First of all, if you have never heard of a First 48 session, let me tell you what the heck I am talking about. And then I will tell you about preparing for a first 48 session.
These are the most magical sessions EVER and they happen, you guessed it, within the first 48 hours of a baby being born. 99% of the time this means the session takes place in the hospital. Now back to the point of this post…
Preparing for a first 48 session.
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Relax. If you have a First 48 session coming up that must be because you are having a baby. And birthing a child should 100% be your focus. Pictures are important but do not let the photo session stress you out or take away from the importance of the experience itself.
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Stay in close contact with your photographer. Once you have been admitted to the hospital, shoot your photographer a message letting them know it is baby time. Then once baby has arrived and you are all settled into your room, send the photographer another message with your room number and what time the session could happen.
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Rest. Again, you just had a baby so you should absolutely be resting. Plus, the beauty of not being at home is that you don’t have to get your home “photo ready” by cleaning the kitchen or picking up toys or running the vaccuum. Just rest and snuggle with your baby.
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Ask for help. Okay, so just because I said you could rest doesn’t mean that your hospital room should be a complete disaster area. Here is the thing, those rooms are teeny tiny and get really cluttered, really fast. Ask your spouse or partner to help you straighten up the room by tossing all the unnecessary things into the closet or bathroom. Flowers, balloons, phones and your massive water cup are cool to stay out but toss all the extra food, luggage, blankets and other “stuff” into a hiding place before your photographer arrives.
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Be comfortable. Again, you just had a baby so you definitely do not need to be in a fancy outfit or be completely done up. A shower will feel great and you might want a sprinkle of makeup but you will likely be sitting in bed the entire time so pajamas or a cute robe are 100% appropriate for this session.
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Keep it simple. Your studio or at-home newborn session is the time to use cute little baby outfits. In the hospital setting, I personally prefer the standard hospital blankets and hats. Are they super cute? No. But they are nostalgic. When you look back at these images years from now, everyone will recognize the iconic hospital blankets. So, let baby look like they belong in that hospital bassinet and save the boutique wear for later.
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Make the siblings wait. My personal preference is to do the new baby and parents alone first. I ask families to have grandparents or the nanny wait with siblings in the lobby until the first 15 minutes of the session are done. This gives me the ability to turn my focus 100% onto the siblings one they are in the room. Gaining a new baby in the family is super hard on the older kids and this small gesture is an act of kindness to them.
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Let your nurses in on the schedule. I have always found that as long as the nurses know when I am coming, they do their best to steer clear and let us shoot the session in peace.
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Feed the baby before the session. Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, brand new babys are SLOW eaters. And they get super hangry. Make sure to top them off before your photographer arrives just to make sure we aren’t having to waste the entire session time on feeding the little one.
I think I have given you an extensive list on how to prepare for your upcoming First 48 hospital session. The main thing to remember is to just relax and be in the moment. The hospital setting is such a perfect little bubble and once you go out those doors, the real adventure begins. It truly doesn’t matter what your hair looks like or what your partner is wearing, just love on that baby and your session will go perfectly.
Interested in a First 48 session with me? OMG, I would love that. Shoot me an email and let’s start that conversation!
