When to Schedule Newborn and Maternity Photos

With a newborn baby on the horizon, you might be wondering when the best time is to schedule both maternity photos and newborn photos. In this quick guide, I’ll walk you through the best timeframes for both maternity and newborn photos, along with some tips on when to reach out to your photographer for photos.

The Best Time for Newborn Photos is Within the First Two Weeks of Life

The best window for sleepy newborn photos is within the first two weeks after your baby is born. Babies tend to sleep more total hours overall and be a little less fussy during this window of time. They are also less likely to have yet developed baby acne prior to two weeks of age.

Because this window is so short, it’s definitely a good idea to schedule newborn and maternity photos well before baby arrives.

Plan Ahead and Get on Your Photographer’s Calendar Early

It’s best to schedule your newborn photos early on in your pregnancy to ensure your photographer has availability around your due date. I typically recommend that moms reach out to photographers shortly after the 20 week mark.

How Scheduling Works

When you reserve a newborn session with me, your due date goes into my calendar. I realize that babies rarely come on their actual due dates, so this your due date just serves as a placeholder in my schedule. I keep some flexibility in my calendar around your due date, knowing that I will need to get your session booked sometime in that general vicinity of your due date. Once baby arrives, I ask that you just reach out so we can schedule a date and firm up a plan for your session.

What if Baby is Already Here? Can I Still Schedule A Session?

I know life is busy! If you forgot to plan ahead for newborn photos, please still reach out about a session. I can almost always get families in, even on short notice.

Best Time of Day for Newborn Photos

I usually have the best luck photographing newborns in the morning hours. Nine or 10 am tends to be my go-to timeframe. This gives families time to get up and moving, and babies tend to be less fussy in the morning. This is also a much better time for older siblings as well. They can stay home from preschool or daycare the morning of a session and then go back to school after lunch.

When Should I Schedule Maternity Photos?

Maternity photos are best taken around weeks 30-35. Most women are showing adequately by this timeframe, but they’re not yet too uncomfortable. Getting maternity photos in before the 40 week mark also reduces the chance that we miss the opportunity to take them if you have your baby early. I usually bundle maternity and newborn photos into one package. This means you can schedule both sessions at a reduced rate. When we start your newborn booking process, we usually schedule those 30-35 week maternity photos at that time. Again, this window is a general rule of thumb, and every mom is different. Please still reach out, even if you missed that timeframe. I’ve photographed moms at 35 weeks who barely look pregnant, so there can be a lot of wiggle room, especially for first time moms. If this is your 2nd or 3rd pregnancy, we might want to book it a little earlier than 30 weeks, as you will likely be showing much earlier.

Ready to Book Your Newborn and Maternity Session?

If you’re ready to get your due date and maternity session on the calendar, reach out to me at the button below. To start the booking process, I will send over a contract and deposit link for your package. Everything can be signed and paid online through credit card or bank transfer. Once I receive a contract and deposit (equal to half of your package), your due date will automatically be put into my calendar as a placeholder for your newborn session. If you choose the package with maternity photos, we will schedule a date for maternity photos in the 30-35 week window before the contract is sent.

Once baby is here, simply text me, email me or call me and we will set up a date within those first two weeks to schedule your newborn session.

As always, I’m here to answer any questions you might have about booking your newborn session. Please let me know if you have any questions at all.