Fresh 48 vs Newborn Sessions: What Expecting Mothers Need to Know
Fresh 48 vs. Newborn Sessions: What Expecting Indiana Mothers Need to Know
If you’re an expecting mama in Indiana, chances are you’ve seen both Fresh 48 sessions and newborn portrait sessions mentioned while planning for your baby’s arrival, and you may be wondering which one is right for you.
The truth? They serve very different purposes, and together they tell a fuller, more meaningful story of your baby’s very first days earthside.
Let’s break down the difference so you can decide how you want your journey documented.
What Is a Fresh 48 Session?
A Fresh 48 session takes place within the first 24-48 hours after your baby is born, right in the hospital or birth center. This session is deeply journalistic and documentary in style, it’s about documenting, not posing.
Those hospital days after birth often feel like a haze. You’re exhausted, emotional, healing, and wildly in love… all at the same time. Many parents tell me they barely remember those hours clearly once they’re home.
Fresh 48 sessions are designed to give you clarity later—so you can truly see that time while you were busy being in it.
During your Fresh 48, we document:
The way your baby curls into you
Tiny yawns and stretching limbs
First family snuggles
The hospital environment where your baby officially entered the world
Real moments as they unfold—no pressure, no perfection
Your baby will likely be fussy, squirmy, and alert, and that is completely normal. They’ve just entered a brand-new world and can suddenly move their body freely. They’re learning muscle control, responding to sound, light, and touch for the very first time, and that story matters.
This session honors the rawness of the beginning.
What Is a Newborn Session?
A newborn portrait session typically takes place after your baby is home and settled, usually around one to two weeks old, but typically before 6 weeks.
By this time, your baby has had a little space to adjust to life outside the womb. They often have:
More muscle control
A looser feeding and sleeping rhythm
Longer stretches of calm, sleepy time
This allows us to document a different side of your baby’s story.
Newborn sessions are slower, quieter, and more detail-focused. This is where we preserve:
Tiny fingers and toes
Soft baby hair that changes quickly
Peaceful sleeping moments
The stillness that doesn’t last long
These sessions are ideal for creating heirloom artwork & albums you flip through years from now and wall art that becomes part of your home.
Fresh 48 vs Newborn: It’s Not Either/Or
Fresh 48 sessions document the beginning.
Newborn sessions document the settling in.
Together, they tell the story of transformation… of becoming parents, of becoming a family.
Time moves faster than you expect. One moment you’re waiting for your baby, and the next you’re wondering how weeks passed so quickly.
That’s why I always encourage expecting Indiana mothers to book early and consider bundling sessions.
Consider Bundling Your Sessions
Many families choose to bundle:
Maternity sessions
Fresh 48 sessions
Newborn sessions
Family milestone sessions
Bundling allows your story to unfold seamlessly from anticipation, to arrival, to life at home.
It also ensures availability. Babies arrive on their own timeline, and my calendar fills quickly. Booking early means peace of mind and one less thing to think about as your due date approaches.
This Is a Journey and I’m Honored to Be Part of It
I don’t see these sessions as transactions. I see them as relationships.
I want to be someone your family trusts, someone you invite back again and again to document the moments you never want to forget. From first days to growing families, from albums on your coffee table to wall art that fills your home with meaning.
These photographs become proof of love. Proof of how it all started.
If you’re an expecting mother in Indiana and feel called to have your story documented with intention and heart, I would love to walk this journey with you.
Reach out early to reserve your sessions, ask about bundling options, and let’s begin documenting your family’s story beautifully, honestly, and with care.
