I’m not sure whether Fresh 48 sessions just didn’t exist when I had my babies, or whether I just wasn’t aware of them. Either way – I wish I could go back and have one! Fresh 48 sessions are a beautiful way to remember and record those very special first few days spent with your fresh baby. They’re usually taken in the hospital where you’ve given birth – but of course if you give birth at home they can be captured in your home environment as well. The essence of them is to capture those first fresh 48 hours with your baby – which is where the term ‘Fresh 48’ comes from. Babies change so much, and they change so fast!!! One minute their little fingers and toes are wrinkly, and the next they’re not. I distinctly remember going to show off my son’s wrinkly feet to his aunty and uncle when they visited, only to find that they weren’t so wrinkly anymore! I had a pang of sadness as I realised that already he’d changed, and I’d missed it. The beauty of a Fresh 48 session is that they can capture all these little details, and they also capture the story of those first few days with your baby, and your first home together. I actually enjoyed my time in the hospital. I enjoyed being able to spend time bonding with my baby and just focusing on them, and it always feels like a special place to me because that’s where our first memories together are. Here are some examples of images from a Fresh 48 session, and some of the memories you can capture:
Remember what the room looked like? How despite the underwhelming décor and poor light, it felt like such a magical time as this was your first home with your baby?
Remember the details of their little hands and features and how quickly they changed once you came home?
Remember being able to just focus on your baby and soak them in before returning to the chaos of real life – to start learning about them and how to be their parent?
Remember the little bed they used to sleep in (although most of the time they were probably being held by someone)
Remember those first few times where you changed their clothes and their little arms stretched out and their legs curled up. Remember that feeling of being responsible for someone so little and new?
Remember when your older child, or children, met their new baby? Remember their reaction – perhaps they were cautious at first, or maybe they were overly affectionate from the start? Remember the first moments as a complete family? Those moments are worth capturing!
There are so many beautiful moments to capture during a Fresh 48 session, but the best part of it all is just telling your story. That time will pass all too fast, and your beautiful baby will grow so quickly before your eyes. Celebrating these first few days of their life allows you to relive that moment – to remember the sounds and the feelings and the rollercoaster of emotions – to remember the details of not only your baby, but also YOU during that time. It’s not the most glamorous time in our life, but it’s up there with the most special and magical times. I think that’s worth remembering.
If you’d like to book a Fresh 48 session for yourself or for someone you love, Contact me here. You can also view my Fresh 48 Portfolio.