I have seen so many readings and comments on newborn smiles…. are they real? Is it gas? Is it a spontaneous reflex? Most doctors will tell you it’s a reflex right?
As a newborn photographer, it is a treat to get these precious newborn smiles! I think we would all agree whether they are gas or genuine, they are pretty darn adorable! After so many years of photographing these precious newborns of course I even have some tricks up my sleeve to try and coax a sweet little grin! Does it always work? nope! Sometimes it does though and mommies and daddies love it!! Who doesn’t want to capture a sweet grin to announce their precious new baby to the world!
I will mention… it is kind of hard to say that none of these are genuine… right?? I mean, seriously… when I tell a mama to snuggle that sweet baby and they grin, how is that not a response to feeling so loved and snuggled!? That’s just my opinion though… what’s yours?
What I do know for certain… is that you can send Abstract Photography ALL the babies!!! lol I absolutely LOVE what I do and I am so lucky to get to be a part of all these special moments!
This is a trick question right! So, the session itself ideally should take place during the first two weeks. This is that magical time period when baby still curls up into those tiny sweet poses. Baby’s belly hasn’t gotten too big yet and its still comfortable for them to gently fold into these desired poses. Then, there’s the dreaded baby acne that can happen sometimes. This magical time frame usually beats that pesky baby acne! Plain and simple… baby can usually be settled easier, tends to be less fussy, and sleep much more through the session.
But… why do I want my baby to sleep through the session? Well, plainly put, newborn babies when awake, tend to scratch their faces, slap themselves, wiggle, and of course cry when being messed with. We want them to sleep during their session so they can easily and safely be posed. Safety first!! Of course I totally take of advantage of a still, awake baby when possible! I love getting those big beautiful eyes when I can! But, that’s also another thing right… newborn babies are still developing their muscles and their eyes tend to cross and wonder when trying to focus!
Let’s also acknowledge the fact though, that not all mommies get their babies in for their session during the first 2 weeks. Life happens and before you know it, your baby is 3 or 4 weeks! yikes! Or things happen and baby sadly has to visit the NICU for a bit or mommy had a rough delivery and needs a rest. I’m not going to lie. Some of my best babies have been 4 weeks old and totally rocked their newborn session! I have achieved newborn sessions successfully up to 10 weeks. Every circumstance is different and sometimes your images might just look a little different, but still get an amazing gallery!
So, all of this is fantastic info right! But, when do I schedule? Ideally, you don’t want to be scheduling your newborn session while you are in the hospital after delivering your new addition. Call me for a consultation the moment you are even thinking about maternity pictures! Guess what! I do those too and have baby plans available that include both! I’ve had moms schedule a newborn consultation as soon as they find out that they are pregnant. Plan ahead! It is one thing that you can check off of your list and be ready for!
But… one more thing… how do I even know when to schedule my newborn session when I’m only 24 weeks along? Good Question! We go by your due date! Ill typically schedule you within the two weeks of your due date. Sometimes you might deliver early. It happens! I’ll rework my schedule to get you in the best I can. Ultimately, don’t miss your newborn session! This session introduces that sweet baby to the world. That newborn stage sadly is gone so darn fast… once it’s gone, you can’t get it back! Document it! Savor it! Get those keepsakes that will last for years and years and can be passed down!
Abstract Photography 