Thinking of a Fresh 48 Hospital Session? Advice from a Saratoga Springs and Boston Newborn Photographer

Our Fresh 48 hospital newborn sessions are always the ones that steal my heart and make me melt into a puddle right there in the hallway of the hospital.  

These magical newborn sessions are such a treat because families invite me into their postpartum room just hours after their baby was born to celebrate their little one’s arrival with them.  I could photograph these first moments together as a family all day, every day, and never grow tired of these sessions!
 

Our Fresh 48 sessions are completely different from all of our other sessions, and if you’ve explored our website even a little bit you know that we offer three different types of newborn sessions (studio portraits, lifestyle portraits, and Fresh 48 hospital portraits).  Some families choose to do just one session, while others do two or all three!  Today’s blog post is all about our Fresh 48 sessions so that you can see if this relaxed style of storytelling is the right fit for your family.

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A Fresh 48 session is the perfect fit for your family if…

 

You are ready to embrace the unpredictability of having a baby.

Some babies arrive early, some babies arrive late, and very few babies actually arrive “on time”.  
We will pencil your due date in on the calendar a few months before the baby arrives, and I will check in with you beginning at 38 weeks.  We’ll remain in touch right up until the baby is born through quick texts or emails.  I leave enough wiggle room in my calendar during these on-call periods to drop everything and come to the hospital within 24-48 hours after the baby’s arrival for your Fresh 48 session.

But speaking of unpredictability… these sessions are RELAXED.  We truly go with the flow.  I do ask that you let the nurses know ahead of time that we’re planning to close the door to your room for an hour, but sometimes social workers come in for a moment, or your lunch gets delivered mid-session, or an alarm goes off and a nurse needs to come in to check on everything.  That’s okay!  Embrace the unpredictability and know that I will do everything possible to help you create a calm and enjoyable environment within those four walls as you get to know your little baby in front of the camera.

You want to capture siblings meeting for the first time.
 

There is nothing more magical than watching your first baby meet your second baby.  I love being there to document these moments for families as their toddler enters the room and is curious (or sometimes not so curious!) about the tiny little baby in the bassinet. 

You value natural, unposed, beautiful, real-life moments. 

These sessions are not about planning the perfect outfits, having a full face of makeup, or making sure every hair is in place.  These sessions are about EMOTION.  We freeze this instant in your lives and celebrate the beginning of this new chapter for your family.  

You’ll look back at these images and remember the weight of your baby in your hands, the feel of them cuddled up against your chest,  the moment your firstborn sang “Happy Birthday” to the baby, and that indescribable joy you felt when looking over at your husband holding your newborn.  These moments are real, raw, and ones that you will never get back.  That’s why I want to slow down time and help you relive them again and again.  

The grandparents will be traveling to town for the arrival.
 

Everyone loves coming together and celebrating a new baby’s arrival, and grandparents are often a part of these sessions!  We make sure to spend 15 minutes with the grandparents in the hospital room to capture candid grandparent portraits and three generation portraits as you all get to know the new love of your life.

You want to remember every little detail about your newborn baby.

Their wrinkly knees, the flaky fingers, that swirl of hair atop their head, and the way their tiny mouth opened into a silent yawn.  You know that these first few days will pass in a blur of appointments, feedings, and so much sleep deprivation, but you don't want to forget a thing.

Trust me to capture your perfect miracle just as they are in this moment, showcasing their tiny newborn freshness at just a few hours old.  These are some of the most important moments of your life, and they deserve to be beautifully documented for your family.

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Intrigued?  Check out this post where new moms & dads talk about why they chose to document their baby's arrival with a Fresh 48 session!

Best of 2017 Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Sessions with Saratoga Springs & Boston Newborn Photographer

You know I love a good Fresh 48 session, and that there is nothing better than being invited into a family’s hospital room just hours after their precious new baby arrives to celebrate their growing family with them.  That’s why I am so excited to share a few of our favorite Fresh 48 images from 2017!

