When Should You Book Your Newborn Photography Session? (The Answer Might Surprise You)
When Should You Book Your Newborn Photography Session?
One of the questions I get asked almost every single week is…
“Is it too early to book?”
The funny thing is, most parents are worried they’re being organised too soon.
In reality, it’s usually the opposite.
Some mums contact me when they’re only 14 or 15 weeks pregnant and almost apologise for planning so far ahead. Others send me a message when their baby is already two weeks old and are convinced they’ve completely missed their chance.
The truth sits somewhere in the middle.
The best time to get in touch is while you’re still pregnant. You don’t need to know the exact day your baby is going to arrive because, let’s be honest, babies don’t usually read calendars.
Instead, I simply reserve space around your due date.
Once your little one arrives, you send me a quick message from hospital or when you get home and we lock in the exact day. It keeps everything flexible without the stress of trying to predict when your baby will make their grand entrance.
Why book before your baby is born?
Imagine this…
You’ve just had your baby.
You’re learning how to feed.
Nobody is sleeping properly.
Visitors are coming and going.
Your washing basket seems to refill itself every ten minutes.
Now add trying to research photographers, compare prices, look through galleries and hope somebody still has availability.
That’s why I recommend booking before your baby arrives.
Once you’ve secured your session, you can stop thinking about it.
Everything else happens after your baby is here.
One less thing on your mental checklist.
What if my baby comes early?
This happens more often than people realise. I’ve photographed babies born six weeks early. I’ve photographed babies who decided to arrive nearly two weeks late.
That’s exactly why I don’t book a fixed session date months in advance. I reserve a spot around your due date instead.
When your baby arrives, we simply adjust.
It works much better than trying to guess the future.
Is there a perfect age?
If your goal is those beautifully curled-up sleepy photographs, I generally recommend photographing your baby within the 7-12 Days is the ideal sweet spot.
During that stage babies often settle more deeply and naturally curl into the positions they were comfortable in before they were born.
But please don’t panic if your baby is older.
I’ve photographed babies at three weeks, four weeks, six weeks and older. It just means the older that they get it means the style of the session may change slightly, but beautiful photographs are absolutely still possible.
I never want parents to think they’ve missed their chance.
The biggest mistake parents make
Waiting until after the baby arrives. Not because you’ve done anything wrong. Because life suddenly becomes wonderfully chaotic. The days just magically disappear.
Before you know it your tiny newborn is already stretching out, becoming more alert and changing every single day.
Those early days pass far quicker than anyone expects.
What happens after you book?
Once you’ve booked, I’ll keep in touch as your due date approaches.
When baby arrives, simply send me a message.
We’ll organise the exact day that suits both of us.
Before your session I’ll send you everything you need to know, including how to prepare, what to wear and what to expect.
Especially when you’ve already got enough on your plate.
My advice
If you’re reading this while you’re pregnant…
Not because I’m trying to rush you.
Because future-you will be grateful you already have one less thing to organise.
The first few weeks with a newborn disappear in a blur.
Having your photography already organised means you can simply enjoy those precious moments instead of worrying about whether you’ve left it too late.
And once your little one does arrives, I like to keep everything else as simple as possible too.
Rather than asking you to pack the car, time feeds perfectly and head off to a photography studio, I bring my purpose-built mobile newborn photography studio to you. You still receive the same professional studio experience and beautiful, timeless photographs, but without the stress of leaving home with a brand new baby.
I regularly photograph families throughout Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle, so whether you’re in the suburbs, by the coast or a little further out, there’s a good chance I can come to you. It’s all about making those first few weeks just that little bit easier, so you can focus on what really matters… soaking up every moment with your new baby.