I’ve always photographed babies…. although at first (….ahem…. 9 years ago) they scared the beejesus out of me. They seemed to delicate, fragile… and noisy. Fast forward to becoming a mom and I feel 180 degrees different. Well… probably before I actually became a mom. If you’re new around here, you may not know it took us 4 years to have Kate, and in those 4 years we tried multiple fertility treatments, and eventually completed our home study, making us a “waiting family” for an adopted baby. During those months and years, I realized how special those moments with a new baby are to a new family. They change over night, they grow out of their jammies, they make new faces and master new tasks. Being a new parent usually means figuring things out as you go, and I’ve realized that photographing that new family member is no different! Just like I have to guide my brides on how to have a successful wedding day, I wanted to start educating parents-to-be on how and when to capture their new bundle… so here we go! Milestone Education I have a handy-dandy guide I send to all my baby inquiries. This lets you know how and when to prep for your sessions with me, but this might come to late for those who didn’t pre-plan their sessions. I realize as a photographer, I had my sessions planned months and months in advance (maternity, fresh 48 and newborn)… but many of my clients do not plan in advance. My last two baby sessions were booked after baby arrived….thankfully, I had wiggle room in my schedule and could get them in, but planning ahead is always best when possible. Fresh 48 I get that not everyone is into birth photography (I wasn’t… although I do have a little regret over it), but a Fresh 48 session is a MUST. Those first hours of life are really unique, and unlike anything you’ll ever experience. Not only does it capture the setting and new baby, but it also has a wonderful side effect…. you have a reason to look and feel human. I felt a little less like a mack truck hit me once I had showered, put on makeup and fixed my hair for the session. Newborn I think we all agree that the precious newborn stage disappears the fastest. Within days or weeks, babies start to gain muscle strength, holding their heads up, and eyes open for longer and longer. This is why I (and most photographers) advocate to photograph your new bundle withing the first 2 weeks of life. Three Months (push ups) The three month session often gets over looked. Maybe it’s the fact that your hormones are balancing out finally, or you just started back to work… who knows. Why capture your babe at the three to four month mark? They’ve probably mastered pushing up on their arms at this point, and their big doughy eyes are just looking the cutest! They are also likely interested in their own fingers and toes! Six Months (sitting) Six months has just about become my FAVORITE to photograph!! Around the 6-7 month mark, most babies are able to sit unassisted, but they aren’t mobile yet. They sit, and they might giggle and smile for me too at this age. It’s SO fun! Nine Months (crawling) They are now on the move!! While this gets more challenging for me as a photographer, don’t you remember how excited you were when they finally got the hang of one knee in front of the other?! I know we squealed when Kate finally mastered using both knees to crawl, instead of just using one and army crawling. Twelve Months (standing/walking) I mean, it’s their birthday and all…. but you just successfully kept a human alive for a YEAR! Even if they aren’t walking just yet, they are likely standing up (even if holding on to something). And let’s be honest, it offers us wardrobe-conscious parents a whole new world of outfits that look cute when baby is finally standing!   I hope you have a better understanding of when and why to photograph your new bundle!!