This year the most popular hospitals for these newborn sessions were Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, Saratoga Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, and The Snuggery at Glens Falls Hospital. 

So many beautiful babies, magical moments, and the cutest sibling meetings unfolded in those hospital rooms, and they already have me looking forward to all of the hospital newborn sessions we have planned for 2018!

Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable hospital newborn sessions from 2017, and be sure to check out our other “BEST OF 2017” blog posts!

Best of 2017 Cake Smash Sessions
Best of 2017 Lifestyle Sessions
Best of 2017 Studio Newborn Sessions
Best of 2017 Beach Sessions on Cape Cod
Best of 2017 Maternity Sessions
Best of 2017 Family Sessions
Best of 2017 Brothers & Sisters: Candid and Fun Sibling Portraits

Welcome Evelyn Madison - A Fresh 48 Session at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany

Fresh 48 sessions always steal my heart, and I love being invited into a hospital room to celebrate a new baby's arrival with their family.  There is always so much excitement, awe, and love filling the room that makes for such a beautiful story.  

On a Sunday morning in September, I rushed to St. Peter's Hospital in Albany to welcome Evelyn Madison with her parents and grandparents.  They had such an amazing hospital room filled with so much light, and everyone cozied up together on the couch with their beautiful new addition.

Isn't she the most perfect baby girl?  I'm officially obsessed with her cute little hospital hat.

Evelyn was born breech, and she loved keeping her legs up high on her body.  I had never seen a baby touch her toes to both sides of the bassinet before, and I love how this photograph shows just how new & fresh she is and how accustomed she is to keeping those legs held up high.

Grandma brought her a little newborn bracelet, and she kept it on for her entire session.  How adorable!

Evelyn enjoyed lots of cuddles with her mom and dad, who couldn't take their eyes off of her.  Their smiles never left their faces the entire time we were together.  And of course her grandparents got lots of time in with their new granddaughter and they were thrilled to be included in the Fresh 48 portraits, too. 

Congratulations on your sweet baby girl's arrival!

We are now booking maternity, newborn, milestone, and birthday sessions through March 2018!  We only take on two Fresh 48 clients per month, and the calendar is already filling up quickly for the winter months.  Be sure to reach out early to plan your hospital newborn session!

Welcome Teagan Rylee | A Fresh 48 Session at Saratoga Hospital | Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Do you remember the day you met your sibling for the first time?  Do you remember walking into the hospital room, running over to your mother, and peering at that tiny bundle in her arms?  

One of my latest Fresh 48 clients told me right away that they wanted to capture the moment their oldest two daughters met their baby sister for the first time.  They wanted to see their reactions, watch the three girls together, and relive those moments from the day their family became 5 for the rest of their lives.

And you know what?  It was pure magic that unfolded in that hospital room at Saratoga Hospital for this Fresh 48 newborn session.  

These big sisters were so in love with their new sister, Teagan Rylee.  They couldn't give her enough hugs and kisses, loving on her from Day 1.  They wanted to know everything about their new baby -- why is she sleeping?  Where are her fingers?  What's that bracelet for?  What color is her hair?  These girls soaked it all up, and it was such a beautiful moment!

I am always so grateful to be invited into a family's life to capture the moments they welcome their new baby to their family.  I love just stepping back and taking it all in.  

The bassinet is one of my favorite things in a postpartum hospital room.  It so classically tells the story of your baby's arrival, and of so many babies around the world.  It's the first bed your baby will sleep in, and those flannel receiving blankets with the pink and blue stripes are the perfect accent to show the beginning of your baby's story in the hospital.  The transparent walls of the bassinet are perfect to let in lots of light while framing your perfect little bundle of joy just so, and the information tags with name & weight are just another little part of your story.  

Of course these proud big sisters wanted to help take care of their new baby, and I'm sure the oldest will remember helping with that first diaper change as she sees these images in their album years from now. 

Like all little/middle sisters, it took her awhile to warm up to her new baby, but once she decided that she was interested in this tiny little bundle, we couldn't tear her away from the bassinet!  She proudly wore her "Big Sister" sticker that the nurses dropped off during their session, and even wanted to share one with the baby.

