How To Prepare For Your Newborn Session

Your bundle of joy is here and now it is time for their photos! You may be wondering if you need to do anything special to prepare them for their session. The answer is: not necessarily. I do have some tips to help make the session run a little more smoothly but let’s be honest, your baby is new to this world and still is making adjustments. They are still establishing their circadian rhythm so they may show up to their session wide awake and this is totally fine! Usually once they are wrapped up and fed they drift off to sleep but some of them are just curious and want to see what is going on. 

I do not like to put pressure on parents before their session because let’s be honest, newborns are not the most cooperative. Here are some tips that I recommend to parents to get their baby ready for their photo session:

Schedule Ahead of Time: If you are in your second or third trimester you may want to get your session scheduled. The prime time for newborn photos is the first 4-14 days. I still do newborn photos past the 14 day mark as well but your baby may be more alert during their session. 

A Warm Bath: The morning of your session try to give your baby a warm bath to help get them relaxed and sleepy. Don’t worry about flaky skin and scratches as this can be fixed in photoshop! 

A Full Feed: About 30 minutes before your session try to give your baby a full feed to get them “milk drunk.” Don’t forget to burp them really well so that they aren’t having a belly ache during their session. Of course they will likely be hungry at some point during their session as well so don’t forget to bring some extra formula along or be prepared to breastfeed if necessary. I also recommend bringing a pacifier along especially if your baby is cluster feeding. 

Stimulate Them: I do not ask parents to keep their baby awake before their session but you can try to keep them more stimulated. Talk to them, sing to them, read them a story or put them on your chest for some tummy time. Keeping them stimulated will help get them ready for a good nap. 

What to dress them in: I recommend dressing your baby in a zippered/buttoned onesie. This makes it easy to undress them without disturbing them. There is no need to bring outfits for the session as I have plenty of wraps and outfits to put baby in. However, if you do have something special you would like them to be in just let me know. 

Siblings: If you’re doing family photos I do those first to get them out of the way so you can sit back and relax the remainder of the session. If you are bringing other children along I recommend taking them somewhere else after their portion of the session is finished. Sessions can take between 1-3 hours and this may seem like an eternity for young children. If you cannot take them somewhere else I highly recommend bringing along stuff to keep them entertained and snacks and drinks to keep their bellies happy. 

What you and your family should wear: If you are doing family photos I think the best approach is to start with mom’s outfit and then work from there. You cannot go wrong with neutrals! Steer clear of neon colors and logos. You may also want to dress in layers or bring a change of clothes after your portion is over as the studio will be very warm. 

Relax: Feel free to bring a book, your phone or take a nap while the session is happening! Or feel free to just sit back and watch! 

I know how hectic those first few weeks with your baby are so don’t stress if you aren’t able to do all of these things. They are merely tips that can help your session go more smoothly. If you have any questions feel free to ask!