Why? (A love letter to a new Mum, from a Nelson newborn photographer)

For first-time mums in Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman Aotearoa New Zealand

Kia ora beautiful new māmā,

You might not know it yet, but you do. You do need newborn photos. Not for Instagram. Not because everyone says you should. But for reasons far deeper, reasons that, as a mum myself, I now understand with my whole heart.

You deserve to be in the frame

Right now, your phone is probably filling up with little snapshots. Tiny toes, sleepy faces, milk-drunk smiles. And where are you? Behind the camera. Holding the phone. Documenting the love… but not in the story.

But here’s the truth: your baby needs to see you AND your partner in the photos too.

Psychologists call it the "mirror of memory": the idea that children build their sense of self by seeing themselves loved, held, cherished. And yes, that includes seeing themselves in your arms, in your home, in your real life.

I promise you, when they look back one day, they won’t care if your hair was a mess or your eyes looked tired. They’ll see love. They’ll see mum.

Proof you can do hard things

The early weeks of motherhood can feel like a beautiful blur of exhaustion. Two hours' sleep a night. Three showers a week if you're lucky. Baby spew down your back.

And yet… you’re doing it.

These photos are your quiet reminder: You can do hard things. You can function on love and instinct and caffeine. You can hold a whole new person in your arms and be overwhelmed and beaming at the same time. You are doing amazingly, better than you think.

A gift for your baby’s future self

Right now, your baby won’t remember these days. But one day they will look back at these photos.

And what will they see?

• How tiny they were in your arms

• How their dad gazed at them, utterly smitten

• The love that wrapped around them from the very start.

Newborn photos are for your baby, as much as they are for you. They are proof of how fiercely they were loved, right from their first breath.

Share your joy with family

I know how excited the grandparents, aunties, uncles and family friends are to meet your new little one, especially when they live far away.

Beautiful, honest family photos are one of the most meaningful ways to share your new addition with the people who love you. It’s more than a phone snap: it’s a story, a memory, a little window into this precious new chapter.

Bonus reason: No stress. No posing. No cloud costumes.

Let me tell you a little secret from one mum to another…

Those sleepy/dreamy, perfectly styled newborn photo shoots where everyone looks polished and glowing? I couldn’t have done it. Not in those early days.

I didn’t know if it was morning or night. I couldn’t tell you the last time I brushed my hair. Getting out of the house? All looking presentable? On time? Forget it.

That’s why I come to you. Into your home. Into your real life. Mess and all. No stress. No awkward posing. No cloud costumes, baskets or beanbags required.

Just honest, documentary photos of your family exactly as you are. Beautifully imperfect, deeply connected, completely real.

As a Nelson newborn photographer I can help you preserve this chapter

If you’re a first-time mum here in Nelson, Tasman or Marlborough, I’d be honoured to help you preserve your story.

The real one. The beautiful, messy, soul-filled one.

You might not know it yet, but you do need newborn photos. And I promise you’ll never regret it.

If this resonates, I’d love to help.

Click visit my homepage and find out how it works — no pressure, just all the details you need to decide if this feels right for your family.

I’m your Nelson newborn photographer: Real Family Photography, and here when you’re ready.

Ngā mihi, Sarah XX