Most new parents are in awe of their perfect, tiny, newborn babies, and they spend hours staring at them in admiration and cuddling them closely. Yet capturing precious memories like the newborn yawn, the ever-changing facial expressions, or the surprisingly tight grip of a finger can be difficult or impossible without professional help. When you have someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to taking professional newborn hospital photographs of your perfect child, you’ll swear you can almost smell the sweet newborn baby smell in each photograph of your infant. They’re your brand new bundle of joy and we want you to remember that forever.
Why Should You Book Newborn Hospital Photography?
Newborn hospital photography gives you the chance to capture a once in a lifetime moment that you will cherish for the rest of your lives. Many hospitals recognize how important this time is for the families. Oftentimes, hospitals allow a newborn photographer to come in as a visitor with the patient’s permission (assuming everyone is safe and healthy!), so that you can always remember these precious moments with your baby.
It is important that you and the photographer follow the visitor’s guidelines; When you are scheduling your newborn hospital photography, be sure to talk with the hospital staff about their newborn visitor policies.
Professional newborn hospital photographers like Natalie Roberson Photography are well versed in hospital etiquette and newborn safety. Our photographers believe these photos should use natural light instead of harsh flashes and natural positions so that the baby’s safety is guaranteed.
Do Hospitals Offer Newborn Photography?
Today’s digital photography makes it so easy to capture and share each precious moment with family, friends, and acquaintances. With all of the chaos and activity on this big day, most larger hospitals will offer a newborn portrait session the day after birth. The hospital will usually have a contracted photographer to offer this service, “conveniently” taking place in the mother’s room.
The hospital’s newborn photographer will spend 15-30 minutes working with whoever is in the room at the time and what you have with you for outfits, props, and toys. They’ll work as well as they can with the surroundings and whatever natural light the room is lucky enough to get. However, when it’s finished, you may not get the cherished sleeping angel photo you were hoping for! Instead, a few months before the baby is born, plan ahead for a newborn hospital photography session with Natalie Roberson Photography to perfectly capture the new little love in your family.
Let’s explore the top six tips for creating beautiful and meaningful photographs in a hospital setting, ensuring that you can treasure these memories for a lifetime.
1. Schedule Newborn Hospital Photography Sessions Soon After Delivery
Newborn hospital photography is sometimes called the “Fresh 48” because it takes place within 24 to 48 hours after the baby’s birth. Communicate with your photographer so they know your expected delivery date. But everyone understands that an early, late, or surprise arrival might occur! For normal births without any serious complications, the hospital will generally discharge mom and baby after 48 hours. Be sure to keep your photographer in the loop when you are on the way to the hospital with a call, email, or text so they know to fit you in their schedule in the next couple of days. After the birth and when things have calmed down, touch base again and decide when is the best time for your newborn hospital photography session.
2. Things To Bring For Newborn Hospital Photography
Some parents bring a letter board for displaying their baby’s name and birth date but you will have been through a lot by the time the photographer arrives for your newborn hospital photography session, so think comfy and simple! Consider bringing a satin, flower print robe for mom to replace the hospital gown, but go ahead and leave your baby in the hat and swaddle that the hospital provided. These priceless moments will come to be defined by your memories of your baby wearing that hat or their tiny foot with the hospital tag poking out of the gender neutral hospital blanket. It’s important to capture these perfect moments to etch into memories.
3. Be Sure to Photograph all the Special Little Newborn Details
Newborn photographs should capture all the details, like little toes, little nose, little lips, and those teeny tiny fingernails. Stop the clock for a moment with a set of photos from your child’s first moments. You can never get them back, but this comes pretty darn close.
4. Wrap your Newborn for the Photography Session
Think about the decor in your home or the room you plan to hang your photographs. Then, choose a color or pattern that compliments that space. Once you decide on a color, lay your baby on the wrap, then take the left side up and across the baby’s shoulders. Wrap it around and then under the baby’s bottom. Do the same with the right side and tuck the tail into the part of the wrap already secured. You can take the left side’s tail and tuck it into the right.
5. Consider Soft Fabrics for Newborn Wraps
There are a variety of options for a newborn wrap. What’s most important is that it is soft and hypoallergenic. Your baby’s skin is soft and new, so you want to make sure to be gentle enough on their skin. We recommend choosing a wrap from a company specifically for babies— they know best!
6. Work With Natural Lighting
Keep the lighting soft and natural so you capture every bit of your newborn’s brand newness! We want to help you remember these exact moments, not a modified version of them. This is as perfect as a moment can get, isn’t it?
Is Taking Hospital Newborn Photography a HIPAA Violation?
Hospital patients and their visitors are generally allowed to take photographs, including newborn hospital photography, under HIPAA regulations. However, professional photographers like Natalie Roberson Photography understand that the captured images cannot display other patients or protected health information, which violates state privacy laws; As professional newborn photographers, they will adjust their focus and angles accordingly. Be sure to coordinate with your care team at the hospital so that your newborn hospital photography session avoids overlap with any monitoring, tests, or examinations by a doctor.
Is Hospital Newborn Photography Worth It?
There is a lot going on during the whirlwind of labor, delivery, and welcoming a new member of your family. When you hire a professional for your hospital newborn photography session, you are eliminating the stress and challenges of capturing those precious moments that every parent wants to keep forever. Using hospital lighting for amateur photos can make your baby’s skin look discolored or cast dark shadows on those adorable newborn wrinkles. Avoid these pitfalls and the stress of finding the right light, angles, and poses by setting up a newborn hospital photography session several months in advance so you can relax while an experienced professional captures these priceless moments.
Why Choose Natalie Roberson Photography for Newborn Hospital Photography?
Expectant moms and dads already have so much on their plate when preparing for the arrival of their baby that they should not have to worry about snapping every perfect photo. Contact Natalie Roberson Photography today to schedule your newborn hospital photography session and help you perfectly capture the moments ensuring they are as special as the day they were taken.
Natalie knows how to capture each moment and make them as special when you look at them as the day they were taken. These moments are too important to forget. As a mother, Natalie has extensive experience working with babies and is an absolute natural. We know she will make you, baby, and hospitals feel at ease for the entire session.