Capitol Hill Newborn

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from expecting parents is “when should we do our newborn session?” And my answer is always the same: when you are ready. There is no hard and fast rule about when a newborn session has to take place, and the most important thing is to do it at a time that works for you, your body, and your family.

Read on to learn when you should schedule your newborn session, and why it’s more than ok to wait.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SCHEDULE YOUR NEWBORN SESSION?

For my clients, I recommend scheduling their PLUME newborn session at least 4 weeks after their due date. This may sound a bit later than most of the recommended timelines, but after nearly a decade of photographing in-home lifestyle newborn sessions in and around Washington DC, I have found that waiting just a bit longer is really ideal for a few reasons.

The first reason I recommend waiting until 4 weeks to do your newborn session is it gives you all a little more time to bond and adjust to your new reality. And, importantly, if you’ve just given birth, it gives you a little more time to recover.

You may not be getting much sleep, but by this point, you will have become accustomed to it, and you’ll start to feel like you have some semblance of a routine. You’ll recognize a hungry cry vs a “change me” cry, you’ll know how your baby likes to be soothed, have a few tricks up your sleeve, and in general, you’ll feel a little more confident about the whole situation!

Second, while baby will still be so small, she will also likely be beginning to make eye contact and recognize your faces, and those gazing up at mom or dad, or even at the camera images get me every time!

Third, babies really start to look like themselves with more well-defined “baby” features around 4 weeks and their personality is beginning. to be defined, we might even get a smile (and yes, gas-induced smiles count!)

But most importantly, I tell my clients to finalize their newborn session date when they are ready, and not a day before - whether that’s at 4 weeks, or 4 months. It’s also why when we schedule your newborn session, we also select a backup date together, just in case anyone needs it! Working with newborns means being flexible, and I make every effort to support my clients as they welcome their new family member into the world.

KIND WORDS

“Amanda of PLUME Photography captured the most perfect pictures of our newborn baby daughter and put us at ease during a very sleepless time in our lives! Amanda had so many ideas for how to capture beautiful images right in the comfort of our home. I have recommended PLUME to many of our friends expecting newborns and they've been very happy with her work.

I was hesitant to book newborn photos because I was worried about feeling overwhelmed given all that we had going on during the newborn time. And as it turns out, had to move back our shoot a few times due to illnesses and a stint in the NICU. Amanda couldn't have been more flexible as well as encouraging, she worked with us to find the right time for our family. As a result, we were so happy with the photos and will have them forever - it didn't matter a bit the photos were taken a bit later than expected.”

Amanda Reynolds is the Washington DC-based photographer at PLUME Photography. She specializes in elegant and effortless newborn, maternity, baby, family and Heirloom Portrait photography in the DC area, including Alexandria, VA, McLean, VA, Chevy Chase, MD and beyond.

If you are expecting and would like to book PLUME Photography for Newborn and Maternity photography, please reach out to Amanda here.