Fresh 48 Prep Guide
What Is a “Fresh 48”
In the simplest term, it’s photos taken when baby is about 48 hours old.
If you’re a first time parent, then you might not realize just how fast newborns change from the time of their birth to just a few days later.
From their skin color to their facial features, things shift and adjust to life outside of the womb. Many families want to document these fleeting moments before it’s too late.
When To Schedule Your Fresh 48
If you’re reading this prep guide, then you’ve already booked me to photograph your fresh 48. But babies often come on their own time.
When you know you’re in labor (or if a delivery date has been set with your doctor), send me a message! The sooner I know, the easier it is for me to arrange my schedule to be there for you.
To give parents bonding time, I aim to arrive the day after birth. Sometimes hospital policies or my schedule may interfere with that time frame and I might have to come sooner to ensure we get the photos you want!
You’re welcome to email or text me. Save my number now for easy access later 801-669-1944.
Don’t Worry About
The Mess
Whether it’s clothes on the couch or blood on the bed, don’t worry about it!
I take these photos to document, not to pose. My goal is to capture details as they are in real life, not to stage an unrealistic moment that’s not genuine to the raw natural of life after birth.
What To Wear/Intimate
It’s important to plan your clothes before you give birth. Add your outfits to your hospital bag prior, so that you’re not panicking to find them if things happen spontaneously.
Keep it simple. Aim for light, neutral colored clothing that’s comfortable.
Dads: A simple, fitted t-shirt will do! Avoid things with logos or patterns. A plain shirt helps to keep the focus on baby.
Moms: A popular trend is to wear a floral robe with baby matching. While this is cute in theory, I recommend to avoid wearing these for the photos. It can look busy and cluttered and distract away from baby. If you don’t plan to wear the hospital gown, then just like dad, keep it simple.
Baby: The purpose of these photos is to be able to document life in the hospital. Leaving baby in the hospital blanket, white onesie, and bare skinned is the goal. If you have a special outfit that you’d like for baby to wear, we can do an outfit change after we get the raw moments.
Avoid wearing the color black. Hospital rooms are naturally dark, and details will get lost in the dark clothes.
If mom and/or dad are comfortable, I recommend planning for intimate skin to skin photos. Not only is this ideal for bonding with baby, but to have these raw moments documented is what it’s all about!
What To Bring - Dos and Don’ts
Dos:
Comfortable (neutral) clothing, for the parents and for baby.
A coming home outfit.
A special blanket.
Don’ts:
Bulky items such as crocheted hats.
Multiple outfit changes.
Just Relax
While I give suggestions to all my clients on how to dress and what to bring, don’t stress about it. These are just that, suggestions. The goal is to create emotional connection to help you remember and share, for years to come, this amazing, fleeting moment in your life. To capture the details of the tiny fingers and little toes. Come as you are, and I’ll bring my camera.
