Newborn photoshoots take place within the first few weeks of your baby's life. Often, this is the first time that parents have left the house for any length of time with their new little bundle. Handing them over to a stranger in a new environment can be daunting for new parents. I want to make this special experience as stress free and enjoyable for you as possible so here are a few tips and some information that might help you prepare for your session.
Timing is key
It's amazing how quickly babies change and develop. If you'd like to capture beautiful images of their tiny features and have the best chance at those curled up, sleepy, posed photos I recommend booking your session whilst you are pregnant. This ensures that we can schedule your baby in between 6 and 21 days old. After this, babies tend to become more active and awake, we can still achieve beautiful images but there is a higher chance that these will be awake and more relaxed than the posed images you may be looking for.
I like to schedule my newborn sessions to start at 10am, this is usually late enough for parents to get out of the house and arrive at the studio but still early enough that your baby won't be overstimulated by a busy day.
The morning of your session
Try to keep your morning clear of errands and appointments before your session. This will help everyone feel more relaxed and baby will not be overstimulated. If there is time and you feel happy to, giving baby a warm bath before leaving the house can help to keep them awake and relax them so that they are ready to have a nice deep sleep when you arrive at the studio.
Please note that newborn sessions can last up to 4 hours, especially where siblings and family photos are included so allow for this in your schedule. If you have plans to leave before the full time this can lead to stressed parents which your baby will pick up on and I cannot guarantee a full gallery in this situation. I only book one newborn session per day and will go at your baby's pace, if they need extra feeds or cuddles we will always prioritise this and I will never make you feel rushed.
What to bring
Sessions can last 2-4 hours, the room is kept warm to keep baby comfortable and sleepy but this, along with the extra moving around, can make them extra hungry too. If baby is bottle fed please bring along enough milk to last the full session.
I have a variety of outfits, backdrops and props available to suit your preferred colour scheme. If you have any small sentimental items that you would like included in your session just let me know beforehand and we can incorporate this into your images.
I do not ask parents to feed baby at a specific time before their session as this can add extra stress to your morning. If baby is fed and asleep on arrival we will get started straight away. Dressing your baby in a nappy and a sleep suit without a vest can help to keep them settled in this case.
If baby is awake and hungry on arrival I will ask you to undress them down to their nappy, cover them with a blanket and give them a full feed.
It can be very helpful to bring a dummy along to your session, even if you do not intend to use one in the future, having one available during the photoshoot can help to settle baby in between poses.
I have small snacks, water, tea and coffee available for parents but you're welcome to bring your own along too.
What to wear
Although having a newborn you may not feel up to it, I highly recommend having family photos taken with your little one. Having photos of yourself and your partner with your tiny new bundle is a great memory to be able to look back on.
My family photos are taken from the waist up so you can wear your comfy maternity leggings without having to worry.
I recommend something simple, without a pattern for your top half, this ensures that focus isn't taken away from the baby.
I tend to wrap babies for these images as it keeps them settled but please let me know if you'd prefer them dressed in an outfit.
Most Important
The most important thing you can do during your newborn session? Relax and enjoy!
I want you to look back on your newborn photoshoot experience with fond memories. Once you arrive at my cosy home studio, make yourself comfortable, grab a snack and relax. Babies can sense our emotions and a stressed parent can lead to a stressed baby. Please be assured that I will do everything I can to keep your baby calm and settled throughout the session. You'll be sitting beside me and your little one the whole time so feel free to watch, zone out or have a snooze, no judgement here!