Is 3 weeks too old for newborn photos?
The short answer – No! This gorgeous little baby was 9 weeks old when he came into the studio for his Newborn Photography session
When you start looking for a Newborn Photographer, you will find that traditionally newborn photography sessions take place within the first two weeks of a baby’s birth. This is because newborns typically sleep for longer periods and love to be all curled up just as they were in the womb in those first two weeks.
So what happens if you have missed this small window?
Can you still get Newborn photos taken?
The answer is YES you can still get newborn photos taken if your baby is older than 2 weeks. Don’t worry you haven’t missed out! We can get absolutely beautiful photos of your new baby and family no matter how old they are.
Sometimes there are reasons out of our control as to why we cannot get newborn photos taken in those first 2 weeks. Some families need to spend extra time in hospital after birth if Mum or baby requires extra care after birth, especially for babies born prematurely. Sometimes you or the photographer are unwell and the session needs to be postponed.
Sometimes life gets busy and parents didn’t have time to arrange a newborn photography session before their baby arrived or didn’t even know it was a thing until afterward. Those first few days and weeks can be exhausting and you may just not feel up to it in the early days.
Newborn photography with older babies
Your new baby is considered a “newborn” until they are 2-3 months old.
After the first 2 weeks, babies become more alert and stay awake for longer periods, love to stretch out, and grow so quickly! These changes make the posed style of newborn photography more difficult. However, my style is more relaxed, and babies are only placed in positions that are natural to them. This is why I can offer newborn photography sessions for older babies. The photos you can see here are a session with 9-week-old baby Lachlan.
Why you should get newborn photos taken when your baby is older than 2 weeks?
Your baby will still be small! They may have grown a little bit, but when you look back in a few months or even years they will still look so tiny and new.
After a few weeks, you will have settled in back home, maybe a little bit of a routine, and be getting more sleep (hopefully! My own little one did not sleep so well)
Your baby will be more alert and me making eye contact with you and taking in their surroundings. They may maybe even have started smiling, and making funny faces as their little personality is starting to emerge. This makes for amazing photos!
So you can still get photos of your newborn after those first 2 weeks. I let parents know that if baby is asleep we will definitely try to get some sleepy baby images, but it’s also ok if their baby is awake for the session, we just roll with it.
It may not be possible to photograph an older baby in all of the positions that we may be able to get with younger babies, but if your baby is happily asleep we can absolutely try to get those for you!
What you are likely to see if more photographs of your gorgeous little baby awake and interacting with you
“Is my baby too old for a newborn photoshoot?”
Some photographers are pretty strict with photographing babies within that first 2-week window.
I love to photograph babies of all ages. My photography sessions are baby led and we follow baby’s lead. If they are sleepy, I will capture that, if they need cuddles and comfort, they get it, and this time and connection makes for some of the most beautiful photos you will treasure. If you are breastfeeding and would like that special bond captured, I’d love to do that for you.
You may be wondering how old is too old?
Well, this will depend on the photographer! I am happy to photograph babies of all ages. After around 3 months of age, I would look at doing a Milestone Session. Around 4 months of age is when babies start to find their feet, and oh my goodness it is just the cutest! I love photos of them playing with their feet and trying to get them into their mouth!
I always encourage parents to be photographed with their baby. While you may not feel super photogenic in the days and weeks after giving birth, it will mean so much when you look back in years to come, and one day when your little one is older they won’t care what you looked like, they will care that you were there.
So what do you do now?
If you are thinking about newborn photos, don’t delay any longer! Get in touch to find out more information about newborn Photography sessions in our Melbourne studio and my availability.
I would love to chat about how I can capture this incredibly special time for you
Robyn x
