
As a mother of four, I know that the perinatal period is a vulnerable and unpredictable time-- you don’t know how your labor or birth will go, how you’ll feel afterwards, or how presentable you’ll look in the days following-- but what I do know is that you will want to look back on those early days and remember the tremendous courage and strength that brought your baby earthside and the big joy that fills the room now that they are finally here. You may not have showered yet, you could be in a lot of pain, and you’re most definitely exhausted… but believe me when I say that Fresh 48 photos are worth it. There is a raw beauty that defines those first days postpartum that makes Fresh 48 sessions some of my favorites to capture.
What to know when booking a Fresh 48 Hospital Session in Delaware:

I am on-call for you!
Once a Fresh 48 session is booked, I put your due date on my calendar. From 37 weeks onwards, I am on-call for you in the a simular way to when I am on-call for clients who hire me to document thier births. I don't leave town during this time and work to maintain flexibility in my day-to-day schedule, making sure that I have childcare available for my own children.
During these final weeks of pregnancy, I ask that you add me to your list of contacts so that you can call or text me to let me know that baby is on thier way and then again when baby is born.
This helps me to clear my schedule so that after your baby is born, and you are settled into your postpartum recovery room, we can set up a time for me to come to your place of birth during daylight hours. At Christiana Hospital in Delaware, I typically arrive during visiting hours around 2pm, as most tests are conducted in the morning. This will be either 24 hours after baby's birth if they were born vaginally, or 48 hours for C-section births.
Feeding Baby.

Anytime I am photographing newborn babies, I ask for mamas to feed thier baby shortly before I arrive. This helps to ensure that your baby has a full belly and will hopefully be sleepy and content through our picture taking. Newborn babies are very sleepy during the first few days and waking them is sometimes necessary for feedings.
If you would like feeding or nursing pictures, I am happy to do them at any point during your Fresh 48 session! You can attend to anything your baby or thier siblings need during our time together such as feeding, changing, or soothing as these are all part of your atory. I will continue to photograph through these moments as they unfold.

Turn up the Heat!
Before I arrive, please turn up the thermastat! This helps keep baby warm and comfortable, especially if you would like photographs of baby in just thier diaper. Details like back rolls, tiny feet, and umbilical cord stumps can be so beautiful to capture, but if baby is chilled they won't be happy about it.
The first thing I will be doing upon entering the room is turning off the overhead lighting and opening the blinds. We will be embracing your postpartum room's natural light during our session. At Christiana Hospital there are beautiful floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows that illuminate the postpartum rooms even on rainy and overcast days.
The reason I photograph with natural light in hospital settings is because artifical overhead lighting can affect the colours of skin tones in the final images through colour casting-- natural light is much more flattering and, well, natural looking!

Tidying Up.
I will be taking care of any straightening up that needs to be done when I arrive. At Christiana hospital, I often utilize the benches that run along the windows. I will clear this area as well as anything else that needs tidying.
What to Wear?
What you wear for your Fresh 48 session is completely up to you! Some moms prefer to stay in thier hospital gown, while others bring thier own silky robe, nightgown, lounge wear, nursing tank top, or comfy dress. Comfort is key and I encourage all moms to wear something that is not going to feel too tight or constricting while they are recovering from birth postpartum. I strongly discourage matching outfits for mom and baby: think those printed robe and swaddle sets-- they are very cute, but are difficult to photograph as baby usually gets lost in the pattern.
What if I want you to photograph my C-section inscision or stretchmarks?
I am happy to photograph any part of your postpartum experience in the hospital that you want to remember, even the gritty and raw parts. These photos are for you. If you have a specific vision in mind, share it with me when I arrive.

What to Bring for Baby?
While I do like to photograph baby in hospital recieiving blanket and hat, I also love it when families bring a few neutral solid receiving blankets as well as a hat and outfit to have on hand for baby.
I use these are blankets to cover the hospital bassinet for a cute, cohesive look and for swaddling baby.
Baby Outfits should be newborn sized to fit baby properly (I mention this because I never bought newborn sized clothing for my babies, but clothes that fit and are not oversized photograph best for Fresh 48 and other Newborn sessions).
Please bring along as many accessories or outfits as you would like. We can do as many as baby allows!

What types of pictures will I take?
I usually will take a variety of pictures to highlight babe’s newness such as close ups on thier hands, feet, head. I then will take some of babe by themselves in the bassinet and bed, and then some with mom, dad, siblings if they are there. I have even taken photos of baby with great grandparents — whoever is there for the session!
I capture a variety of poses like sitting in the hospital bed or nursing chair, standing by the window. I am careful to discuss mom's mobility when I arrive, but always minimize the amount that I ask her to move around, especially if moving is painful or uncomfortable.
I also understand not everyone wants their photo taken while in the hospital. If you’d prefer to have photos of just the baby, or more abstract photos where you’re holding the baby but you are not focus, I am happy to customize the session!

When will I recieve my gallery?
I include a 5 image sneak peak for me Fresh 48 clients within 48 hours of thier session. I know how much you want to see photos of your new babe! The rest of the gallery is delievered within 30 days.
What happens if my baby is in the NICU?
We can do one of two things: we can do a NICU Fresh 48 if the hospital visitor policies allow or we can switch to an in-home session newborn session or welcome home session when everyone is at home! NICU Fresh 48s are absolutely an option, as long as your hospital’s NICU allows for a visitor (other than mom/dad) and a photographer!
Ready to Book your Fresh 48 session?
You can do so HERE.

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