I have been photographing newborns for over 18+ years now. In my experience, the best time for a newborn photoshoot is typically when the baby is between 10 to 21 days old. After photographing hundreds and hundreds of babies, this seems to be the sweet spot. During this timeframe newborns are usually still super sleepy, which means they are less likely to wake while being posed, swaddled or moved from prop to prop. They are also still in that curly, snuggly mode from being in the womb, making it easier to pose them into those sweet newborn positions. On top of this, baby acne has likely not set in yet.

Before 8 days, baby is still learning how to feed, getting the hang of either the breast or the bottle, and their tiny digestive system is just still figuring it all out. Mom and Dad, plus any siblings, are all still getting settled in once home from the hospital and everyone is just trying figure out the new normal! However, after 17 days or so, babies tend to sleep less deeply and will wake easier. They are just becoming more aware of their new world! Can we still capture beautiful photos if baby is past 17 days? Absolutely! We just adjust our expectations a bit. So, in my professional opinion, the best time to take newborn photos is 8-17 days. Please remember that I use this as a guideline and not a hard rule, though, and this timeline is adjusted significantly for NICU and early babies.