Did you know that we offer two types of newborn photography sessions? We offer both a full newborn photo session as well as a petite newborn photo session for those that want just a few photos. I understand that newborn photos are an investment that not everyone can afford and I want to make it a possibility for everyone to have beautiful photos they can share with their child in the future.

I wanted to do a post explaining the difference between the two sessions so that you can make a fully informed decision when choosing which session is best for you and your family.

The biggest difference between the two sessions is that the full newborn session includes both naked poses and wrapped poses. The reason for this is that the naked posing can take significantly longer than wrapped posing. If you’ve ever had a newborn session done then you know that those naked poses can take anywhere from two to thirty minutes to get perfect. Wrapped poses allow for a large variety in photos in a shorter period of time as babies typically sleep very well once wrapped. The top picture below is an example of a naked newborn pose while the bottom one is a wrapped newborn pose.

The other main difference between the two sessions is that the full newborn session includes family photos and sibling photos while the petite newborn session focuses on photos of the baby only.

Another large difference between the two sessions is the amount of time required. If the thought of spending 2-3 hours at a newborn session right after giving birth is overwhelming then maybe the petite session is the best option for you. Petite sessions are quick and simple and result in a final gallery of ten digital images. The full newborn session has a larger variety of poses and is more complex. It results in a final gallery of 25 digital images.

I’m going to show some more photos that show the differences between the two sessions below. The top photos showcase a full newborn photo session and the photos below show what a petite newborn mini session would look like.

A successful newborn session can be largely dependent on successfully preparing for the session. I always send my newborn clients information on how to successfully prepare their baby for their newborn session. Some babies are really sleepy and would do great regardless and some babies are having a rough day and no amount of preparing seems to help. However, most babies benefit from a little preparation.

1. Newborn sessions are best held between 5 and 14 days. It’s best to not do the session before five days as often Mom’s milk hasn’t come in yet and Mom and baby need time to settle and bond. Some babies continue to do great following day fourteen but prior to day fourteen is when the baby is still sleepy enough to allow for the newborn posing that is required. Baby acne also tends to pop up after the two week mark.

2. Keep the baby up for 1-2 hours prior to the newborn session. This will hopefully allow for baby to easily fall asleep at the beginning of the session and stay asleep for the entirety of the session. Don’t try to keep baby up for longer than two hours as then he or she will likely be overtired. I always recommend a long feed followed by some awake time, a bath and then getting ready to head to the studio for the session. But the biggest thing is to not stress out about this. Can’t keep baby awake? No big deal. Baby will still sleep at the studio, it is not worth stressing you or baby out over.

3. Plan your outfits

I always strongly encourage family photos. Not only will they be great for you to look back over but I always think about how incredibly special that will be for your child to see when they are grown. I recommend a white or cream tank top or shirt for Mom, and any siblings and a black or white shirt for dad. This keeps the photos simple so the focus is on the baby.

4. Expect to Follow Your Babies Lead

When a newborn arrives at my studio for their photo session they typically fall asleep within ten to fifteen minutes and stay asleep for the entire session. However, this does not always happen. Some babies are having a rough day. Some are cluster feeding, some have a sore belly and some just hate being touched and positioned. I will never force your baby into a pose that he is uncomfortable with. So while you may have an idea of photos that you want to get (and I do as well!) we will always follow babies lead and get the photos that he or she is comfortable with. And for some babies that means that they will be wrapped up their entire session so that they can feel safe and secure and need to be re-positioned less.