Older Newborn Photography: Is The 10-Day Rule a Myth?

Moms and moms-to-be are often offered the same piece of advice when it comes to newborn baby photography: the first 5 to 10 days of age are the ideal time to get picture-perfect photos of your newborn.

While it is good advice, does it really mean all is lost if, for whatever reason, you wait until baby is a little older? Definitely not!

Why Is Earlier Said to Be Better?

Honestly, there are several benefits to getting the shoot done early. These include:

• Your baby’s body will still be curled in that sweet foetal position it spent so long in while in your womb. For most parents, this natural pose is what they wish to see in newborn photos.
• Newborns like to sleep – a lot, and sleepy, curled up photos are what newborn photography is usually all about. Plus, sleepy babies won’t fuss when they are being dressed for several wardrobe changes during the session.
• The fact that they will probably sleep through it all makes newborns much easier to pose than an awake and alert older baby.
• Early newborn photos are a great place to start if you intend to do regular follow-up shoots as your child grows.

Can Older Newborn Photography Work, Too?

Older babies, up to six weeks (and sometimes more) can still get in on the newborn photography action.

Pictures of them all sleepy and curled up might not be as easy to achieve, but professional newborn photographers will have a few tricks up their sleeves to help make the pics as newborn-sweet as possible. They might use specific props or wrap baby for the curled and swaddled look. Choice of lighting can also help as does any final edits the photographer might do to the photos.

Clever positioning of the baby is another tactic the photographer might use. Positioning older newborns is not, however, as easy as it is with younger babies. They tend to be fussier, wigglier and more likely to be startled awake by movement. It is a much easier process if the baby is soundly asleep.

To achieve this, the photographer will likely request that you keep the baby awake prior to the session, then top up their tummy and soothe them to sleep just before the shoot. They will then likely throw in some calming background music and ensure the temperature is as comfy for baby as possible – that means putting it a little on the warmer side.

Once everything is set, you may be surprised at how quickly the experienced newborn photographer gets those awesome shots in. After all, time is of the essence and the last thing you want is for baby to wake up in the middle of the session!

Babies won’t stay newborn forever. They grow and change, and being a part of that process is one of the most rewarding things about parenthood. It is always nice to have some keepsake photos to look back on though. And don’t worry, you can still get some amazing newborn shots taken of your little bundle of joy even if you happen to miss out on those precious 5 to 10 days.