Older Newborn Photos

“Are older newborn photos possible?” One of the most common questions I get from new parents is “Is my baby too old for newborn photos?” The short answer is no.

While I do love photographing newborns during the first 3 weeks of life, I also photograph many “older newborns”. There are so many great things about older newborn sessions, and you can still get beautiful images if your baby is outside the “newborn window”.

After 15+ years of photographing newborns in my Hendersonville studio and serving Nashville area families, I have photographed many babies well past the 2-3 week window. All of my newborn sessions are baby-led and poses are adjusted for baby’s age and comfort. So even though a session may look a little different as your baby gets older, it will still be a wonderful experience resulting in beautiful images that you will treasure forever.

Life happens… recovery can take longer than expected, schedules get busy, and sometimes families just don’t realize how quickly those first few weeks fly by. If your baby is a little older, don’t panic! Let’s discuss how photos can change as babies get older.

Why do photographers recommend weeks 1-2 for newborn photos?

Typically the younger the baby, the better they sleep. This allows photographers to pose babies into those sweet, squishy poses. Visit this blog post to learn more about when to schedule newborn photos.

For clients that find me before their babies are born, I recommend a newborn session when baby is 8-21 days old. I like to wait until babies are at least 8 days old because this allows moms to recover from birth and gives babies a chance to get better at feedings. Better feedings = full tummies = more sleep!

By this time babies are also back to their birth weight, which means they’ll look more filled out for photos.. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies lose 10% of their birthweight during the first 5 days, and then gain it back over the next 5 days.

Just because a baby is in this age range does not mean that they will sleep the entire time, cooperate for every pose, or not cry during the session. However, as an experienced newborn photographer, I know how to handle babies no matter their mood or age. We will get beautiful photos no matter what! My focus during every session is to make sure babies are safe and comfortable.

3 Week Old Newborn Photos

According to What to Expect, 3 week old babies require 14-17 hours of sleep and eat every 2-4 hours. This means during a 2 hour session, your baby is more than likely going to sleep for some bit of the session. So we still have the opportunity to get sleepy newborn poses. I recommend that you feed your baby before leaving for the studio. This usually gives us a nice window for photos before needing the next feeding.

Developmentally, 3 week old babies may start to lift their heads on their own. They may interact with parents more which makes family photos even more special.

Wrapped Poses for 3 Week Old Babies

This is baby Judah. He is the 3rd baby from this family that I have photographed. It is always an honor when families come back year after year. After Judah was born, his mommy debated on bringing him to the studio at the beginning of his newborn window or the very end of his newborn window. She ultimately decided to come in at the end of his newborn window so that she had a little extra time to recover.

4 Week Old Newborn Photos

4 week old newborns are still sleeping 14-17 hours and eating every 2-4 hours.

What to Expect at 4 Weeks

Although they still tend to be very sleepy, 4 week old babies will be less squishy and moldable. They are more alert when awake. They may react to loud noises. This means they may startle easily during a newborn session. 4 week olds have also had time to grow, so they may look different than they did during their first few weeks. Baby acne can start around weeks 4-5, but don’t worry – we can edit this out.

This is baby Rivie. Her mommy did not schedule newborn photos before she was born, which happens a lot. I always recommend reaching out to the photographer you want in case they have any last minute openings. I was able to get her in the studio during her 4th week. She gave us an adorable mix of sleepy and awake photos.

5 Week Old Newborn Photos

Your baby is now over 1 month old! You are getting to know each other better. 5 week old babies are growing, more alert, and starting to gurgle and coo. This growth makes for adorable photos.

Babies may become more fussy around this age. The chance of colic increases, and you may notice a witching hour in the evenings. Sticking to a morning newborn session helps with this.

This is a flashback to baby Skyla’s newborn session 6 years ago. She was one of the first “older newborns” that I photographed. Earlier in my career I would turn away newborns if they were under 2 weeks old. Photographers were trained that newborns had to come in as early as possible. As I grew in my knowledge and confidence with newborns, I learned that was not true. I truly enjoy meeting newborns during all age ranges.

Wrapped Newborn Poses

Usually the most difficult poses are naked poses.  Most babies love being wrapped and swaddled.  We can get prop poses and images like these for babies up to 3 months old.  I can’t promise that your baby will sleep like Skyla did, but we can do these even if baby is awake.

6 Week Old Newborn Photos

6 week old babies are still eating every 2-4 hours. However, they may be starting to develop a schedule and may take more milk at their feedings. They have longer wake windows, but may sleep better since they are able to drink more milk. 6 week old babies may start smiling on cue, which is exciting for photos! When your baby is awake, we will spend time getting those adorable newborn expressions.

