have secured a coveted newborn session with Mama Bear Photography :) Baby brain is a very real thing and it only gets worse the closer you get to your due date, so trying to remember all the ways you can savour every positive moment of your pregnancy, birth and when baby arrives is a daunting task. The more you do before baby arrives, the more you can relax and enjoy the experience and the journey when they are here.

Once you’ve booked your maternity and/or newborn sessions, I am only at the other end of the phone for any queries, random questions or just to chat. I’ve had two babies myself so I’ve been where you are and pride myself on offering the kind of service where you want to keep in touch, so the earlier you book the more time you will have to get to know me before your session! I will provide you with plenty of information to help you prepare for your sessions so you don’t need to remember anything, just know that once you’re booked in everything will be taken care of and you will have images that you are proud of and that document all those little details you would otherwise be relying on a mobile phone to capture.

Don’t just take my word on the service I am proud to provide, there’s plenty of others that are very happy too - have a read of some of my testimonials to see what the fuss is all about!

If you’re ready to get one of the most important items on the baby to-do list ticked off, head over to my newborn sessions in Lincoln page to read more and get yourself booked in!

Ali x