Premature Neonatal Photoshoot for NICU Babies
- Edlayne Fernandes
- Feb 23
- 4 min read
A Neonatal baby is an infant in the first 28 days of life for preterm and full-term infants.
All neonatal babies are very vulnerable to care while adapting to the external environment. This phase is crucial to healthy growth and development.
Babies who receive care at the NICU, intensive care area of the hospital, are often monitored for respiratory distress and feeding difficulties, as well as monitoring for infections and essential developmental milestones.
It is a time when changes are very rapid and many critical events can occur in this period:
Feeding patterns are established.
Bonding between parents and infant begins.
Screening tests for: hearing, oxygen levels, blood tests, weight, nutrition problems, latch concerns, birth injures, jaundice, neurological concerns and risk for infections. Many birth or congenital problems are first noted during this phase.
Images and text composed by La Dolce Vita Photography by Layne Fernandes. Copyrights reserved.
My Relaxed Approach to Photograph Premature Babies
A premature baby will be able to attend a studio photoshoot after being release from NICU and be safely accommodated at home, when parents will be observing the development and feeling confident to bringing baby to a studio or inviting a photographer to visit their home and capture lifestyle moments.
Working with Premature Babies in the Studio
Working with premature babies requires a relaxed approach, calm environment, clean and trustworthy skills. You want your baby to be held by well prepared and trained loving hands.
Whenever I receive, in the studio, babies who have just been released from NICU, I strive to prepare an environment filled with comfort, extra safety and tranquility - primarily for the baby and secondly for parents as well.
As I understand parents' concerns, my studio sessions are approached in ways that we all connect in a calm pace of workflow while enjoying the moment when you will see your baby softly posing on the most adorable tiny props. Between one and another set production, baby is held and fed by mother. This provides extra opportunity to bond with your new baby and creates beautiful memories that will be reflected on heartwarming portraits that show genuine comfort of the baby.
Premature Babies and their Unique Needs
Babies born before their due date, may present unique challenges to adapt to the external world.
As a Newborn Photographer, in Aurora Colorado, I have photographed several babies throughout the past decade and attended several Newborn Safety Classes or Workshops. It is crucial that your photographer will provide an environment designed and planned with newborn safety and comfort in mind. The photography session must provide the same for parents as well. It is important that sometimes, sessions are split in two parts to assure young siblings do not disturb the newborn while in session, so pre-arrangements are agreed between photographer and parents for the most comfort with minimal levels of distraction for the newborn baby.
Premature Babies and Extra Safety during a Photo Session
When it comes to photographing premature newborns, safety and well-being of your precious treasure is part of my protocol of extra attention to baby's highest safety and comfort levels.
I have attended training in safe posing techniques for preemies and babies born with syndromes, this way I can only pose them on props and ways that their tiny bodies won't suffer of any type of stress and I can capture the most genuine peaceful expressions during studio session.
My studio is fully equipped with props that will highlight the beauty of your baby during the first days of life. It is climate controlled for the baby's comfort and safety.
My approach is linked to tender and heartwarming moments in Newborn Photography
When your photographer does her job with extra care, focus and confidence parents' experience become an enjoyable moment filled with endearing moments that will be forever treasured. Parents feel very excited to see samples of their newborn session and cannot wait for the final post processing edits to be completed, so they will be sharing those heart warming images with every loved one.
I see Newborn Photography as something purely special that happens only once.
Newborn features change at light speed and you want to preserve details as vivid captures in your mind. Babies who experienced NICU bring the resilience and tenacity of warriors of light.
A Newborn Photo Session for Preemie babies is the beautiful cherry sitting on a delicate cupcake, the moment that celebrates your baby's journey and the extraordinary miracle of life.
As your photographer, I love to create beautiful sets to tell the story of your little baby and the uniqueness of the moment with joy and love for multiple many years to come.
For inquiries, please send me a message via Website:
For Samples of my work with Newborn Babies:
For Samples of my work with Maternity Sessions in the Studio:
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