Split Newborn Sessions Auckland: Newborn Photos Now, Family Photos Later

Those first few weeks with a newborn are incredibly special, but they can also be a blur.

You want to capture your baby while they are still tiny, curled up and beautifully newborn. But at the same time, you may be recovering from birth, running on very little sleep, adjusting to life with a new baby and perhaps caring for older children too.

And while you desperately want photographs of this stage, you might not feel quite ready to be photographed yourself.

You shouldn’t have to choose between capturing your baby while they are tiny and giving yourself a little more time.

That’s exactly why I offer my split newborn session option for Auckland families.

With my Signature and Legacy In-Home Newborn Collections, your newborn photography session can be divided into two parts.

First, I come to your home and photograph your baby during those precious early newborn weeks. Then, 2–4 weeks later, you come to my South Auckland studio for your parent, sibling and family photographs.

Baby gets their newborn moment while they’re tiny. Mum gets hers when she’s ready. And together, the photographs tell one beautiful story.

What is a split newborn photography session?

A split newborn session is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of trying to photograph baby, Mum, Dad, siblings and the whole family in one session, we divide your newborn experience into two.

Part one takes place in your own home, ideally while your baby is around 7–21 days old.

I bring everything required to create the posed and prop newborn photographs you see throughout my portfolio. You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect home or a beautifully decorated nursery. This is professional posed newborn photography brought to you.

This first part is all about baby.

Part two takes place 2–4 weeks later in my South Auckland studio.

This is when we create your photographs with Mum, Dad, siblings and baby together.

By then, you’ve had a little more time to recover, settle into life with your newborn and simply feel more like yourself again.

Both parts form your newborn session and your final gallery.

Why did I start offering split newborn sessions?

After photographing babies and families for more than eight years, I’ve seen just how much pressure can be placed on new mums.

Having a baby is enormous.

Then suddenly you’re expected to organise everyone, get older children ready, find something to wear, do your hair and makeup, feed a newborn and somehow arrive feeling relaxed and ready to be photographed.

For some mums, that’s absolutely fine.

For others, it’s the last thing they feel like doing.

I wanted to create another option.

With a split session, we don’t need to miss that tiny newborn stage just because you aren’t ready yet.

Your baby can have their posed newborn photographs at the ideal time, while you can step into the photographs a few weeks later.

There is no rush.

Do I have to leave home with my newborn for the first session?

No.

That’s one of the biggest advantages of choosing my in-home newborn photography.

I come to you.

My in-home newborn sessions are available to families across Auckland, so you don’t need to pack everything your newborn might possibly need, get into the car and travel across Auckland with a tiny baby.

I bring the professional newborn equipment, wraps, props and styling required for your baby’s session.

You can stay in your own environment while I create the beautiful posed newborn portraits you’ve booked me for.

Does my home need to be big or beautifully decorated?

Absolutely not.

This is something parents often worry about when they hear the words “in-home newborn photography.”

My in-home sessions aren’t dependent on having a magazine-worthy home.

I create a professional newborn setup inside your home, so your photographs still have the polished, timeless look you see in my newborn portfolio.

I simply need enough suitable space to safely set up and work.

When should the newborn part of the session take place?

I generally photograph my in-home newborn sessions when baby is approximately 7–21 days old.

At this age, babies are still beautifully newborn and it’s an ideal stage for creating the curled, posed photographs many parents love.

However, babies don’t read calendars. 😂

Every baby is different, and my sessions are always baby-led. Feeding, settling and cuddling are all part of the process when needed.

I’ve photographed thousands of babies over the years, and your baby’s comfort and safety always come first.

When do we come back for the family photographs?

The family portion of a split newborn session is generally photographed in my South Auckland studio around 2–4 weeks later.

There’s enough flexibility to find a time that works for your family and gives Mum a little breathing room after those first newborn weeks.

It also means we can concentrate entirely on your family during this part of the experience rather than trying to squeeze everything into the newborn session at home.

Won’t my baby be too old for newborn family photographs by then?

No.

This is one of the questions I expect parents to have, and it’s exactly why the split format works so well.

We’ve already captured the detailed, posed newborn portraits during the first session while your baby was at that tiny newborn stage.

The second session has a different purpose.

It’s about connection.

Baby in Mum’s arms. Baby with Dad. Siblings together. Your new family as it is right now.

Your baby is still incredibly little at only a few weeks old, and those extra weeks don’t take away from the feeling of having a newborn in your arms.

Will the two sessions look like they belong together?

Yes.

Although they’re photographed on different days, I’m still photographing and editing both parts in my signature style.

The goal isn’t for every photograph to look identical. It’s for the finished gallery to tell the complete story of this stage.

You’ll have the tiny details and beautiful posed portraits from baby’s in-home session alongside the connection and emotion of your family photographs.

