What to Expect during a Fresh 48 Session in Winnipeg

Those first hours after having a baby are a blur. It’s chaotic and exhausting, but also overwhelmingly beautiful. I remember all the things I wish I could forget, like the hospital smell, that first trip to the washroom, the soreness from my C-section incision, the long stretches of cluster feeding (IYKYK).

But the things I wish I remembered more clearly were the tiny moments like the way my son’s fingers wrapped around mine, how his umbilical cord was healing, the shape of his head, the soft newborn fuzz across his shoulders, the delicate texture of his one-day-old skin.

A Fresh 48 session preserves those details before they fade. It freezes the parts most of us forget so that you can look back one day and truly remember what those early hours felt like.

Newborn baby swaddled and sleeping in the hospital bassinet

Close-up view of hands swaddling a newborn baby in a bassinet

Close-up of hands gently holding and examining a tiny newborn baby's foot against a body

I Will Come to You at the Place of Birth

Fresh 48 sessions happen where you give birth, usually in your hospital room within the first day or two after birth. Here in Winnipeg you currently get discharged at the 24 hour mark so your session will most likely take place the morning after baby arrives. We have 2 hospitals (HSC Women's Hospital and Saint Boniface Hospital) and one Birthing Centre (Ode'imin). If you plan on giving birth at Ode'imin you can plan on having your Fresh 48 Session in your home since they will discharge you usually within 3-4 hours after birth.

You don’t need to pack anything extra or clean anything ahead of time. I work with whatever light and space your room gives.

Parents are often surprised by how beautifully ordinary rooms photograph when you focus on what really matters: just your baby and your connection as a family.

The Session is Quiet and Calm

There’s no rushing, and there's nothing you "need to do" throughout the session. You’ve just given birth, and as someone who has experienced 2 traumatic births, I fully understand and encourage you to do things at your own pace.

I focus on gentle baby led posing, which means I take photos of baby as they are, and try to keep them happy and content. If baby needs to be changed or fed, or checked on by medical staff then we pause and let those events happen.

Most sessions typically include (and always optional to you):

little stretches, yawns, and sleepy faces
close-up details like hands, feet, hair, and healing skin
moments of skin-to-skin
feeding or soothing
quiet pauses where you just take each other in
sibling meetings

A tender moment captured as a mother holds her newborn baby close while resting on white bedding.

A newborn baby swaddled in gray blankets rest in hospital bassinets side by side.

Parents share tender moments with their newborn baby in a series of intimate hospital photos.

I Will Guide You if Needed

You won’t be asked to pose or smile for the camera, although I will likely ask to see some snuggling and kisses ;) If anything, I may guide you toward better light, adjust or help with a swaddle, or suggest a tiny movement. But everything stays natural and nothing is forced. If you’re tired, sore, emotional, or still processing everything (which most parents are), that’s completely okay. There’s room for all of it. If you prefer to stay in your bed the entire time then I will work with you and around you to get you all the photos.

Your Baby Leads the Session

There’s no posing or perfect behaviour expected. If baby is awake, we capture those curious eyes. If they’re asleep, we lean into the quiet. If they’re fussy, we document the comfort you give them. This is your baby and your story, however it unfolds is the way we will capture it.

Parents and Siblings are Always Welcome

Partners and big siblings can be included. You don’t even need to look “ready.” You don’t need perfect hair or makeup. The connection between you and your baby is what matters most and that always photographs beautifully. I will send you an email a few weeks before your due date to outline specifically what to expect if you have older children that will join us for the session, whether you want me to catch their first meeting or if they will be there before I arrive, you will be prepared for any scenario.

A close-up series of a father having skin to skin moments with a newborn baby

A tender moment captured in black and white as a parent cradles and nurses their newborn baby.

Close-up a newborn baby's head cradled in his fathers arms

Sessions Will Last Between 45-60 minutes

Most Fresh 48 sessions wrap up within an hour. Because these sessions are documentary-style, there’s no complicated setup or posing. You get to rest, settle in, and simply be with your baby while I quietly capture what’s already happening.

After the Session

You’ll receive a small preview soon after, usually by the end of that day, something to share with family or simply hold onto during those first days. Your full gallery arrives shortly after that, between 1-2 weeks, filled with images that reflect your baby exactly as they were in those early hours.

Want to Book your Fresh 48 Session in Winnipeg?

If you’re expecting and want these memories documented with care, I’d love to photograph your Fresh 48 session. These moments pass quickly, but your photos will bring you back to the tiny details you didn’t know you’d miss. Reach out HERE and let's chat about getting you booked in!

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