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Did you know that we only take on 2 Fresh 48 sessions each month to give our clients the time & attention that they deserve while being "on call" for their baby's arrival?  We're now booking Fresh 48 sessions through March of 2018, and I would love to welcome your baby with your family!  Click to read more about these unique hospital sessions.

Why Hire a Fresh 48 Photographer?

I started offering Fresh 48 sessions in January of this year, and over the past 8 months I have fallen completely, head-over-heels in love with them.  During the time that I am "on call," I check my phone non-stop waiting for an exciting text or call.  I get giddy as I pack my camera bag and head to the hospital.  I breathe deep sighs of happiness as I cuddle up with the freshest of newborns, straight from their hospital bassinet to my arms.  I am moved to tears of happiness as I relive the session while editing their images and bringing the magic that unfolded in that hospital room back to life. 

It is always such an honor to be invited into a family's life right at the moment that they are welcoming their little one to the world.  Every time that I am with a family in their hospital room, I always remind myself to stop for a moment and take it all in because THIS is what life & love is all about, and being able to witness it firsthand is so incredibly powerful.

So, why should you hire a Fresh 48 photographer when your newborn arrives?  Why would you invite me into your hospital room right after a major surgery, or when you're not feeling your best or your prettiest?  Why would you want a hospital bed and wires in your photographs?

Hear what these moms & dads had to say about their Fresh 48 hospital newborn sessions, and be inspired by the beautiful moments that we captured for them.  Then decide for yourself why YOU would hire a Fresh 48 photographer to document your own little one's arrival.

1.  These photographs are your legacy.

Everyone always says that the day their baby was born was one of the best days of their life.  This is such a huge milestone for your family, and it deserves to be captured and portrayed beautifully by a professional photographer!  

"I never wanted to forget how little our baby girl was and the immense amount of love we had for her from the start.  I wanted her to be able to look back on these images years from now and see how we cared for her and fell in love with her the moment she was welcomed into our lives."  ~Jamie

2.  You're going to be too exhausted and overwhelmed to do it yourself.

Take if from these moms -- those two days in the hospital fly by in a blur.  Your door opening and closing, doctors & nurses parading in and out, a steady flow of visitors, and the overwhelming exhaustion that comes with giving birth... You won't have the time or the energy to just do it yourself, and the images that a professional can capture are so much better than those on your iPhone.  

"You're honestly too tired, too hectic to think about pictures or documenting the experience.  Family and friends might take some pictures for you, but having a professional capture unposed, organic moments really helps.  Plus the pics are much better when a professional does it."  ~Christine

"I was so weak and sore from my c-section that having someone else document this time for me was priceless."  ~Jamie

3.  Your story is about ALL of you, ALL together.  

Your family went from 2 to 3 (or maybe from 4 to 5!).  Your new baby's arrival has made your family complete, and capturing those images of your first moments as a mom & dad is something you will never regret.  

When you hire a photographer for a Fresh 48 session, one of you doesn't have to hide behind a camera while watching their partner with the new baby.  It's so much more magical when you both get to experience your new baby together for the first time, and I would be honored to capture that moment for you as it unfolds!  Plus, you'll get to watch each other as parents for the first time, which is so incredibly magical in itself!

"Having Nicole document our Fresh 48 was important to our family because it allowed all of us to be a part of every moment, no one was stuck behind the camera.  After seeing samples of previous sessions, we knew that Nicole had a special gift and would be able to capture special moments for our family that would be normally missed.  We love the image of the four of us, sitting on the couch, staring down at Addie."  ~Henry & Casey

"I LOVE each and every one of the images so much, but I guess the ones that stood out the most to me were the family images of all of us together for the first time in front of a camera.  I love the images of my husband with her because there is nothing quite like seeing the man you love, whom you have chosen to spend your life with, fall in love with our little girl right in front of your eyes."  ~Jamie

4.  A professional knows how to find the light, even in the smallest & darkest hospital rooms.

Would you believe that this room only had one teeny, tiny window hidden away around a corner?

