Happy Tuesday, friends and welcome! Today's blog post showcases my favorite newborn session from this past month. While I adore each and every cherub who visits my Houston Newborn Baby Studio, there are sometimes sessions that have a particularly unique aspect to them. For example, I'm a professional baby portrait artist meaning I specialize in the custom art of posed newborn photography. I typically schedule my most petite & precious clients when they're around 6-9 days old. This is where I've seen the best results.

However: rules can sometimes be broken. Babies can pleasantly surprise you!

To elaborate further, for instance, as of 2018, I am now offering appointments to babies outside of the traditional 14-day timeframe you'll typically see. I believe parents deserve to have amazing images of their darling bundles of joy. While earlier is best, there are many options for babies who miss the 14-day timeline and I joyfully invite you to consider a session with me!

Sometimes parents don't know how early they have to book to be on the calendar in advance. This is a great way to still fit in the last minute booking. Miso's parents, for instance, called me when baby girl was 10 weeks old and full term. However, no fear! Mom and I chatted for about an hour on the phone and talked about what she would like to see in their session since Miso is so much further along in development than a newborn. Mom requested macro images of baby plus parent posing. They also signed up for a baby plan membership with me, so I'll be seeing Miso for her first year of life. I'm thrilled to have them as membership clients and am blessed to meet such amazing, kind-hearted parents in Houston.

Anyway, since Miso was 10 weeks old and at the time of her session, she was sporting some amazing hair! Oh, my goodness - from the moment I started wrapping her, I could not believe how much hair she has! Mom joked they call her "Einstein," due to how her hair sticks up in the back, ha!

Allow me to introduce Miso

Miso is a beautiful baby girl girl who weighed 6 pounds at birth. She was born on her due date in March 2018, specifically on the 3rd. When she visited my studio, she weighed a little over 9 pounds and had the creamiest, fair skin - so pretty! Mom requested all things girly for her session such as a muted pink to showcase the feminine aspects of a brand new girl. She was very alert for part of her session, giving me incredible eye contract! Her almond shaped eyes are full of wonder and truly soulful.

Here are just a few of my favorite images! Her parents received 57 gorgeous, perfected full resolution digital files in their gallery as well as the matching print. :-)

sarah borchgrevink: houston's best newborn photographer

See the whole session below, including parent posing

Are you interested in scheduling your own portraits? Let's chat!

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Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.

Sarah Borchgrevink

January 29, 2018

Featured, Motherhood

Dads: Push Presents are a Real Thing | What You Need to Know for 2018

Sarah Borchgrevink

January 29, 2018

Featured, Motherhood

The Push Present Trend: Everything You Need to know + some sweet, fun, and memorable ideas to get you started.

What's A Push Present?

Around 2010 a new trend began: the push present. If you're a first time Dad, you may be wondering, "what exactly is a push present?" A push present, you see, is exactly what it sounds like: a gift your partner gives to Mom to mark the special occasion of her giving birth to your child. Of course, the push present also applies to mamas who had a c-section. While a new bundle of joy is truly the ultimate gift, the push present is a tangible way for Dad to say thank you to Mom for carrying baby and also a way to shower Mom with attention. She just rocked her labor and delivery so impress her with a thoughtful, memorable and sweet gift that is sure to make her swoon!

My husband gave me a push present

My favorite part of receiving a push present from my dear hubby was not the actual gift itself, though it was a lovely locket of three hearts intertwined as one, but it was knowing he planned something special that truly made me happy. For instance, upon returning home from the hospital with our first baby named Emma, he helped me get settled into my favorite comfy chair and get our daughter to sleep. I was totally surprised when he pulled a small box from his pocket and told me he had a special surprise for me. 8 years later, I still completely treasure that locket because I know how much time he had to put into selecting it. It was a simple gift with a huge meaning.

We had our first baby at 20 years old and when I look back at where we were in life it was just us, being married, bringing this tiny little baby home to our first apartment as college students. It was a little scary because we were so young but looking back I remember thinking how special the locket was because when you're working full time, going to college full time and a newly wed it does take some major work to find the time to shop for a pretty locket for your new wife.

While the baby is the ultimate present and as parents, we cannot wait to meet our little bundle of joy, I equate push presents to be similar to days like Christmas or Valentines Day. It's a tangible way to show our partners we planned something special for them. It feels nice to be thought of - to know someone took the time to plan something special for you, to think of how much you would enjoy being surprised. It's not the budget that counts but the thought so below you'll find my favorite gifts, things that new Moms are sure to love.

Sarah's Top Recommendations for Dad's

Jewelry is the most popular gift choice, however, there are some truly unique and awesome ideas to set yourself apart. Don't get me wrong: a few jewelry pieces did make the list of top push present recommendations for Dads, but I did keep sentimental value in mind.

