If you’ve just found out you’re pregnant and you’re already Googling newborn photographers, firstly.. hello, welcome, you’re my kind of person. Secondly, you are absolutely not being ridiculous. You’re being ahead of the game!

Most parents assume booking a newborn photographer is a third trimester job.

Something to sort once the nursery is done, the hospital bag is packed and life feels vaguely under control.

And then the baby arrives – beautiful, tiny, and completely indifferent to your to-do list.. and the first two weeks vanish in a haze of cluster feeds and visitors bearing casseroles. I was so confident I’d be organised with both my babies but when it actually comes to it… it’s harder than it sounds!

Suddenly they’re three weeks old and someone mentions newborn photos and your heart sinks a little.

I don’t want that to happen to you.

So when should you actually book?

As soon as you feel ready. Honestly.

Many of my families get in touch in their first trimester.. some before their 12 week scan. Not because they’re anxious planners (okay, some of them are, and I love them for it), but because they’ve either been through it before and know how fast it goes, or they just really, really don’t want to miss it.

As a rough guide – I’d say around 20 weeks is a lovely time to get in touch.

You’ve usually had your anomaly scan, things feel a bit more settled, and there’s still plenty of time to lock in a date without any stress.

Why does timing matter so much?

Because newborn sessions need to happen within a very specific window – between 7 and 14 days after birth.

This is when babies are still beautifully curled, deliciously sleepy, and largely unaware that a camera exists.

After about two weeks they start to uncurl, become more alert, and develop opinions. Strong ones. About everything.

In practice, here’s how it works: when you book, I pencil in your due date.

Once your baby makes their grand entrance, in their own time, as they always do, we confirm the exact date together.

Early arrival? We adjust.

Two weeks late? We adjust.

No stress, no lost slots, no frantic midnight messages from a birth centre car park (although I do receive those occasionally and they are always wonderful).

The reason early booking matters is simple – I only photograph one family per shoot day, and I can only hold so many due dates per month. September and October babies in particular, I’m looking at you, fill up incredibly fast.

If you want an autumn newborn shoot, summer you needs to sort it out for winter you.

Consider this your sign.

What if I book early and something changes?

I know. I know. The early weeks of pregnancy can feel tender and uncertain, and committing to anything beyond your next midwife appointment can feel like a lot.

My booking process is designed with exactly that in mind. Your deposit holds your due date, and if things change for any reason, we talk it through together. I’m a mum of two who has been through pretty much all of the things during my incredibly windy journey to Motherhood.

I have held space for more conversations in this studio than I can count, and I will always, always be kind about it.

You are safe with me – even before you’ve set foot through the door.

The bit I really want you to hear

The newborn stage is the one parents most often tell me they wish they’d captured. Not because they forgot, but because they were waiting – for things to calm down, for the exhaustion to lift slightly, for the baby to be a bit older and easier to get somewhere.

Here’s the truth: things don’t calm down. The exhaustion doesn’t lift. And older babies are delightful but they are not the same as ten-day-old babies who sleep through their entire shoot and make you cry with their tiny hands.

Book early. Secure your date. And then go and eat some biscuits and put your feet up, because you’ve earned it.

If you’re pregnant and reading this – however many weeks you are – feel free to drop me a message.

No pressure, no commitment, just a chat. I’d love to hear about you and your family.

Feel free to explore my website for more information and to see some of the photography I’ve captured. Have questions? Send me a little message here!

Best wishes,

Lucy xx