And that this one was photographed on a dreary winter afternoon?

I want to give families keepsakes that they will enjoy and pass down to their children one day.  Such an important milestone in your family's life deserves to be captured more beautifully than in a blurry, grainy, dark little snapshot on your iPhone screen.  

5.  Your story will unfold in that hospital room.  Capture it with someone you trust.

My goal is to make families as comfortable as possible during their Fresh 48 sessions.  I like to encourage natural interactions and raw, real moments as I stand on the outside looking in.  I'll never pose you, but I'll be super friendly and guide you to interact with each other.  You are going to LOVE the outcome! 

"I felt like we were friends right from the start.  It all felt natural and never over posed, which I loved."  ~Jamie

"During our time with Nicole, we always felt comfortable and the conversation was natural.  Nicole was so gentle, sweet, and interacted so naturally with Addison.  We felt like Nicole was part of our family."  ~Casey & Henry

"You were so patient and friendly.  Your cheerful and positive demeanor made it stress-free for us."  ~Christine

6.  You will never get these moments back.

Will my face be puffy?  Will I be sore?  Will the baby be red?  Will the hospital room be ugly?  You know what... maybe!  But a professional will know just how to light and position your family so that you are all glowing with happiness.  Every single photo will show the pure emotions, the overwhelming love, and the tiny newness of your baby.  Don't let self-doubt take away from the opportunity of having these moments to relive in such a beautiful way for the rest of your life.

"I never want to forget the "magic" of becoming parents.  Whether it's your first child or third, becoming a parent is an experience that is indescribable and sometimes can only be caught through the lens of a camera."  ~Christine

"The moment I saw my new baby next to a picture of his big sister who had passed away two years earlier.  Seeing my two children together for the first time literally took my breath away and brought me to tears.  I had to step away while Nicole photographed them."  ~Christine

7.  Your baby will change so, so quickly.

The newborn stage is fleeting, and by the time you bring your baby home from the hospital they already look different!  Their weight has changed, their cheeks are less full, and they are not quite as "new" and "fresh" as the day they were born.  

A few weeks later when you go to do your studio or lifestyle newborn photos, your baby may be more alert, they may have little scratches on their face from their tiny fingernails, and baby acne will start to appear as their skin adjusts to this new environment.  

You and your partner will never be so filled with joy, relief, exhaustion, and wonder as you are right now.  All of parenthood lies before you, and that truly shines in these sessions.

These moments, right now in the first hours of your baby's life, are ones that you will never get back and that you will never be able to replicate.  Celebrate them.  Relive them.  Soak them in.

8.  You can be more present.

You just delivered a baby.  You've been through a lot, and by the time your older children come visit you in the hospital there will be so many emotions coursing through you that picking up the camera as they fall in love with their new sibling may not be the first thing that comes to mind.  

Instead, I encourage you to be there FOR your babies and WITH your babies.  Remember the moment you watched your daughter sing to her new sister for the first time, illuminated by the glow of the morning light streaming through the windows, and not the moment you frantically scrambled to get the camera to work on your phone while she was finishing her beautiful lullaby.

Let me worry about that, and I will capture it beautifully for you.

9.  Just do it.

When I asked all of the families that I have worked with what they would say to a friend considering hiring a photographer for their Fresh 48 session, the resounding answer was, without a doubt, "DO IT."   You only have one chance to welcome your baby into the world, and it will be one of the best days of your entire life.  

This is such an incredible part of your family's story.  

Celebrate it.  Soak it in.  Capture it beautifully.

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I would absolutely love to talk with you more about documenting this milestone for your family. Most families book their Fresh 48 session early in the second trimester.  I only accept two Fresh 48 clients per month to give my families all of my time & attention as they wait for the arrival of their little one, so be sure to contact us soon.   

You can learn more about our Fresh 48 sessions here.  Be sure to check out the collection of blog posts at the bottom of that page!  Then let's chat about creating memories that your family will cherish forever.