I also chose to not include vacations on this list because the baby moon is typically done while you're pregnant. Vacations are a wonderful way to begin traditions and solidify family memories, however, as someone with several kiddos, I can attest that traveling when you've just had a baby is really daunting. The airport, car rental, lugging around tons of baby supplies and trying to breast feed can be stressful. This in mind, there are many wonderful vacation ideas out there, but they're better for when little one is no longer a newborn and perhaps more of a toddler. :-) However, I'm sure I'll eventually write a blog post on the best vacation spots for young children, ha! There's always next week, right? :-)

I have four little ones myself so my list is curated and highly influenced by what truly matters: the thought and action behind your husband, partner or significant other doing something special for you.

Sarah's Favorite Pick: The Mombie Box

The Mombie Box is the top recommendation because it encompasses many essential gift traits: not only is it filled with gorgeous, feminine items, but it also is modern, fresh, useful and even makes postpartum recovery a little less difficult. It has health, mind, and body all in mind with several curated options for new moms. This item is also a super awesome baby shower gift for your best gal pal, so keep that in mind, too, if you're a Mama reading this.

What makes the Mombie Box the ultimate push present gift is it was designed by experienced mothers and medical professionals to make the first few months a little easier as they recover from labor and delivery. When having a new baby, Moms sometimes worry about things like making enough breast milk, nutrition, recovering, comfort and even healing.

When purchasing a Mombie Box as your standout push present, there are three custom collections you may select from, all of which are themed:

Nutrition
Comfort & healing
Spa

Inside the Mombie Box you'll find items such as:

Bath Bomb
Facial Mask
Gel Packs
Lactation Bar
Lactation Tea
Lanolin Cream
Multi-Use Cover
Protein Shake
Stretch Mark Oil
Water Bottle

This luxury push present does retail for $129, though has free shipping and a money back guarantee.

Favorite Sentimental Gifts: Photo Ideas

Idea number one: creating photo album for your wife or partner

This is a sentimental gift that is something Mom is sure to adore! A friend of mine had something similar made for me during my baby shower with baby number 1, and even years later, I still enjoy looking at the photo album and reading all the sweet messages! The premise is very simple: select a photo album from any big box store such as Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. Ask her closest friends, family or loved ones to write messages and notes to Mom; if they have a favorite photo have them submit this as well. This is great way for them to share helpful advice, goodwill and kind messages as Mom enters motherhood! It's also a way for her to see all the support and love she has surrounding her. It does take a village and it will make Mom feel amazing to know she has so many loved ones who are excited for her!

Idea number two: Invest in a consumer grade DSLR Camera

While we do live in a digital age and many of use our smart phones as our main camera, purchasing an entry level DSLR such as a Nikon or Canon is a wonderful option so you may have higher quality images for those everyday moments in your life! This is great for baby milestones such as baby having their first food, perhaps taking their first steps, and also when you start to go on fun family adventures.

Here is a great Nikon DSLR option to get you started. If you're team Canon, here's a super great selection, too! These are easy to use and are not too complicated. :-)

Idea number three: professional newborn photography session

A professional newborn baby portrait session is a beautiful push present idea because many times, parents are not aware of how fleeting the newborn time is. Newborn sessions do take place in the first 14 days of life, if not sooner, and this is a way to gift mom with an heirloom she'll treasure forever! Moreover, many mothers may not think about being camera ready the first few days after having a baby, and may not want to have photos taken, however, if you chat with your newborn photographer, you will find someone who has a hair and make up recommendation, which is another way to make Mom feel very glamorous! Taking photos with your newborn baby is extremely special and there's nothing like those first few weeks; baby is fresh, sweet and new - and it goes by very fast! Booking the session in advance will ensure you have a wonderful experience in a professional atmosphere while preserving this incredibly special milestone in your life.

Meal or House Cleaning Services:

For Christmas this year, my in law's gifted my husband, Kevin, and I meal and house cleaning services since we had a new baby on 12/23. I have to be completely honest and say it ROCKS! I love how the house cleaner visits and helps keep things tidy; it's also amazing to have a meal service because now that we have four kids, our house is very spirited. The house cleaning and meal service is wonderful because it's two things I don't have to worry about. It's more time with my new baby and family. It takes some stress away from our day.

Hello Fresh
Blue Apron
Meal Train (great for friends to sign up, too – bring meals to you/arrange it all)

Jewelry: A Little Sparkle for Your Main Squeeze

"Mama Bear Necklace" at $32

"One in a million" Initial Pendant Necklace at $58 - perfect gift for your one in a million girl.

Infinity Necklace for Mom and Baby - $37

Now that you've read some fun ideas to get you started, I hope these spark your own creativity and inspire you to select a gift that is both meaningful and unique for your better half! If you liked reading about push presents, these topics may be a fun read for you, too!