A Leila Photography Newborn Session: What to Expect, part 1

(This was going to be one blog post, but it was getting LOOONG and you may not have time for that in one sitting, so I divided it into two parts. )

You are super excited.  Your newborn is set to arrive and you contacted me early in your third trimester to get your Legacy Newborn Session booked (hint, hint). Hopefully, I’ve had the privilege to meet you at your beautiful maternity session, or adoption expectation session.

Once you’ve booked, you will receive an email with your Newborn Session FAQ, but I’d like to expand on those FAQs a bit here and cover the general topics that will help you prepare for your newborn’s session.

SCHEDULING

When you book with me, I put your due date on my calendar. I then keep a general window surrounding baby’s due date, available.  We all know that babies can have their own agenda. They may surprise you with an early arrival, or you may be begging them to make their appearance a week after that due date has passed. Either way, contact me as soon as possible, after your baby does arrive, and we will get a firm session date on the calendar.  I currently only offer Legacy Newborn Sessions on weekdays.  With an in-home studio, I have to work around my own family life. Generally our two-week timeline fits into maternity/paternity leave.  If you are including school-age siblings, contact me for information on how we can make that work.

THE FIRST TWO WEEKS

If you’ve done any research into Newborn Photography Sessions, you will repeatedly hear that we try to photograph babies within the first two weeks.  To get those beautiful, womb-like, sleepy poses, it is best to schedule your session within the 6-14 day window.

While I can schedule it earlier, it’s generally better for you and baby to have a few days to develop a bit of a schedule and to get that feeding routine down.

Getting newborn photos done within two weeks ensures that we capture that precious, unique, new look. However, while some photographers only take newborns within the first two weeks, I do welcome your older newborn. Sometimes, the unexpected happens and you are unable to do a session within the first two weeks.  I have photographed newborns up to six weeks with success.  With older newborns we definitely modify our expectations.  Their bodies have grown and stretched out and they may not go into those traditional “newborn” poses. We can however, still capture your new baby memories in a beautiful way.

Premature babies and twins are scheduled by their adjusted gestational age. Typically within 6-14 days of their original due date.

WHERE IS THE SESSION?

While I have a studio space “in-the-works,” I have been photographing newborns for the past 4 years in my “home-studio”.  Essentially, my living room becomes my studio as I set up for your session.  With my lights, backdrop, posing bag and props, we will move through workflow of poses and simple props to provide timeless images of your newborn and family.

You will receive a reminder email 3 days prior to your session date with the address and a map to my home-studio location. If you would prefer a newborn session in your home, we would take a more un-posed, Lifestyle approach.  If you are interested in this option, check in with me via e-mail or my website.

More session FAQs like what to wear, what to bring to your session, and how to plan for including siblings are in Part 2 of this post.  Check out Part 2 of this post.