“The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.”*
As every soon-to-be parent will realize, this old saying has merit. Especially after a baby is born, few things could be more important than just enjoying time spent with your baby. In fact, it’s hard to imagine doing much else than gazing into your newborn’s eyes during those first days. Newborns grow and change so quickly and choosing to preserve the way they looked when they were just days old, with the rolls of fat down their backs, their soft swirls of hair and tiny fingers and toes is something you will never regret. Years later, when they’ve given up sleeping on your chest or crawling into bed with you in the morning, those beautiful portraits will bring the happy memories of those special days, flooding back.
If you take only one outing during those first days after your baby is born, consider booking a session for professional baby photography. Newborn 
photography has grown in popularity as more and more parents realize how important it is to photograph their babies while they still look like they did when they were first born, because as they soon find out, their babies’ features can change dramatically in just a few short weeks.
Newborn Photography within the First 10 Days
Parents are always surprised to learn that the best time for infant photography is within the first 10 days after a baby is born, preferably between days 5 and 8. Why so soon? The first 10 days are when newborn photography best captures how your baby looks as just that–newly born. Before long, their squishy faces will lengthen and the baby fuzz will be gone. Within just two weeks, in fact, breast milk and/or formula will have filled in those adorable rolls of fat on your baby’s back.
I considered many different factors before deciding that days 5 to 8 were the best for most newborn photography sessions. Specializing in professional baby photography for several years now, I’ve learned that while there are exceptions to the rule and the time at which each newborn’s session is scheduled must be determined on an individual basis, factors like a newborn’s tendency to sleep and their curly posture not only make for smoother newborn photography sessions but also allow me to capture images that perfectly portray a newborn’s uniqueness–qualities that will have already started to change by the time they’re 10 days old.
Professional Baby Photography Creates Keepsakes You will Cherish for a Lifetime
It’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words, but some pictures do a better job of depicting a moment in time than others. Nothing could be truer than with infant photography, and while every parent should take lots of pictures of their babies as they grow, photographs taken by amateurs pale in comparison when you consider the level of detail that can be captured with professional baby photography. I know it’s easy for me to say this, being a professional photographer, but specialized equipment, proper training and experience, an eye for composition, proper lighting techniques and exposure, and even props all work together to produce a quality of newborn photography that’s just not possible with an untrained eye and the family camera. Most importantly, when you hire a properly trained professional who specializes in infant photography, you also ensure your little one will be safe and comfortable while their photos are taken.
As a photographer and mother, I’m proud to help other parents document something as special and exciting as the first days of their children’s lives. Every newborn photography session is unique, just like every baby, and I’m always excited to work with parents to create images that are beautiful representations of their babies and timeless mementos for their families.
If you would like to learn more about the newborn photography experience at my studio, please call me at 905-449-2200.
*Poem by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton
