Meet Robert. He was a whopping two months old when I photographed his newborn session… doesn’t look it, huh? Little guy was born a bit early, and when he came in, he was still such a peanut. A preemie newborn baby can absolutely have newborn photos taken when they get home from the hospital. It’s never too late for a newborn photo session… well scratch that, kindergarten is a bit too late for a newborn session, but you get what I’m saying.
How does the preemie newborn session typically go? Well, a lot like a regular newborn session, although baby isn’t always as bendy as a full term baby that still has all those momma-hormones pumping through them. Just like full term babies, some like to be swaddled, some prefer tummy positions. Some like to have their hands touched and posed, some would rather not.
With a preemie baby, sometimes they will be a little more awake than a full term newborn, but that’s ok. We will get beautiful open eye photos. But as you can see here, it’s not always the case – some sleep like rocks through their whole session. One of the nice things about a preemie is that they are often on a schedule from the NICU.
And of course, there’s health concerns to worry about. I keep current on my vaccinations, and I NEVER photograph a baby if I have the slightest bit of illness – it’s not worth the risk, we can always try again next week. Safety first always.
If your preemie baby is about to come home from the hospital, or if they came home last week, or last month, or whenever, give me a call! You should absolutely have the opportunity to get beautiful portraits taken. A preemie baby doesn’t always sleep like a 6 day old chunky full term baby, but I’ve got LOADS of patience.