Different moments, one newborn story.

What if I feel ready to be photographed during the first session?

That’s completely fine too.

The split option is there because I want families to have more flexibility, not more rules.

If you’d prefer to have your family photographs taken as part of the original session, we can do that.

And if you love the idea of separating baby’s photographs from the family portion, choose the split option.

There isn’t one correct way to have a newborn session.

What about older brothers and sisters?

For families with older children, splitting the session can actually make the experience easier.

Instead of expecting siblings to wait while I photograph and settle a newborn, they can have their own dedicated family session later.

When you come to the studio, we can concentrate on sibling and family photographs without asking an older child to sit through the entire newborn portion first.

That can make the experience much more relaxed for everybody.

What should we wear for the family part of the session?

You don’t need to have everything figured out before your baby arrives.

I’ll guide you with styling and help you choose clothing that photographs beautifully.

You’ll also have access to my client wardrobe at the studio, including pieces suitable for mums.

My aim is for your photographs to feel timeless and cohesive while still looking like your family.

What if I’m worried about how I’ll look after having my baby?

You are definitely not the only mum who has thought about this.

My job isn’t simply to put you in front of the camera and hope for the best.

I’ve spent years photographing and posing women through maternity and motherhood. I guide you through flattering positioning, angles, hands, posture and connection so you never need to wonder what you’re supposed to be doing.

And with a split session, you’ve also given yourself those extra few weeks before stepping in front of my camera.

You don’t need to know how to pose.

That’s my job.

Can I still have beautiful photographs if my baby doesn’t sleep?

Yes.

Although sleepy babies can allow us to create certain poses more easily, a successful newborn session does not depend on your baby sleeping continuously.

Newborns feed, wake, wriggle and sometimes decide they have absolutely no intention of following our plans. 😂

That’s why my newborn sessions are calm and baby-led.

We work with your baby rather than forcing them through a rigid schedule.

Which newborn packages include the split session option?

My split session option is available with my two larger Premium In-Home Newborn Collections.

Signature In-Home Newborn Collection, $695

Includes parents and siblings, a mixture of posed and prop newborn photographs and 20 beautifully edited images. The split session option is included.

Legacy In-Home Newborn Collection, $895

Includes parents and siblings, a mixture of posed and prop newborn photographs and 30 beautifully edited images. The split session option is included.

My Essential In-Home Newborn Collection is baby-only and therefore doesn’t require the family portion of a split session.

Is there an additional charge to split the session?

No.

For families booking my Signature or Legacy In-Home Newborn Collection, the split option is part of the experience.

I’m not charging you extra because you need a little more time before your family photographs.

It’s simply another way I can tailor your newborn photography experience around your family.

Can I book maternity photography as well?

Absolutely.

Many families book both their maternity and newborn photography with me so the two stages are documented together.

When you book a maternity session together with a Signature or Legacy In-Home Newborn Collection, you currently save $100, and you’ll also receive priority scheduling for your newborn session.

It means we can plan everything before your baby arrives, then confirm the newborn date once baby is here.

Where are you based?

My studio is based in Drury, South Auckland, and I photograph families from throughout Auckland.

For Premium In-Home Newborn sessions, I travel to you.

For the second part of a split session, you’ll come to my South Auckland studio for your family photographs.

So whether you’re coming from South Auckland or elsewhere across Auckland, the experience has been designed to make those earliest newborn weeks as easy as possible.

Is a split newborn session right for me?

A split newborn session may be perfect for you if:

• You love posed newborn photography but don’t want to travel with your baby during those first weeks.

• You want your baby photographed while they’re still beautifully tiny.

• You want photographs with your partner and/or older children.

• You don’t know whether you’ll feel ready for family photographs immediately after giving birth.

• You’d rather give the family portion of your session its own time and attention.

• You like the idea of having professional newborn photography brought into your home, followed by a relaxed studio experience later.

Most importantly, you don’t have to decide that you must be ready for everything at once.

A newborn session designed around Mum, too

So much of the newborn period naturally revolves around your baby.

Your recovery, comfort and experience matter as well.

That’s why I love offering split newborn sessions to Auckland families.

I can photograph your baby while they are still wonderfully tiny without putting pressure on you to feel camera-ready at exactly the same time.

Then, when you’re ready, I create the photographs that put you back into the story too.

Because years from now, your children won’t only want photographs showing how tiny they once were.

They’ll want to see you holding them too.

Baby now. Mum when she’s ready. One beautiful newborn story.

Ready to plan your newborn session?

Explore my Premium In-Home Newborn Photography Collections or get in touch to check availability for your due date.

Thinking a split newborn session might be right for your family?

I’d love to hear from you. You can tell me your due date, where in Auckland you’re based and a little about your family, and we can plan a newborn experience that works around you.