One of the most frequent questions I am asked is - “When is the best/right time to take newborn photos?”

And, like the midwife that I am at heart, I just can’t give a straight answer!! I honestly believe that there is no “right” time to take pictures, that your baby is never going to be not-cute or un-perfect, so all you really need to do is decide what works best for your family. To help with that decision making process, Ill break down a few pros and cons of the traditional first-2-weeks-of-life experience (we’ll call it early) vs older-than-2-weeks (we’ll call it later):

Early Pictures

Pros:

• Baby more likely to be settled and very sleepy.

• Baby much softer and “floppier” so more likely to happily curl into the womb-like poses.

• Very special newborn details like wrinkled hands and feet, stork marks, hairy shoulders.

Cons:

• It may be a bit more difficult to arrange a clean, tidy and calm home when you’re all adjusting to a very new baby.

• New parents might not be feeling their best, physically or emotionally.

Later Pictures

Pros:

• Baby will probably be more alert and awake so you will get more big, bright eyes and maybe smiles and their little personality showing.

• Parents might feel happier, more well rested and more comfortable in themselves.

• It might be easier to arrange a clean home and feel more manageable.

Cons:

• Older babies may be trickier to settle.

• May not be possible to achieve the very curled up/swaddled style of poses - baby may be much happier being held.

So, unfortunately Im not able to give a very clear answer of when to schedule your newborn photo session but hopefully Ive given you a few tips to guide you in the best direction. Just remember, these photographs are a reflection of your baby and your family so its more about finding the right fit for you than the perfect time.

xo rose