When you're having a baby, there are a ton of things to prepare for and it can feel like the list of things that need to get done before the baby arrives is endless. As a mom of 4 myself, I remember that feeling all too well! But don't worry, I'm going to help make one of those things just the tiniest bit easier. Getting newborn portraits done isn't on everyone's priority list, but if it's on yours, you're going to want to read this generalized timeline to getting your portraits done with the least amount of stress possible.

1. You're pregnant! Congratulations!

Ultrasound

If you're entertaining the idea of getting maternity/newborn portraits done, now is the time to start casually looking around for a photographer.

Did your neighbor get newborn portraits that were stunning last year? Write down that photographers name or bookmark their website.

Did you see a post on social media recently asking for maternity/newborn photographer recommendations? Take a quick peek at that list and see if anything catches your eye.

Did you see a maternity dress that you just can't get out of your head and dream of posing yourself or your partner in it? Make a mental note of where you saw it so that you can track it down later.

Don't stress about finding the exact one for you yet because right now is the time to look around and see what makes you smile. This process can last as long as you need it to, but my general timeline recommendation for this stage should be up until about halfway through the pregnancy.

2. You have a baby bump! 

When you are about halfway through your pregnancy is when you should be looking to book your maternity/newborn photographer. Remember all of that casual looking that you were doing before? Now it's time to start making some decisions. I have a blog from years ago that is a bit more in-depth in how to figure out who is the best photographer for YOU, but here is a quick list of 5 things to get you started: 

1) What style do you love? 

• Posed or lifestyle?
• Moody/dark edits, bright/light edits or clean/true to color edits?
• Fancy maternity gowns? Simple, everyday wear that shows off the belly? Intimate/bare portraits?

2) Do you prefer to be in your home or go to a photographers studio?

3) How much experience do you want your photographer to have?

4) Do you want to purchase/provide your own outfits or would you like your photographer to have a selection available for you?

5) What is your budget? (Have a general idea in mind when you start to narrow your list of options.)

Now that you've answered some questions for yourself, it should be easier to start narrowing down your list. Contact your top 3 choices and see whether or not they fit into your photography dreams. This will allow you to figure out if the person whose work you love has a vibe you love, too, or if the person you really want to hire is slightly out of your budget, but worth saving up for. Doing this narrowing down halfway through pregnancy gives you more flexibility and decreases the chances of you feeling rushed once baby is here.

If you are planning on doing maternity portraits as well, I usually recommend maternity portraits be done somewhere from 28 to 34 weeks. Why? Because I want people to be comfortable enough to still walk around and still feel gorgeous with their growing baby bump. This timing also gives you a chance to order that dress that you've had your eye on or go to your photographers studio to try on their dresses and see which one works best for you!

3. Third Trimester Time!

Photo by Jamie Romaezi Photography

Photo by Jamie Romaezi Photography

During the third trimester is when maternity portraits should be done. As I said before, I always recommend that you do them prior to 34 weeks and the image above is one of the reasons why. That is my very own belly when I was pregnant with my 4th baby. That session was planned and taken when I was barely 33 weeks pregnant and 12 days after this session, my daughter was born! I share that to say that babies come on their own schedule, so it's important to allow for some wiggle room for both maternity AND newborn sessions. 

At this point, you should also have tentative dates set for the newborn session with your photographer. At Fluttering Shutter Photography, I pick two dates for your newborn session so that regardless of when baby decides to join us, we have you on the schedule but I also do my very best to be as flexible as possible if those dates become less than ideal. 

4. Baby Time!

You did it! Congratulations!

I tell my clients that while I never have to be one of the first people that you contact about baby being born, I always appreciate a quick text or email to let me know so that we can solidify the date for your newborn session. After the date is set, all you need to do is breathe in that sweet baby and try to get some rest. 

So there you have it! A longer answer to the question of when you should schedule your newborn/maternity session. I hope that this was helpful for you, and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them for you!