Preparing for Your Newborn Session
One of the most life changing chapters of your life is when you welcome a new baby into your family and home. It’s so exciting, special, and possibly overwhelming?? Definitely overwhelming. But with the overwhelm comes the most love you possibly can feel. It’s seriously indescribable until you experience it. Suddenly your life is now all about keeping this little perfect babe happy and healthy. The newborn season can often be a blur and all of a sudden it’s gone. Documenting this sweet and short period helps bring you back to that time.
Newborn photography is all about capturing those tiny, fleeting moments that you’ll never get back—those little details like their tiny fingers and soft, sleepy smiles. It’s a way to freeze time, so you can relive those early days for years to come, long after they’ve grown.
Preparing for your newborn session can help keep things easy, smooth, and thoughtful. This all helps you get the most out of your session. Here are a few things you can keep in mind when preparing for your newborn session.
Finding the Right Spaces in Your Home for your Newborn Photos
When thinking about spots in your home that you want to capture, a few things you want to keep in mind. Most importantly, is natural lighting. You want to choose areas that have natural light coming in from windows. So thinking about windows that you can open the curtains or shutters well enough for a good amount of light to come in. Think about any cozy corners, the nursery, or any spots in the home that you spend a lot of time in. With that in mind, what time of day is the best amount of light coming into the home, this will help you plan for a morning or afternoon session.
Once you have your spaces you want to declutter items that might look out of place. You want to make sure that it still looks like you live there (we don’t want sterile homes!!) but also not having too many distractions in the background. For example, in a nursery you’ll almost always find a changing spot, but maybe don’t need the diaper creams, or wipes on top of the dresser, so tuck them away for your session.
Don’t stress too much about making everything look perfect! Your photographer should tuck away or make suggestions as needed.
Styling Yourself and Your Family for you Newborn Session
When preparing for your newborn session, you want to make sure that you are comfortable while also coordinating you and your family. Newborn sessions can be the perfect time to dress a little more cozy and relaxed, because the newborn bubble is very much that vibe. Keeping things relaxed allows for space to document connections in those quiet moments and this new chapter of your life.
There are colours that can be complimentary to you and your baby’s skin tones, you can try different textures to add interest, and don’t be afraid of patterns. For a more in-depth dive into styling for your session, take a look at my Style Guide! It outlines in detail how to style you family for your session, while also sharing examples, and where to shop.
Keeping a Calm and Open Mindset During Your Newborn Session
Remember that even if you plan and prepare for your newborn session, babies are unpredictable. So head into your session keeping this in mind. Your photographer will understand if you need to take time for feeding, changing, and settling the baby during your session. Try to have a relaxed mindset heading into the session and keeping your focus on meeting your babies needs vs. trying to get perfect shots. Your photographer will adapt and know when and where to capture those moments that are worth documenting. The best moments are often when you let things unfold naturally.
FAQ: Common Questions About Newborn Photography Sessions
How old should my newborn be for photos?
I typically recommend the first 1-3 weeks, this is when your baby is the sleepiest and most content after a feeding and a snuggle.
How long does a newborn session take?
My newborn sessions are booked for an hour, however there is room for adjustments depending on the baby's mood.
What should I bring to the session?
I you’re at home then nothing! Just have a bottle ready for bottle feeding so that if you need to feed during your session you don’t feel like you need to rush around to make a bottle. If nursing don’t need to worry about this! If doing a newborn in studio, I would suggest packing an extra outfit in case of an accident, along with all your baby essentials you would need when leaving the house with your babe.
Can I include my other children or pets?
Of course! All children and pets are welcome!
Do I need to have a perfectly clean house?
No! You are in your newborn baby phase. I know first hand that the house is going to wait. Just have your few spaces decluttered, but the rest of the house do not worry about it!
These are the few things that you can think about when preparing for your newborn session. Don’t forget to check in with your photographer too, to bounce ideas off of. They will be able to guide you through the process. I hope you found this helpful! If you’re ready to book a newborn session together, let’s connect!
