Newborns change so much and so fast in the first couple weeks after birth! Those first few days are so magical and beautiful. We want to help you capture ever detail, every delicate feature, and that fresh new baby look. A little bit of preparation goes a long way, so here are some helpful tips to have a successful newborn session. These are tips for your actual session, but if you are in the early planning stages, make sure to visit our blog article “How to Prepare for Newborn Photos Before your Baby is Born” to get some early tips!
1. Time of Day
Schedule your session at a time of day that your baby is content. This is typically in the morning or early afternoon. If you have your baby on a schedule, schedule this time so it overlaps with nap time. (But don’t worry if you aren’t on a schedule! Most new babies aren’t!).
2. Awake time
Try to keep your baby awake 1-2 hours before the session. Try to stimulate your baby during this time, so that they are tired out by the time we are ready to start. Our goal is to have a sleepy baby while we are photographing them. If your baby is awake at home before the session, we will have a better chance of getting him/her to settle in easier at our scheduled time.
3. Feeding
Feed the baby right before the session. If you live within 15-20 minutes of the studio, it is ok to feed the baby at home before you come. If your drive is a little further, you are welcome to feed your baby here. We will set you up in a private space to relax and feed your baby here, right before we are ready to start. Also, make sure you are prepared to feed the baby while you are here. It is not always necessary, but when the baby is a little fussy or won’t settle in, it sometimes helps to feed your little one and relaxes them. That being said, I have had some mom’s who have their baby on a feeding schedule and tell me it is not time to feed the baby yet. I ask that you are open to feeding the baby outside of your schedule just this time so that we can get those amazing relaxed images you are looking for.
4. Clothing for Mom and Dad
For the pictures with your baby, you will want a solid color long sleeve shirt. Solid white or black works very well. V necks for mom are always flattering. If you are having family portraits done, choose a color scheme that the entire family will wear that blends well. Again, solid colors work best. Make sure the shirts are pressed and cleaned before you come, and bring them on a hanger. During your baby’s session, we will keep the studio quite warm. We turn up the heat to 80 degrees, (or turn off the air conditioning if it is summer) and also use a space heater to keep your little one sleepy, warm and comfortable while photographing. So, you will want to dress appropriately for yourselves, and wear short sleeves even in the winter. This is not the clothing you are going to be photographed in, it is just for while you are waiting.
5. Be prepared for a longer session
We are very patient with our newest members. Newborn sessions can last anywhere from 1-3 hours. If your baby is content and sleepy, the session will most likely be closer to an hour. If your baby needs a break, or needs to be fed, or needs to be coaxed back to a relaxed pose, it can take up to three hours or more. We have all the patience in the world, and will wait as long as needed to make sure we get the shots we need. That being said, you might want to bring along a few snacks for yourself if we end up on the longer side!
6. Safety
Safety is our utmost priority when working with your baby. Because of this, either mom or dad will need to be a spotter/assistant. All eyes and hands are to be kept around the baby during posing. Don’t worry, we do not do dangerous poses at all. I will be doing all the posing of the baby, but I need you to sit close while I photograph. I have 4 children of my own and have been photographing babies for over 15 years, so I am very comfortable handling newborns. (Sometimes even more comfortable than a new mom or dad!)
7. Pacifier
The first time I heard they were’t giving pacifiers to new babies at our local hospital I was surprised. I don’t mean this to be an argument for or against pacifiers… but hear me out. The session will go so much smoother if we have a pacifier to sooth the baby with. Your baby will settle into those sleepy curled up newborn poses that you love so much easier if we have a pacifier to use. You don’t have to sue the pacifier any other time at home if you don’t want to… but trust me, you will be glad you have one at the time of the session.
8. Relax!
This is a time for you to relax and leave the work up to me! Sometimes new parents get anxious about having newborn pictures taken, especially if they feel the session is not going as well as they thought. TRUST ME. I have done this before. You’re job is to just sit back and relax. Even if it seems to you that your baby is fussy, you will be surprised with what we get in-between the fussiness. I have had many mom’s and dad’s who are pleasantly surprised that we were able to capture beautiful portraits when they felt it didn’t go as well as planned.
9. Props
We have a room full of blankets, wraps, headbands, hats, baskets, bowls and props. So, you can either let us do our thing, or you can bring along any special item or clothing you would like incorporated into the session. If you have specific ideas, make sure you talk through those with us first! We want to give you exactly what you are wanting from this session!
10. Siblings
If you have siblings that are to be photographed, make sure to let us know in advance. It is helpful if you have an extra adult to take the siblings home after the sibling pictures, especially if they are younger. If the session goes on for a lengthy period of time, they won’t be content to wait.
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