When Should You Schedule Your Lifestyle Newborn Session?
As a South Florida Newborn Photographer, I get a lot of clients contacting me for a lifestyle newborn session. A common question that comes up is ‘When should I schedule my newborn session?’ This is such a great question because little newborn babies grow and change so quickly. And you want to be sure that you capture their little features at just the right time.
When to Book a Lifestyle Newborn Photographer
When should you schedule those newborn photos? I always say that the sooner you schedule them, the better. But generally, right after the first trimester is a good solid timeframe. If you are wanting to schedule a maternity session too, this gets you a headstart in getting on your photographer’s schedule. (I discussed when to schedule your maternity session here, check that out if you’d like!)
Let’s face it, photographers have busy seasons and you’ll need to get on their books asap. In South Florida, fall/winter and spring are my busy seasons. Clients will start reaching out in June for a fall session. So, to be sure that you can book around your due date with the photographer you want, I’d suggest contacting your photographer as soon as possible.
And, you don’t want to wait too long. Once you get into your 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you start to focus on tying up loose ends with the nursery, your baby registry and doctor's appointments become more frequent. So, the last thing I would want is for the newborn photos to fall through the cracks. You've got a lot on your plate!
The Best Timeframe for Lifestyle Newborn Photos
Hands down, the early days are my favorite time to photograph newborns. Within the first 7-14 days of birth is the best timeframe for a lifestyle newborn session. Photographing newborns at this early stage ensures that you will capture their teeny tiny features and sleepy faces. They grow so quickly and change so rapidly.
If you are in a unique circumstance where you had an extended hospital stay or baby had to a NICU stay, then don’t worry. You can still have a wonderful lifestyle newborn session. The great thing about lifestyle sessions is that they are flexible and don’t fit the ‘mold’ of traditional newborn photography. I do not need a baby super young so that I can pose them in buckets or do froggy poses. In fact, I do not pose babies. So if you have an older newborn, a lifestyle newborn session will still work wonderfully!
How Long Does a Lifestyle Newborn Session Take?
I always allow up to 1.5 hours for lifestyle newborn sessions. In my experience, that is the sweet spot and will give plenty of time for a feeding and diaper changes. I always tell moms to feed baby 30 mins prior to my arrival and that will ensure baby is happy and ready for the session. Sometimes sessions will only take an hour, but if you have other kiddos, allowing up to 1.5 hours is great.
What is the Best Time of Day for a Lifestyle Newborn Session?
Because I am a natural light photographer, photographing sessions in my client’s home requires there be lots of natural light. To accommodate my natural light style, shooting during the brightest part of the day is ideal. Anywhere between the hours of 10am-2pm ensures that we will be able to take advantage of the best natural light in the home. This wide range of hours gives us some wiggle room to work around nap times and meal times should you have any other small children.
Should I schedule my newborn session on their due date?
So, what date should you choose for your session? To keep things simple I like to schedule sessions on the actual due date. After you pay your session fee and sign your contract, I’ll hold your due date as our target shoot date.
After you give birth, you can simply email me and let me know that your baby has arrived and we can go from there. If your baby comes early, then it's likely we will keep your original due date as our target photoshoot date. If you go past your due date, we can easily adjust the date and push it back a week or two. Holding your due date on my calendar ensures that I do not overbook myself so that I can have the wiggle room I need in case we need to adjust things.
Here’s a sample timeline:
Right after the 1st trimester - Reach out to me for availability
Schedule your session - I will hold your due date as our target session date. Remember, the target session date is not set in stone as it will need to adjust according to when you give birth.
Baby has arrived (yay!) - Shoot me an email and let me know
Baby has arrived 1-2 weeks early - We will likely keep your original due date as our target session date (may adjust a day or two later depending on how you're feeling).
Baby has arrived on or past the actual due date - We will move your session date to the future week or so according to how you're recovering.
Last thoughts: Don't stress at all about the date we schedule. I’ve even had clients who have already had their babies contact me and I’ve been able to work them in. I know things come up. Pediatrician appointments. Issues with feedings. And sometimes there's just a little bit of troubleshooting those first few days after birth that needs some ironing out before you feel comfortable having your session. I'm very flexible and understand the importance of adjusting to motherhood!