Many clients considering a newborn session are concerned about being “fair” to their firstborn children. They worry that it shows favoritism to order an album or a canvas for the new baby, if they don’t have one for their older children. I understand entirely! I had the same misgivings when I hired a birth photographer for my second child.
My answer to everyone, including myself, is the same: “Your first baby had other privileges.” Most firstborn children end up with more photos taken of them than their younger siblings. A survey by the Telegraph showed that 87% of mothers reported fewer photographs of their second baby, with 75% admitting that those photos almost always included the oldest child.
It’s a natural effect of being first-time parents. We are more excited by “firsts” and we just plain have more time and energy to sit in front of a single baby with a camera than we do when also chasing a toddler or preschooler around. It’s not favoritism, it’s just practicalities of life.
For this reason, I think it’s perfectly fair to invest a little extra in maternity and newborn portraiture for younger siblings. If they won’t have as many photos, at least we can make sure the photos are high quality!
Plus, for many parents, second or third (or more!) babies are their last time around. It’s worth marking your last belly photo or your last tiny newborn days with something special. These photos are for you as well as your children.
One more statistic from that Telegraph survey? 92% of mothers regretted missing the opportunity to record their second child’s first days and months. If you’re ready to talk about investing in your next baby’s portraits, please reach out! I’d love to chat.