Best Poses for 6 Week Old Newborns

When Julianna’s mommy inquired about a newborn session, she asked if it would be ok if they waited until she was 6 weeks old. I was absolutely fine with that! As you can see, 6 week old newborn poses look a lot like newborn poses during the other weeks. We can always get great photos.

7 Week Old Newborn Photos

7 week old babies are more alert and playful during the day now. There is a chance they may not sleep during their newborn session, and that is ok. We will focus on your family dynamic and all of the sweet faces your baby can make. We will embrace their growth and take photos as we play. Babies this age will be more likely to smile on cue and make us smile with their little sounds.

Best Poses for Awake Babies

Celine’s mommy contacted me for newborn photos after she was born. She was feeling overwhelmed after birth, and time got away from her. I worked with her to give her time to adjust, and we found a date that worked. Celine was wide awake and so very cute. Wrapped poses are great for awake babies. Sometimes I will wrap their arms so that they don’t block their faces with their hands, but Celine was so relaxed that this loose wrap worked perfectly.

8 Week Old Newborn Photos

Your baby is now 2 months old! They are awake for longer periods and enjoying more playtime. It is very likely that your baby will be awake for their newborn session. Your baby has also grown during this time. According to What to Expect, babies will be around 11-12 pounds by this age. More than likely they will not fit in my newborn clothing. We may have to use clothing for baby milestones from my Client Closet instead.

Best Poses for 8 Week Old Newborns

This is 8 week old baby Boone. His mommy contacted me when he was 7 weeks old. I had an opening the following week, so we got him in the studio for newborn photos as quickly as possible. On the day of the session, he arrived at the studio awake. He had a full belly and was very calm, so we did some traditional newborn photos on a black backdrop on my newborn posing table. Look at his gorgeous eyes!

Once he laid down for a bit, my white noise and warm studio made him drift off to sleep. We were not expecting to get sleepy newborn photos at this age but look at what we got!

He was still small enough to squeeze into one of my knit newborn outfits, so we changed outfits and got this photo.

As you can see, an 8 week old baby can surprise us with sleepy newborn photos. Please don’t feel like your baby is too old for photos. These photos will be treasures to you no matter their age!

Do you want to see more pose inspiration. Read The Top 5 Newborn Photography Poses Nashville Moms Love.

Milestone Sessions for Babies Older Than 2 Months

Once a baby is older than 2 months old, I recommend a baby milestone session. Newborn sessions can last 2-3 hours and milestone sessions only last 30 minutes to 1 hour. Milestone sessions are shorter sessions because we plan for babies to be awake the entire time. These sessions are scheduled based on your baby’s schedule. I recommend scheduling milestone sessions after nap time. We want your baby to have a full tummy and a nap because hungry, tired babies are not happy!

Milestone sessions focus on your baby’s growth and the milestones they have achieved. Some of the most popular baby milestones to photograph are tummy time, sitting, crawling, and standing. You can visit this blog post on baby pictures during the first year to learn more about each milestone.

Benefits of an Older Newborn Session

If you have an older newborn, do not worry! You haven’t missed your chance for great newborn photos. As a newborn photographer with more than 15 years experience, I can promise you a successful newborn session at any age. But as you can see, our expectations change as your baby grows. Being prepared based on your baby’s age helps ensure a great experience. Here are some benefits of older newborn photos:

• Babies are more interactive. We will capture more facial expressions and possibly some smiles.
• Parents will have more time to get rest. Older newborns are sleeping longer stretches at night.
• You will know your baby more. This helps you prepare for the session and allows me to capture your growing connection.
• Less pressure to get ready in the first days postpartum.
• More flexibility when things don’t go as expected: c-section recovery, birth recovery, NICU stays, illness, or simply adjusting to life with an extra human.

While the posing may look a little different for older newborns, these sessions are often more relaxed and connection focused. You are still capturing the first days of this special season. They just may include more expressions, snuggles with parents, and eye contact.

If you are still feeling like you might have missed the perfect timing, this may encourage you: Will I Regret Not Getting Newborn Photos?

Prep Tips for Newborn Sessions Regardless of Age

Regardless of your baby’s age, I always recommend feeding your baby before your photoshoot. Depending on your drive time, this could be at your house before getting in the car or once you get to the studio. If you are bottle feeding, I recommend bringing an extra bottle just in case. Pacifiers are great because they can soothe baby without a full feeding. This is helpful because baby can stay in a pose or prop to be soothed.

Please read my Newborn Prep Guide if you are preparing for your newborn session.

Booking Older Newborn Photos for Your Baby

Mommies, do you think you missed the newborn window? You haven’t. Older newborn photos can be absolutely gorgeous, and I would love the opportunity to photograph your baby. If you are in the Nashville or Hendersonville area and have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Shannon Payne Photography has been a trusted Nashville newborn photographer for over 15 years. | Featured Newborn Photographer Nashville