Things I Don't Want You To Stress About For Your Newborn Session

Newborn sessions are my absolute favorite. I love photographing families but newborns are my jam. But I know for some the thought of having a photographer come into their home 5-10 days after having a baby is stressful and maybe putting on a real outfit is the last think you want to do, but believe me this is not supposed to be stressful.

Here are all the things I don't want you to stress about:

1. How tidy your house is. Your house doesn’t need to be perfectly organized to be photographed. When I get there I will look for the room with the best light and we can move things around if need be in that room. If you’d like to know ahead of time where we will be taking pictures we can set up a FaceTime tour so I can tell you which rooms I think I would use that way you don’t have to worry about cleaning your whole house for the session. When I get there I can help tidy up the areas we will use. So, don't worry about making your house immaculate. You are tired what with caring for a new baby and all!

2.If your baby sleeps. I do not worry about if your baby is going to sleep during a newborn session. Babies are cute whether they’re sleeping or not, and we don’t need to waste time worrying and trying to make them fall sleep.

3. If your older child will participate. I want them to be comfortable and to have a good experience so if they are unwilling or not excited about participating then we will just see what we can get and MoveOn usually they come around and even if they’re not super excited or smiley we can still manage to get a few cute pictures.

4.If your baby will pose. This is a big one I do not post babies I think they’re beautiful the way they are I think simple is better when taking pictures of newborn I love the way they look when they’re just being myself I don’t force unnatural poses and I will not spend hours trying to get them to look perfect in a little ball or with their hands on their holding their head. I think the most important is that they are comfortable. Sometimes that means they can be on the bed being photographed and sometimes they are happier in your arms. We can go we can do the whole session with a baby in your arms if that’s where they feel comfortable and it will be beautiful. My goal is to take pictures of them how they feel most comfortable this is less stressful for you and your baby and that’s my number one priority.

5. Having the perfect coordinated outfits. Please don't coordinate. Wear what feels comfortable. That's the most important thing. You've had a baby and your body is healing. Being kind to yourself is the most important. Also, I'll be available for advice if you want! I also have a style guide and a Pinterest board that can help you find comfortable, beautiful outfits that photograph well for you and your family.

My Tips for an Easy Newborn Session with Siblings

I have photographed many newborns and have figured out a few things to make things go a little better for the older kids who are getting used to having a new member of the family. This is a hard time for those kids. Their world has been turned upside down. They are going from an only child to the oldest, or from a duo to a triple, or even more! It’s a big time of transition, and everyone deals with change differently. Some kids are happy and oblivious and some are down right annoyed.

I know you are adjusting to a new family dynamic after you bring home a new baby, but this is a special time that deserves to be photographed. If you worry about it being chaos, and it might be, but that’s ok!, here are some of my tips I’ve learned along the way for having a smooth newborn session with siblings:

1. Don’t have any expectations for their behavior. They are going through something really big and their mood might not be great on the day we have the session and they might not want to participate, and that’s ok. I don’t want to push kids to do something they don’t want to do.

2. Schedule a maternity session with me before the newborn session. This will really help get the kid or kids used to me and to trust me. It will really help with their comfort level, and that makes things so. much. easier. Trust me, kids who already know me are excited to see me again and really comfortable in front of my camera.

3. In-home sessions help kids feel comfortable too. When I go to a person’s house to photograph their family, especially if I have already met the kids before, they get so excited to show me their room and their toys. They are ready to participate.

4. I always tell parents to tell their kids that they are going to have a really fun time. Really build it up. “Guess what we get to do tomorrow? A really fun lady is coming over!” You get the idea. Stay away from saying things like, “If you smile for the camera we can get a treat.” This one is common, and I understand why parents say this, hey I’ve even said it before. But the reason I suggest not to is because that sounds like it’s going to be a chore, or a hard thing to get through and then they will be rewarded. It will make your kids dread it, and getting out of that mindset can sometimes be challenging. I’m not against treats after though!

5. Don’t give kids treats to eat during the session. I see a lot of people suggest giving your kids lollipops to make it fun, but then you end up with photographs with them sucking on lollipops, and it will be the longest lasting lollipop. When I first photographed kids I would bring smarties because they are quick to chew, but I found kids don’’t need that during a session. They are usually good with waiting until after for a treat!

6. Lastly, in-home newborn sessions are great because little ones can take breaks and can play with their own toys while they regroup. I like to start with pictures of the family together, then depending on how the little ones are doing I’ll either give them a break then or do sibling pictures then move on to mom and baby, etc. Having the flexibility to give breaks is key for getting little ones to participate.

This family is a perfect example of this. I photographed them in the fall and then again a few weeks ago when their son arrived. The girls were excited to see me and were so excited to have their picture taken. We were lucky to have mild weather and the sunset was gorgeous. I loved getting to photograph this family again.

Are you expecting? I’d love to chat! Connect with me here