“But My Baby Isn’t Here Yet!” — Why You Should Book Your Newborn Photographer While You’re Pregnant


I recently saw an expecting mom asking about newborn photography, and one thing she said immediately stood out to me:

“I have no idea where to start since baby isn’t even here yet.”

And I realized… she is probably far from the only expecting mom who feels that way. How are you supposed to schedule newborn pictures when you don't know exactly when your baby will arrive? What if they come early? What if you go past your due date? How can you possibly choose a session date months in advance?


Here's the good news:

You don't have to.

In fact, booking your newborn photographer before your baby arrives is exactly what I want you to do.

Let me explain how it works!

Sleeping newborn baby in pink knit romper and bonnet on a small white bed with pink backdrop.
Newborn baby girl sleeping peacefully wrapped in purple knit swaddle with matching bow headband on lavender background.
Newborn baby swaddled in beige knit wrap, wearing bear ear hat, holding tiny teddy bear on fluffy fur rug.
Newborn baby girl swaddled in cream wrap with lace headband, sleeping peacefully in a wooden mini bed.

You Aren't Booking an Exact Session Date Yet


This is probably the biggest misconception about booking newborn photos during pregnancy. When you book your newborn session with me, we don't have to know your baby's birthday. Instead, I reserve space on my calendar around your due date. Your due date essentially becomes my placeholder so I know approximately when I'll be photographing your little one.


Then you get to go back to worrying about the important things—like whether you've bought enough newborn diapers and why something so tiny apparently needs 400 things LOL.

Newborn baby girl swaddled in purple knit wrap with bow headband, sleeping peacefully on lavender background.

What Happens When Baby Arrives?


This part is easy!


Once your baby is here, you'll let me know they've arrived and we'll officially schedule your newborn session. We'll take their actual birth date into consideration and find the best date within the newborn window.


So if baby decides to make their grand entrance two weeks early? - We're good.


If they're perfectly content staying put past their due date? - We're good then too.


Your baby does not need to follow their due date for your newborn session to work.


Trust me, I'm not expecting them to!!!

Pregnant couple embracing outdoors in green field, man in white shirt and jeans, woman in beige top smiling warmly.

So… When SHOULD You Book?


Ideally, I recommend reaching out and reserving your newborn session during your second trimester or early third trimester.


Can you book later than that? Absolutely—if I still have availability.


But that's the important part:

If I still have availability.


I only take a certain number of newborn sessions around each due-date window because babies obviously don't arrive according to my calendar. Leaving flexibility in my schedule allows me to accommodate the babies I've already reserved space for when they decide to arrive.


So while I'll always do my best to fit in last-minute newborn inquiries, waiting until your baby is born means there's a chance my calendar may already be full.

“But It Feels SO Early!”


I get it.

Booking photos for someone you haven't even met yet feels a little strange. You're sitting there pregnant thinking, I don't even know when they're going to be born and you want me to plan their pictures?! - Yes!


Because you're not actually planning every detail right now.


You're simply saying:

“When my baby gets here, I want these photos.”

That's it.


You don't have to know exactly what they'll look like. You don't need to know whether they'll have a head full of hair. You don't need to know their birth date.

You just need to know that you want this season documented.

Booking Early Gives Us Time to Plan


Another reason I love when families book during pregnancy is that we don't have to make every decision while you're freshly postpartum and running on approximately twelve minutes of sleep.


Once you're officially on my calendar, we have time to talk about what you want from your session.


         Depending on the type of session you're booking, we can discuss things like:

  • Colors you love
  • The overall look you're drawn to
  • Whether you'd like parents and siblings included
  • Studio versus lifestyle newborn photography
  • Outfits and what to wear
  • Any special details you'd love incorporated


Then when baby arrives, the big decisions have already been made.

You can just show up with your little one and let me take it from there.

Newborn baby sleeping in pink knit outfit and bonnet on a small white vintage bed with pink fur blanket.

What If I Don't Know Which Newborn Package I Want?


That's okay too!


You don't have to become a newborn photography expert before reaching out to me.

Maybe you know you want those sleepy, posed baby portraits.

Maybe you know you want Mom, Dad, and siblings included.

Maybe you're picturing something more relaxed in your baby's nursery.

Or maybe your entire plan is:

“I want newborn pictures. Help.”

I can work with that. 😂


I offer different newborn session options because every family wants something a little different, and I'm always happy to help you figure out which one makes the most sense for what you're envisioning.

A young mother smiles warmly while cradling her swaddled newborn baby in a beige wrap against a white backdrop.

Don't Wait Until You're Holding Your Baby to Start Looking.


Those first days after bringing home a baby are a lot.

You're recovering. You're feeding around the clock. You're learning your baby's little sounds and routines. Your days and nights are suddenly very different.

The last thing I want you doing during that time is frantically Googling “newborn photographer near me” and messaging photographers hoping someone has an opening next week.


That's something you can take care of now.

Book the photographer.

Reserve your due date.

Make your plans.


And when your baby finally arrives, there's one less thing on your list.

Your Baby Isn't Here Yet — And That's Exactly When I Want to Hear From You


If you've been putting off reaching out because you thought you needed to wait until your baby was born, consider this your permission to stop waiting.


You don't need an exact birth date.

You don't need an exact session date.

And you definitely don't need to have everything figured out.


That's what I'm here for.


If you're expecting and looking for a Middle Tennessee newborn photographer, I'd love to get your due date on my calendar and start planning something special for your little one.

inquire here