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Which week is best for newborn photos?

Oct 4

Wondering when the best time to take newborn photos is? Get tips for when to take newborn pictures, how to prepare for the photoshoot, and how to use those gorgeous photos to create a custom birth announcement!

 

Those early newborn days when my daughter was born are such a fog to me now. But I’ll never forget the day we took her newborn photos. She was 10 days old, and I struggled to breastfeed and recover from my C-section.

 

Putting on makeup and real pants for our newborn photos was the last thing I wanted to do. I had booked an infant photographer as part of my pregnancy preparation, which was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

 

It’s almost four years later, and those newborn photos are some of my favorite images we have. Her sweet tiny toes and smooth, velvety skin takes me back to those newborn days that are such a distant memory in my mind.

 

We have several of the photos hung up in our home and were able to use them for the newborn announcement we sent out. And, of course, I used that same birth announcement to make her first Christmas ornament.

 

Whether you’ve already booked your newborn photographer or need to research and find one ASAP, I’ve partnered with Basic Invite to share my best tips and tricks for getting those precious newborn photos and creating the perfect birth announcement for your baby!

When to Take Newborn Photos?

Newborn photographer Victoria bc advises you to get your newborn photos taken 5 to 14 days after your baby is born. It can be easier to pose your baby in that sleepy newborn state in the first two weeks. It’s also early enough, so your baby doesn’t have any baby acne just yet!

 

When we did our newborn photos, our 10-day-old daughter was easily nursed to sleep, and then we would move her into the cutest baby poses. She slept through a big part of the photoshoot as the photographer clicked away, capturing her innocence.

Babies are still very sleepy for the first 6 weeks of life, so if you missed your window, it’s not too late! If you can’t get in with a photographer soon enough, you can always try your DIY newborn photography at home.

How Do I Prepare for My Newborn Photos?

Once you have your newborn photography session booked, check in with your photographer about what kind of props and accessories they already have. Put together three to four outfit ideas you can use for your baby. And when I say outfit, I mean fundamental pieces. Think swaddles, headbands, and sentimental items.

 

Your newborn doesn’t need a full-on shirt, pants, and shoes. A sweet headband and swaddle are enough to capture their delicate baby skin and face! Remember that the photo shoot may take between 1 to 2 hours. We had to take several breaks to feed my daughter. I also wanted a few different outfit changes and props, so changing her took time and then getting her back to sleep.

 

Our photographer was so patient and captured our girl's most angelic photos! I mean, look at her!

What’s the Best Time of Day to Take Newborn Photos?

Check with your photographer on when they recommend getting newborn photos taken. Some families choose for the photographer to come into their home and take pictures in the nursery or the main bedroom. You’ll want to assess when you get good sunlight in those areas of your home and go from there.

 

We chose to go to our photographer’s studio and take photos there. I wanted to use all of her props like buckets and backdrops because I think those are just the cutest! Instead of feeling like I needed to clean and stage my home, I thought it was easier for us to go to her.

 

Your photographer will know when the light will come into their studio the best, but I imagine early to mid-morning will work for most photos. You can get additional tips in my newborn family photos post, including how to include older siblings in the photo shoot.

 

Creating Custom Birth Announcements

After you get your newborn photos back from your photographer, it’s time to make custom birth announcements to send to friends and family! If your baby was born near the holidays, you could also turn it into a Christmas card birth announcement!

 

Basic Invite has unlimited color options, so you can customize your birth announcement to match your style. I love that you can personalize every element to make it exactly what you want! You can also order a printed sample of your invitation or birth announcement, so you get a physical copy before placing your final order. 

 

That way, you can feel the paper in your hands and see the print quality before placing a big order. I always get a little nervous when ordering printed anything online. What if the colors don’t look right? What if the paper isn’t the quality I was expecting? With Basic Invite, I can see and feel the actual sample before proceeding with my big order, which I appreciate!

 

I have to admit that I’ve skipped out on ordering our family Christmas cards in the last year or so, and the main reason is that I don’t want to handwrite and lick 100+ cards! The idea seems so overwhelming and exhausting to me. (And gross, frankly).

So I love that Basic Invite has an address-capturing service. You can post a link on your social media channel asking for your friends and family’s addresses.

 

That information is then stored in your account and can be automatically added to your envelopes, saving you hours of hand-addressing envelopes. The best part is—it doesn’t cost anything extra! Their envelopes are also peeled and sealed so no licking is required! I have to say that I think that might be my favorite feature ever!