Newborn photos with three-week-old Freya

There’s something very special about a family I’ve photographed before returning with their second child.

I first met this family when Luke was a newborn himself (see the images here).

Back then, he was the baby in arms. Now, he’s the busy, curious big brother to three-week-old Freya.

Luke has very much grown to become his own person since I last saw him.

His first words were mama, dadda, and juice. He loves being outdoors – though he’d much rather be collecting sticks than climbing in a playground – and he’s very much a daddy’s boy.

Luke adores Mickey Mouse and Spiderman, and while he isn’t quite ready to hold Freya just yet, he takes his role seriously in other ways, fetching bottles and helping wherever he can.

Watching Luke with his dad Stefan was a highlight of the session. Stefan loves seeing the children grow and is constantly amazed by how quickly they change.

While helping Luke sort shapes recently, he was caught completely off guard when Luke confidently named a triangle out of the blue.

It was one of those small moments that suddenly feels huge when you’re a parent.

Freya, Luke’s little sister, arrived by c-section and spent her first 12 days in hospital recovering from jaundice.

Despite that challenging start, she is beautifully calm and chilled — much more so than her brother was as a baby!

She settled easily into the rhythm of the shoot, snoozing contentedly while life carried on around her.

Freya’s name carries family history with it.

Her first middle name (Roxana) honours her paternal grandparent, and her second middle name (Elizabeth) is a tribute to her maternal great grandmother — a quiet thread connecting generations.

Mum Sam showed me a photo of Freya lying on her side in her hospital cot, then pulled out a photo of herself at the same age, lying in exactly the same position.

Side by side, they are identical — one of those uncanny moments that makes you realise just how strong family resemblance can be.

Sam also managed to capture a beautiful first photo of Luke grinning at Freya when they first met — a fleeting, perfect moment that will only grow more precious with time.

Sam truly loves every aspect of being a mum and feels incredibly happy and grateful to now have two little ones to care for… though she is also very much looking forward to catching up on her sleep, hopefully sooner rather than later!

It was also lovely to see Nanny Sue again. She joined us for this session just as she had for Luke’s newborn photos, and once again brought her calm, capable presence.

During Freya’s hospital stay, Sue even managed to crochet a fairly large blanket while there supporting Sam — a tangible expression of love stitched into every row.

And of course, this household wouldn’t be complete without its full cast of characters: one dog and five cats, all part of the beautifully busy, slightly chaotic, very loved family life that now includes two children instead of one.

Photographing Freya at three weeks old felt less like a formal session and more like quietly witnessing a family settling into its new shape — a little bigger, a little louder and filled with even more love than before. 🥰 

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If you’re interested in newborn portraits or family photography in Bicester, Oxfordshire, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater AMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional newborn and family portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

She is the Master Photographers Association Young Families Portrait Photographer of the Year and Newborn Photographer of the Year for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).