the best times to schedule your newborn session


I talk with new and expecting parents daily, as part of my job as a newborn photographer in Columbus Georgia. The one question that tops the list of most asked is "When do we schedule our session after our baby is born? There is no one right answer, but I will tell you my favorite times based off of years of experience.

A tender moment between parent and newborn in soft natural window light.
Close-up photo of baby feet against a warm golden-lit background during sunset.

The first two weeks



In my professional opinion, the sweet spot for photographing newborns for parents who want those curled up and sleepy images, is between 8-18 days old. This gives you time to get settled in at home and get a feeding routine established with baby. Babies at this age still tend to have longer stretches of sleep and aren't as easily disturbed when moved. Under 8 days old typically results in a more fussy baby as milk supply can still be coming in and feedings might not yet be on more of a schedule. Baby's can tend to cluster feed a bit more during the first week. Usually by week two, baby is staying full longer and still hitting those great sleep stretches during the day. If you are looking for images where your baby is curled up tightly into your chest and snoozing peacefully, aim to have your session sometime under 18 days old.

A sleeping newborn baby rests peacefully against soft white lace fabric in warm lighting.
Close-up detail shot of tiny newborn baby fingers grasping in soft, warm lighting.
A mother breastfeeding her baby in a warm, intimate setting with soft natural lighting and shallow depth of field.

The first month


After about 3 weeks old, babies tend to have longer wake windows that make getting those snuggled up poses and gorgeous macro detail shots a bit more tricky to get, although not impossible.

If more photos of your baby awake are what you are hoping to achieve, then by all means request your session be done towards the end of baby's first month! Some families opt to wait until their baby is a little bit bigger to venture out of the house. Also, for Moms who have had C-sections, sometimes the extra rest time is needed for recovery. You can till get the small little details and some snuggled up shots if you wait to schedule your session until baby is a little bit older. These are just some of the subtle differences I have noticed in my time as a newborn photographer here in Columbus Georgia. I gladly accept babies up to 12 weeks old to be booked in as newborns.