Why I Chose to do Newborn Photography

The first week with a new child can be a little daunting. You may be having issues sleeping, breastfeeding and getting adjusted to the new norm. On top of learning how to use all your new baby shower gifts, working on the baby’s feeding and sleeping schedule, managing guests (and do I dare throw in trying to sleep and shower in there somewhere?) there’s newborn photos that need to be scheduled. Do you need to throw this wrench into the mix? When do they need to be taken? Will you regret it if you don’t take them? Can you afford them?

Only you will really be able to answer these questions, but I’m going to say do it! Your child will grow so incredibly fast in the first year, and one of the only ways you’ll be able to remember just how small they really were (my little one was 4lbs. 8oz when he got his done) is to have these photos. You can also use one of them to send an announcement out to friends and family!

Little Toes
(Photography by Shawna Clark Photography)

When do you need to take them?

Your child is technically a newborn for the first four weeks, although I’ve heard that it’s best to take them after the umbilical cord falls off (which for us was around day 8 or 9), and before the acne sets in (which is after the first two weeks). I was told to do it in the first two weeks, or to wait until after six. We did ours on day 11 and it ended up being perfect.

Can’t afford a professional photographer?

I can tell you that I researched high and low for the best price without sacrificing quality on my newborn photos. I was sitting in the NICU contacting plenty, and all after buying the photos, disc, sitting and traveling fee were about the same. They are expensive, but there’s a reason why! Shawna, our newborn photographer came to the home with a caravan of items. She had me pick a theme (aka the backdrops all matching so that they would go good together in a collection and/or on our wall next to each other). I picked out baskets, I showed her ideas, etc. She brought a noise machine, small heater (to keep the baby warm while he was unclothed), etc. She was so patient and stayed with us for around four hours. Yes, she allowed me to breastfeed, change him, hold him and anything else I needed to do so we could get all of our photos in. I never felt rushed and felt incredibly lucky that I chose her for this special moment.

Most photographers these days do a baby club package, where you get to come in a few times a year for a discounted cost. This allows you to take a mix (usually three or four of the following) of maternity photos, newborn, three, six, nine and twelve month photos without having to pay the entire cost each time.

I personally was moving in the middle of having a child (he came four weeks early), so we did newborn pictures at our home (it was so worth the $75 travel fee) on day 11 and then packed up the UHAUL on day 12. If you’re having a rough first two weeks, this should make you feel better!

What are the most common photos within the first year?

The most common first year photos are:

Maternity

Newborn (first two weeks)

Three months (or when they can perform tummy time well)

Six months (or when they can sit up well)

Nine months (or when they can stand holding onto something well)

Twelve months/ 1 year photo

Twelve months/ Cake Smash photo (usually scheduled a week before their first birthday party)

Research photographers in your area and see if you can find one that has a Baby Club! They will usually offer three to four of these sessions for a discounted cost. They also usually do mini photo shoots if they line up with the same timeline. An example is our Christmas with Santa photo which was a mini photo shoot fell during his third month. If you’re not sure what a mini photo shoot is, think the cute holiday photos you see children taking these days. The photographer’s usually give each family a 15 minute shoot and a choice to select one or two photos from the session for a discounted price. The background and props are set for the day, and the children just plug into the set, smile and then it’s on to the next child in line.

Can’t afford newborn photography but still want the memories?

I understand that the going rate is costly. If you can’t afford a newborn photographer, I would recommend going to GROUPON and/or JCP and/or PICTURE PEOPLE to get a few done. For our four month photos (I personally waited until he could do a better tummy time), I bought a Groupon package for JCP PORTRAITS for $29.99 and had them done. They weren’t as personalized and unique as my newborn ones, but they were still a great professional quality. I did our six month ones with a photographer in our new area, and plan to do the nine-ish month ones again at JCP just to have a few around that age. For twelve months I will go back to a professional photographer. It allows me to have everything I personally wanted without completely breaking the bank.

I look terrible!

I will say another thing that I worried about was how heavy I still looked. Ladies, please still take pictures with your little ones! I realize that it’s hard to look at yourself when you still feel and look nine months pregnant, but I promise you they’ll be worth it. You just gave birth to a small miracle, and no matter how incredibly horrible you feel, how many bags you have under your eyes or rolls you have around your body- you will never look back and regret it.

So whether you bring your baby into JCP or PICTURE PEOPLE (CHECK GROUPON) or choose an awesome photographer in your area, I would recommend making the investment of your child’s memories! You’ll never regret it.

Share your favorite newborn photo or baby announcement with us below!