Our little guy, Jacob Adam Rendon, joined us on March 29, 2019. We delivered at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, and on our second day in the hospital we had the opportunity to partner with Bella Baby Photography for a in-hospital photoshoot. Until we had Adeline, I wasn’t even aware there were photographers that offered this kind of service in the hospital. It’s a neat (and extremely convenient) concept that I feel is worth spreading the word about.
How It Works
- Bella Baby has photographers all over the country! See if they work with a hospital in your area by plugging in your zip code on their contact us page. For those in Houston, they are definitely at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women where we delivered.
- At our hospital, the photographers are on site each day. They stop in the postpartum rooms to see if families would like a photo session. This is nice because there is nothing you need to do before heading into the hospital in terms of scheduling.
- Our photographer was very accommodating when it came to timing and even came back a couples times to best fit our schedule.
- The photographer comes in and works their magic! Ours was probably only with us for about 15 minutes, and she was able to capture so many special shots. She brought in the basket shown above. The swaddle set was something I brought myself. She knew exactly what to do with Jacob in terms of positioning and did a good job directing Marcus and I as well.
- The photographer steps away to do some editing (ours took less than an hour) and comes back to show the parents the images on their computer. You also receive a password protected online gallery to review.
- The BEST part – everything up to this point is 100% free! You are under no obligation to purchase anything, which I really appreciate about Bella Baby’s model. You have two weeks to decide if you would like to buy the digital images or any of their other packages. So even if you are on the fence, you have some time to decide how you’d like to move forward.
Why It’s So Special
These photos were taken when Jacob was just about 24 hours old. This time in the hospital goes by so quickly and is pretty foggy for the parents. Having a professional come in and take some high quality photos of this snapshot in time is a unique opportunity.
It encourages you to actually be in the photos. Everyone is going to take pictures of their newborn, but the chance that both parents actually get in one together is probably pretty slim. They will also include siblings if they are present during the shoot.
You get to see the photos that same day, and if you purchase them they are yours to download and share with loved ones immediately. This turn around time is key since everyone is dying to see pictures of the new arrival!
Tips for a Great Shoot
Now that I’ve been through it, I thought I’d share a few things we did to make the in-hospital photoshoot go as smoothly as possible.
- Try to feed the baby right before the shoot. This will make him or her a little extra sleepy and might keep them a bit happier during the photos.
- If you are know you are interested in having the photos done, bring a swaddle or special outfit for the baby.
- Think briefly about something you’d like to be photographed in. Don’t forget about your spouse too! I recommend only one pattern in the photo so it’s not too busy. For ours, my colorful robe was that one piece.
- Plan to shower that morning (it’s usually your first FULL day in the hospital after the baby is born), so you feel fresh and clean!
- Pro Tip: Also try to have your baby bathed before the shoot. Jacob hadn’t had his first bath yet, and I wish he had!
- Bring a little bit of light makeup in your hospital bag, so you can at least swipe on some mascara before the photos.
Already have plans for a newborn studio session or a newborn lifestyle session in your home? That was why we declined the offer for a session with Bella Baby when we had Adeline at Texas Children’s. But now that I’ve experienced what their in-hospital shoots are like, I’d consider doing both! Especially since you have nothing to lose/no commitment to purchase with Bella Baby.
Jacob is wearing this blue swaddle set from Posh Peanut. It’s currently sold out, but will hopefully be restocked soon. They have lots of colors and patterns, and the fabric is incredibly soft and stretchy – perfect for a tight swaddle! I am wearing a past season robe from Cabi. I did find it on Poshmark here for only $17!
We were generously gifted the digital downloads from our in-hospital photoshoot. As always, all opinions about my experience are my own.
