If you are looking for an in home newborn photoshoot with a premature baby then this is the post for you.
I was all booked to photograph Meggenns maternity photos in her home. We weren’t sure whether her partner would be home in time as his flight was due in that morning. We said we would just see what happened on the day and if he felt ok when he landed he could hop in for a couple of photos if he wanted but there was no pressure.
Well, the night before the maternity photoshoot was booked, I had a message from Meggenn saying she was really sorry, she would have to cancel, as her waters had broken. At 36 weeks!
Of course, I told her there was absolutely nothing to apologise for! Babies come when they come and I checked if she had anyone else to come to the birth suite with, knowing her partner was away. She assured me that she did.
Fast forward a few days, and she messaged me to let me know that baby had arrived safely, unfortunately her partner didn’t make it on time but that they had been discharged and were now home.
The maternity shoot then became a newborn photoshoot!
A baby born before 37 weeks is classified as premature. When it comes to photoshoots and premature babies, I’m always guided by the medical advice, and how the new Mum feels.
My shoots are unposed and very relaxed, so from my point of view, I can go ahead at any stage. Everything with baby was fine so we went ahead with the shoot when little Maximus was a couple of weeks old. Breastfeeding was going well and baby was putting on weight.
I always ask a variety of questions at the start of a newborn photoshoot. Things like how Mum is feeling, when baby last fed, if baby was sleepy or more alert now.
Meggenn let me know that he had been super sleepy and she expected him to sleep through the shoot. Well, baby was actually really awake on this morning. I don’t pose babies, so I didn’t need him to be asleep for anything so once everyone was relaxed and ready to go, we got started.
As with all newborns, we stopped at various intervals for Meggenn to feed Maximus but when he was awake he was relaxed and happy.
One thing that concerns people about in home newborn photoshoots is that their home isn’t good enough to have photos in. As we all do, we see things online and think our own version of home isn’t good enough.
I started their shoot in the nursery. There was furniture, but the house is a rental so it wasn’t decorated, the cot bedding wasn’t on (because baby isn’t sleeping there) and, as what happens with all our rooms that aren’t being used, there were other things on the floor. I just wanted to point that out, to reassure people that homes are lived in.
I said to Meggenn on the day, I could have done their whole shoot on that one nursing chair (that Bart thinks was a pointless buy 😉). As long as there’s something to sit on and a window, you really don’t need anything fancy.
I did move them to the couch and the master bedroom and then finished on the front door step, but that isn’t necessary. And again, a bomb could have gone off on the floor surrounded the couch, but you’d never know in my finished photos.
It can always be hard to visualise in your own home, but it’s my job as a professional to work with what I have.
After a bumpy start with poor Bart missing the birth, I’m so glad I got to capture these moments for them. I hope you love looking through their gallery as much as I enjoyed capturing it for them.
To book your own newborn photoshoot, you can contact me here.
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