I’ve been contacted so many times over the years by parents who had a baby a few months ago. At the time felt that they didn’t need to document that time. This may have been for one of the many reasons including; sleep deprivation, feeling that they’d already captured so much in the photos on the phone, or just feeling totally overwhelmed by having a new baby that thought of having someone come out in those first few weeks felt way too much for them. 

So, I have a confession to make, don’t worry it’s not bad…I love photographing babies over the age of 3-4 months. I know!!! … Look, don’t get me wrong there is something incredible about Newborn Lifestyle Photography, but I also know the benefits of being able to capture your baby as they grow slightly older.  

There is a growing trend for more parents opting for 4-month-old baby photos. Especially with pandemic and Lockdown. So many 2020 parents missed the opportunity to have their newborn photos taken at home and being able to capture photos of them now at 4 months was the perfect compromise.  

Why 4 month olds are the perfect age?

At 4-month-old babies are social smiling, they are probably belly laughing and they probably sleeping slightly better than they were at four weeks. Not only that, but for all you Mums and Dads you are all slightly less sleep deprived then you were at 4 weeks.  

Not only that but by 4-Months-Old you might actually start to have you shit together. A routine may have started to be implemented and you are able to snatch an hour to yourself to wash… finally! 

Being able to read your baby is another huge advantage to having photos taken slightly later. By four months you can usually have an idea of what is up with the babies , you can predict periods calm or hell. You can pinpoint roughly when they will be more settled than other times of day. Our window of opportunity grows – especially of their have a good morning nap!  

I can’t even begin to explain to you how much I love being able to capture babies at 4 months – 6 months old. Their personalities as they start to blossom into little people. Those cheeky gummy smiles, those huge baby rolls from what she felt like endless months of feeding. Watching them explore their hands and feet and for me to be able to photograph this. Seeing and photographing the joy on your faces as your baby begins to reward your hard work and sleepless nights with those sweet interactions. They make it so worthwhile. Baby’s first sounds, when they start rolling over and of course the ultimate… baby giggles! There is nothing else like it.  

Old Rules that don’t apply…

There was once a rule that once babies weren’t newborns anymore you needed to wait until they could sit up to have a baby photoshoot. Those days are long gone and actually derive from an old-style studio photography. You know the one, where parents used to sit the children on the floor in front of a white screen while the photographer forced out some false smiles? Yeah those …Thankfully we have all moved on from this stage. There are endless options now.  

What I’m trying to say is don’t feel bad if you haven’t booked a newborn shoot. Maybe, just maybe you’ve made the best decision for your family. There is no right or wrong, there is no bad or good decision when it comes to photography ( well other than not picking the right photographer for you) ultimately the decision comes down to what you think is going to work best for you and your family.  

Whatever you decide today, whether that is to come to me for a super-duper early newborn shoot or waiting until they’re slightly older and you feel slightly more like a human being only you can decide what you think is best. Just know that I will be there when you ask, will chat all things postnatal (if you want to) I’ll listen to your tales of despair, I’ll reward your stories with my listening ears. Rest assured as a mother of three there is nothing I haven’t already heard.  

PS. I won’t give you really shit advice that makes no difference to your baby sleep, I won’t recommend ridiculous old wives tales, nor will I try and force my opinions down your throat J  

Can’t wait to meet you, 

Carley xx 

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