Your baby is four weeks old. Have you completely missed your chance to get beautiful newborn pictures? Amiyah is proof that you haven’t! This gorgeous girl was four weeks old at the time of her photo session, and she couldn’t have been any better. All babies are different, of course, and not all will pose this cooperatively at four weeks. There are two keys- preparation and the right expectations.

Amiyah’s mom got ready with the two things I always ask for, an awake time and heat. At this age, it’s even more important to prepare babies ahead of time. Keeping them awake for a few hours ups our chances of them napping for a while. That helps to get them into the relaxed, curly poses we love of newborns. I love awake babies, too, and getting pictures with open eyes is a bonus we often get at this age. The thing that’s hard to work with is an unsettled baby. They tend to flail around, frown and squirm, and that doesn’t make for cute pictures! That’s where heat comes in. I like to work in a very warm room- somewhere between 75 and 80. That way the baby is comfortable even when we take a few layers off. And a comfortable baby is way more likely to be relaxed and happy!

With her tummy full and a warm room, Amiyah was more than ready to doze off for a while. She even still liked being very much curled up. Some babies are happier stretched out at this age, and that’s fine, too. The important thing is to take the baby’s cues and not force anything that they’re uncomfortable with. Some poses might need to be adapted, but there are still many adorable ways to photograph them. And after all, they will never be this little again, either!

So the bottom line is, four week olds are not too ‘old’ for newborn pictures. Their pictures and poses may be a bit different, but then again, every session is unique. We may need to adapt- they may spend more of the session wrapped, for instance. But the pictures will still be beautiful and a timeless record of your unique little one.

Interested in a newborn photo session for your baby? Contact me to talk over your ideas for your baby!