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For those first days after a baby is born, you will be lucky to catch some very unique newborn features that start to fade away as baby is adjusting to life outside your womb.
“You don’t know what you had until it’s gone.” Something your mother may have always said to you, but it cannot be more true when it comes to the little things that make your baby a newborn. And in the haze of parenthood during those first weeks, it is easy to forget to take photos before it’s too late. Here are the newborn features I always photograph during both Fresh 48 and Newborn Sessions.
Flaky, wrinkly skin
This is probably my favourite newborn feature to photograph, because it stays around for quite a while after birth, and is such a tangible reminder of the time baby spent developing in your womb. It is thus the one hard line I have for editing requests – I don’t smooth away flaky skin on baby’s body. It is gorgeous.
Downy skin fuzz (lanugo)
The fuzz you see on a baby’s face, back, arms and ears will rub off within a few days, and so if I catch you for a Fresh 48 session, you bet I’m going to get in close and photograph that for you!
Milia
Aren’t these little nose pimples the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? They disappear within the first weeks of life, so be sure to catch a close-up of your baby’s adorable button nose.
Umbilical cord stump
The clamp will hold the stump in place until it is ready to reveal your baby’s brand new innie or outie. It’s not the prettiest thing to photograph (!!), but it is so much part of the story of the first days of life that I always make sure to record it.
Puffy eyes
I remember being very worried when my son was born and I could hardly see his eyes. But I was quickly assured that swelling is normal after the rigours of birth, and now those puffy-eyed photos of my son are some of my favourites, if only to remind me that birth was hard on both of us!
Chapped lips
Although dry lips can be symptoms of bigger issues like dehydration, by itself, it is usually simply the skin shedding and adjusting to the dry life outside the womb. Many babies actually develop milk blisters from fervent sucking during breastfeeding (or are born with them because they sucked their thumb in the womb!)
Swollen nipples
All those hormones have to go somewhere! You are also likely to see enlargement of the scrotum/labia, but that one I won’t photograph, lol! Those cute little baby nipples are fair game, though!
Let me reiterate: these newborn features will start to fade away in the days and weeks after birth, so if you want to remember this time for more than the sleepless nights and big emotions, don’t ever think that it’s dumb when you’re taking photos of your baby’s ear or nose or lips!
The reality though, is that most parents are simply in survival mode those first few weeks. Hiring a photographer for your Fresh 48 or newborn session (or both), is an investment not only in the moments you will yearn for in the future, but in your own sanity in this crazy time! Get in touch and let me take this task off your hands.
“You don’t know what you had until it’s gone.”
Thanks Mom.
