There is nothing more precious than a newborn baby.
I'm a sentimental Momma myself, and capturing those sweet and tiny newborn features is one of my favorite things. They grow and change so quickly. In just a matter of weeks, they go from a curled-up sleepy little newborn to a pudgy little infant. Next thing you know, you're planning for a first birthday cake smash! Newborn photography can be challenging, but it is so rewarding. These sessions are all about keeping the baby happy and capturing those precious memories in their first few weeks of life. Here are a few tips to help make your newborn session as successful as possible.
Scheduling: I recommend scheduling your newborn session PRIOR to your baby’s birth, ideally in the 2nd trimester. I know you won't have specific dates (unless you are a scheduled c-section, then, by all means, schedule the date!) I will pencil your due date on my calendar so that I can make sure to leave a time frame available in my schedule around your due date. Then, contact me after you deliver so we can verify if the date we saved works and firm up a time for the session (email or even a text message is fine, just make sure to let me know who you are in your text!). Newborn sessions should be scheduled in the first 30 days of life. The best timeframe for sleepy baby shots is between 3-15 days of age. This is when they are nice and sleepy still and generally happy to be curled up into adorable poses. Each baby is different and even if we miss that window, I've had great success with babies over a month.
Location: My newborn sessions are done at my studio, in Parma, MI. I will have the heat cranked up to keep it cozy in the studio for baby, and probably a little warm for parents, so make sure you have layers you can remove if you get too warm. I have a small seating area that doubles as a spot for family images, but feel free to make yourself at home while we do the baby's photos. I do not have issues with people popping out their phone and snapping a photo while I am doing a session. I do ask that if you catch any behind-the-scenes images of me working, please share them with me via email!
Here are a few things you can do before your session to help your baby be more comfortable:
Loosen up! Please remove any clothing aside from the diaper upon arrival at the studio. If we are doing naked posing for baby, loosen the diaper to relieve some pressure on the skin. This gives those little imprint marks time to disappear if we do naked poses. If you are uncomfortable with baby being naked for their photos, let me know. I have plenty of ways to cover them, including outfits we can use in these poses. (If you are doing the wrapped newborn mini-sessions, you do not need to loosen the diaper, as we will keep it on them for the entire session.)
Make them sleepy: Posed newborn sessions work best when the baby is ready to sleep. To encourage this, I recommend that you do whatever it takes to make sure the baby is nice and exhausted. Give them a bath before their session or try to keep them engaged (as much as possible with a newborn!) Keeping your little one awake for a bit on top of your own sleep deprivation might feel like torture, but it will be worth it in the end! Allowing them to just lie on a flat surface and move their arms and limbs as long as they are content doing so will help wear them out, too. We may need to do this at the studio for a bit to help them fall asleep.
Feeding: A full belly is a happy baby! Please feed and burp baby right before our session, preferably upon arrival if you have a bit of a drive, to have our best chance at a happy, sleepy “milk-drunk” baby. I am more than happy to take a break to refill that belly anytime during our session. It is not uncommon to have to feed a baby a few times throughout a newborn session; it's all about keeping that belly full, and sometimes our session just happens to fall on the day that your little one wants to cluster feed!
Pacifiers: Even if your little one doesn't normally use one or you really don't want to use a pacifier with your baby long-term, it's very helpful to have one handy on photo day. Being able to suck soothes them and helps them to settle into positions, and we can just pop it out right before we snap a photo. The Soothie brand pacifiers work great and tend not to leave little marks on their cheeks as some other types do. I do have new pacifiers available at the studio if you happen to forget to bring one, and if we can't get baby to settle, I may offer one up if you aren't completely against them.
Things to remember: Patience, patience, patience, a full newborn session with me can last anywhere from 1.5-3 hours. My full sessions average 2.5 hours. It all depends on the baby’s mood and willingness to sleep and the types of posing we are doing. You never know what you are going to get. Try not to get upset or frustrated if your baby does not want to sleep or is fussy; babies can pick up on the frustration. In the end, if your baby doesn't want to sleep, wide-eyed newborns take gorgeous photos too!
Keep it Calm: Relax. Feel free to take a break, take a nap,, bring a book, or sit and mindlessly scroll social media without worrying about the baby! Your baby is in safe hands. I don't mind, and if I need you for anything, I will let you know. Part of your session time may involve cuddling, feeding, and diaper changes. Don't get upset if your baby is having a hard time falling into a deep sleep; it happens!
Everybody poops! Your baby may be in the buff for part of this shoot. Please don’t panic if your baby decides to use blankets (or someone) as his/her own personal potty. Please don’t feel embarrassed or worried when this happens, because they all do it.
Props: I have a large collection of baskets, blankets, knit hats, wraps, and headbands, so you do not have to worry about having these things. If you have something special in mind that you've seen or just something that you love that you would like to have me use or include in your photos, please let me know ahead of time and send me a photo of the item, so that I can do my best to work it into a pose.
Photos with Baby: Many of my new Moms almost balk at being in front of the camera. You just had a baby, you are beautiful, we will capture the beauty of new motherhood, I promise. Remember to keep it simple; solid-colored neutral tops work best. By all means, wear those leggings/yoga pants if that's what is comfortable; the majority of our shots are going to be waist up anyhow, or we can modify posing as needed. For men, a short-sleeve tee is best, solid neutral colors with no large logos or images, jeans, or khakis. For siblings, again, neutral solid colors are best; avoid clothing with large logos or printed images/words. For young boys, solid Henley-type shirts or tees are best since collars can sometimes cover faces. My best suggestion for family photos is coordinating colors, not necessarily everyone matching.
Have a more specific question? Feel free to send an email: [email protected] or call: 517-812-6845
