St. Louis Fresh 48 Photographer | A Natural Light Fresh 48 with the McBride Family
As a Fresh 48 Documentary Photographer in the St. Louis area, it’s pretty great to have such a plethora of beautiful labor and delivery units as well as gorgeous post partum recovery areas. The hospitals in the area always seem to be expanding and doing updates and the birth centers are absolutely wonderful.
I LOVE birth stories, but man do I love a good Fresh 48 session too! A Fresh 48 session is typically done at the place of birth (if the family is still there) or in home. It is a photo session done with the parent(s) and sometimes siblings, approximately 48 hours after the baby is born. It gives the parent(s) a bit of a chance to gather their thoughts, to attempt some rest, and to introduce a sibling (or siblings) to the baby. The baby gets a chance to let any swelling from the birth go down, the goop out of their eyes if it was applied, and some feeding opportunities to become established. I realize that although I love and cherish Birth Photography, it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but a Fresh 48 is a perfect alternative!
For this Fresh 48 Session with the McBride Family, the window light in their room was absolutely gorgeous and the simplicity of it is what I loved the most. The entire session of the family was done in their post partum recovery room within about a 10-foot space. Challenge accepted!
Tanner’s birth story began on April 18th (despite her having a scheduled cesarean planned for about 10 days later — babies sometimes just come on their own terms!). Stacy began feeling contractions somewhere around 10:30pm at home. After some consistency and timing of them, she and AJ agreed that this was it. They contacted Stacy’s mom to come stay with their first born, Ryker, who was already sleeping at this point. When they arrived at the hospital, they initially were going to send them home until Stacy suddenly started having back-to-back contractions and decided it was best if they hung around. A little while later, they verified Stacy was indeed in labor and that it was “go time”. They prepped her for surgery and soon thereafter, on April 19th, a 6lb 3oz Tanner Adam McBride joined their world at 3:54am. Everything went off without a hitch and they were able to get some much-needed rest between the three of them.
Ryker was very interested in his sweet new fuzzy- headed brother and did all his own “inspections” of him. It makes me tear up when I see siblings that interested in the new baby. Their world has just flipped upside down and yet they are totally engulfed in this tiny little life. He checked out his hair, fingers, toes, even the poopy diaper, and was already knowledgeable about Stacy breastfeeding Tanner. I feel like children who are well informed about the changes that will happen when a new baby is on the way are so much more prepared when they come to explore the new baby after he/she is born.
Another thing I love about a Fresh 48 Session is that Mom and Dad are totally encouraged to explore their new baby too which I think is such a great bonding experience. I think sometimes in the excitement and happenings immediately following the birth of a baby that it can be a refreshing time for parents to love on and check out the intricacies of their new baby. Those details change SO rapidly as the baby grows, so to be able to capture every fresh wrinkle, round tummy, fuzzy duck hair, eyelashes (or lack thereof), and tiny little ears is such an honor.
Thank you, Stacy and AJ, for allowing me to capture your family with a Fresh 48 Session at MoBap here in St. Louis, MO. And, of course, congratulations on becoming a family of 4!
If you are looking for a Fresh 48 Session after your baby is born, let’s talk and get that set up before you have your baby!!
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