When to Take Newborn Photos | Van Schalkwyk Photography

Feeling unsure about when to take newborn photos? This is something most moms have questions about when they initially reach out to schedule their newborn photos. In this post I’ll help you understand your options so that you can choose the age that works best for you and your family.

Below is more information based on my experience as a Newborn Photographer, servicing the Saskatoon and Warman area in Saskatchewan.

The Most Important Factor to Consider When Scheduling Your Newborn Photos

Do You Prefer Natural Newborn Photos (lifestyle) or Posed Newborn Photos?

A photographer’s job is to bring your vision to life. But each newborn photographer has a specific style they specialize in. The most important thing you can do is choose a photographer who specializes in the style of newborn photography you love. This will have an important impact on when is best to schedule your newborn photos.

For posed newborn photos, the best age to take newborn photos is within the first 2 weeks after birth. Babies sleep for longer stretches of time in these first couple weeks. And they also sleep more deeply, allowing newborn photographers to place them in poses.

Now you can continue your search to find a photographer you love who specializes in this style, and be sure to reserve your session well in advance to ensure your photographer will set aside space in their schedule for your baby’s newborn photos soon after birth.

Lifestyle photography...

For natural, lifestyle newborn photos, the age of the baby is much more flexible. Since the baby doesn’t need to be asleep to place them in poses, we can capture beautiful memories together at any age. So I recommend taking newborn photos anytime between 1 – 8 weeks old depending on what works best for your family. But while the age of the baby is flexible with natural newborn photography, it still has an important impact on how your newborn photos will look. That’s why I take the time to educate my clients and help them choose the age that works best for their family.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Are You Hoping to Capture Your Baby When They’re the Tiniest They’ll Ever Be?

If your answer to this question is yes, then it’s best to take your newborn photos when your baby is 1-2 weeks old. These early newborn days are a once in a lifetime whirlwind. With the physical demands of delivery and sleepless nights, this time is full of emotions for most new parents. It’s often hard for parents to remember these days clearly when they look back on them. So if it’s important to you to capture these memories when your baby is the tiniest they’ll ever be on camera, make it a priority to book in with your preferred newborn photographer well before your baby arrives to ensure you have the scheduling flexibility you need to get your newborn photos taken soon after birth.

Does Your Partner Have Limited Time Off Work?

Considering the logistics of your partner’s work schedule can be very helpful when it comes to scheduling your baby’s newborn photos. If your partner’s job doesn’t offer much scheduling flexibility and has a limited amount of leave after the baby is born, this would be another reason why it may be best to schedule your newborn photos in the first couple weeks after the baby is born.

But if your partner has extended leave or a more flexible work schedule, continue reading to explore all your options for when to schedule your baby’s newborn photos.

Do You Prefer Photos of Your Baby Sleeping or Awake?

For Mostly Sleeping Photos: Best Age is 1 – 2 Weeks Old

As I mentioned above, babies sleep more in the first couple weeks after birth, so you can expect to capture mostly sleeping photos right after the baby is born. If you want to capture your baby in that sleepy newborn phase when they love to curl up and be swaddled just like they were in the womb, then 1-2 weeks old is the best age for newborn photos.

For A Mixture of Sleeping & Awake Photos: Best Age is 3 – 4 Weeks Old

On the other hand, if you’re hoping to capture a mix of sleeping and bright-eyed, expressive newborn photos, I recommend taking your newborn photos when your baby is around 3-4 weeks old. During those first two weeks after birth, babies don’t always have their eyes wide open even when they’re awake. Adjusting to the bright lights of the outside world and learning how to focus on their parents’ faces takes a bit of time. So sometimes really young babies will only open their eyes part way when they’re awake and may cross their eyes as they begin to learn how to focus.

While the sleeping photos look very similar at 3-4 weeks old, waiting this extra week or two makes a huge difference in how bright-eyed and expressive your baby will be when they’re awake.

For Mostly Awake Photos: Best Age is 5 – 8 Weeks Old

Babies change and grow so fast during the first couple months. The older babies get, the more time they will spend awake and the more expressive they’ll be. If you want most (or all) of your newborn photos taken while your baby is awake and you have your heart set on capturing lots of expressions and interactions as your baby looks up at you, I recommend scheduling your newborn session when your baby is 5-8 weeks old. 

Was Your Baby Born Premature?

If your baby is born premature, it can absolutely affect the timing of your newborn photos. It’s not uncommon for premature babies to spend extra time in the hospital after birth. So sometimes it’s necessary to wait a little longer to take newborn photos with a premature baby since the health of the baby is always the most important priority. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have options for when to take your newborn photos. Typically, when babies are born premature, they stay in the sleepy newborn phase that is typical of a 1-2 week old baby until around or just after their due date. In other words, you can essentially follow the same guidelines I’ve described above but 

use the due date rather than the birth date to plan your ideal age for newborn photos if your baby was born prematurely.

Twins (or multiples of any kind) are a great example of this in action because they are often delivered ahead of their due date.

Final Thoughts

In my personal and professional opinion, saying you’ve missed the window for newborn photos once your baby is more than two weeks old is simply not true. If you’re drawn to natural, lifestyle newborn photography, you have a variety of beautiful options as to when to take your newborn photos. But the age of the baby absolutely does have an impact on how your newborn photos will look, which is why I educate every family I work with so that I can help bring their vision to life, because there is never a wrong time to capture beautiful memories with your new baby!