Mr. R’s Extra Special Newborn Session :: Andover Photography Studio
This adorable little man from Andover came to my photography studio for his newborn photos, and he brought his best friend Teddy (above). This newborn session was extra special for me for a few different reasons. For one thing, this lovely family lives just a few doors down from me. My girls dance at mom’s dance studio, Center for the Performing Arts, in North Andover. If you’ve got a child looking for a non competitive dance studio with wonderful teachers, check them out! Please also check out dad’s amazing dance studio (yes they each run a dance studio!) North Andover School of Dance for an array of dance class options. When I heard they were pregnant, I was elated when I found out there would be a newborn in the neighborhood!
The other reason this session is so special is because Mr. R’s entrance into the world wasn’t quite what anyone was expecting. His mom was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome very unexpectedly after a night of not feeling well. This whirlwind experience of heading to the hospital quickly led to a scary early entrance into the world for Mr. R. He was born at 29 weeks and spent 58 days in the NICU. The wonderful folks at Tufts kept him safe and thriving until it was time to go home. Keep reading down below to learn more about HELLP Syndrome and about Mr. R’s early days.
This newborn session is definitely extra special because of Mr. R and his family. But it’s also just really, really adorable. This was a fun, and sweet session. Big bro and best friend doggie Teddy was protective of Mr. R, which was equal parts hilarious and adorable. Mr. R slept peacefully, letting me pose him in various sets including as a tiny baby snowman! We did attempt to wake him up and managed to get a shot of his eyes open.
Since Mr. R was a premie, his session didn’t take place during the typical window of 6-16 days. But to any parent who is concerned about this, I have photographed many little ones who were premature. And no matter how old they are during their session, you will end up with many wonderful keepsake portraits of your baby!
What Is HELLP Syndrome?
What is HELLP? (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) syndrome. It is a serious pregnancy condition considered to be a type of preeclampsia. This happens late in pregnancy and doctors aren’t sure exactly what causes it. It is extremely rare, happening in about 1-2 out of 1,000 pregnancies. According to Preeclampsia.org: “Among pregnant women in the United States, 5 to 8% develop preeclampsia; 15% of these develop HELLP syndrome. This mean approximately 45,000 women per year will develop HELLP syndrome in the United States.”
In the case of this sweet family, pregnancy had started off normally. HELLP Syndrome typically occurs during the third trimester and that was the case here. While mom had little to no symptoms at first, one evening she ended up not feeling great. She headed into the hospital where it was discovered she had a life threatening condition. Mr. R was born at 29 weeks. He spent 58 long days in the NICU at Tufts before coming home with his amazing parents (and doggie brother). I am happy to report that he is now a happy and healthy toddler! In fact I have photographed him numerous times over the years during seasonal mini sessions and for milestone photos. Chances are if you’ve seen my instagram at all, you’ve probably caught sight of him!
For more references on HELLP Syndrome click here to visit the March of Dimes website.
Are you looking for a newborn photography studio near Andover MA? Crabapple Photography is conveniently located near both 93 and 495. We serve clients from around the area including Billerica, Woburn, Tewksbury, Topsfield and beyond. Kate McKenna has been photographing newborns and babies of all ages since 2009. Contact Kate today to book your session!
