How To Prepare For Your Newborn Photo Session
Preparing for a newborn photo session may feel slightly more involved than preparing for your maternity session - especially if this is your first child. While the maternity session is about You, the newborn session captures a precious and fleeting moment. And while that tiny magical baby may seem small, it’s incredible how much space they take up in those first weeks and months of adjustment.
That’s why we want our new mamas to feel as prepared - and supported - as possible as they get ready for their newborn photography session.
7 Things To Make Your Newborn Photo Session A Dream
This is not a time for stress, anxiety, or feeling added pressure. Yes, you have a fixed appointment time, and we also understand the space-time continuum takes on a different quality in those first weeks after the baby arrives.
We’re here to help you breathe deep, relax, and experience this as a once-in-a-lifetime bonding session that offers the benefit of artistic, gallery-worthy images you’ll revere for a lifetime.
Here are some helpful tips on how to do that.
Schedule your newborn session months ahead of time
If you’re reading this while you’re pregnant, give yourself plenty of time to get on the photographer’s books. The best Bay Area newborn photographers have fully booked calendars months in advance.
We recommend scheduling newborn sessions at the end of your second - or the beginning of the third trimester. This also gives you time to get to know us and plan ahead for the design consultation - giving you an idea of how you want the session to unfold and who should participate.
Think about who will join you for the experience
While newborns are the stars of the session, we also want to honor their nearest and dearest. Think about who should participate in the session along with you. Parents and siblings are the most likely co-stars, but we also love inviting grandparents or other treasured loved ones. Fur babies are also welcome.
The more you prepare for who will be there, the more effective our initial design consultation for the session can be.
We have some books, quiet games, and other fun things to keep younger children occupied. However, you know your children best. If something works better, let’s talk about it during the design consultation or before the session so everyone has what they need to feel content. And, since quiet and soothing is usually better than loud or chaotic, we recommend using headphones for digital devices.
Make this the only event for the day
Yes, our sessions are a place to relax, enjoy being pampered, and take in the moment's magic. That said, it’s still a new experience for all of you, and adding a new place and people (and gentle position changes) is a lot of unusual stimulation. Our clients and babies fare best when they keep this as the solo scheduled event for the day.
We know it might seem tempting beforehand to schedule something else since you’re already out and about (doctors’ appointments, a grocery shopping trip, a meal out with relatives, etc.). However, we’ve heard first-hand how booking too much in one day disrupted the balance. Your newborn session will remain far more sacred and memorable if you get to leave - and return to - the cocoon of your home space.
Nourish yourself and the baby
If you thought you got hangry before you had the baby, just wait. Lack of sleep, seemingly infinite lifestyle changes, and calorie-burning breast milk production mean you deserve high-quality nourishment. And, as you’re already learning, a full baby belly makes for a more peaceful and content baby.
Make sure to eat a nutritious meal before you come. That said, try to avoid eating spicy foods, dairy products, or cruciferous veggies - all notorious for upsetting tummies.
And remember, we’ll also:
Have some delicious snacks and drinks on hand.
Provide a quiet, comfortable space for you to nurse/feed your baby throughout the session.
Create a calm, spacious atmosphere so you don’t feel rushed in any way.
Have professional hair and makeup pros on hand so you won’t have to think twice about how you look (absolutely gorgeous is always the truthful answer!)
Let us know if there are any unexpected complications
Did you wind up having an unexpected C-Section? Was your baby born with complications you didn’t know about ahead of time? These are all important to communicate with your newborn photographer. Also, if you plan to circumcise a boy, do it at least five days before the session - or wait until after - to minimize discomfort during the session.
Depending on what’s going on for you or your baby, we may work to switch your newborn session dates so they fit better into a schedule that includes more medical appointments than initially planned. In other cases, we’ll talk about changes to the session itinerary or planned poses/garments to ensure everyone is safe and comfortable from start to finish.
Undress & swaddle your baby right when you arrive at the studio
They say never disturb a sleeping baby, and we agree. As a result, we’ve learned the best way to prepare your baby for the session is to undress them about 30 minutes or so beforehand. Put them in a clean diaper (we’ll have a well-stocked changing station here for you, too!).
Most babies love to be swaddled in the first month or two, so swaddle them up to keep them comfy and warm. Unwrapping the swaddle and beginning the session is the easiest way to keep them settled (especially if they’re sleeping); unzipping or unsnapping and extricating them from a onesie or sleep garment is more likely to irritate them.
Keep your baby’s favorite (and must-have) items nearby
Again, we’re prepared to accommodate any potential situation (and we’ve seen and experienced them all). However, many mothers and babies are most comfortable when they have access to what they’re used to. From wipes and pacifiers to burp cloths or soft “lovies,” have what you need on hand to keep yourselves clean, comfortable, and calm.
Schedule Your Newborn Session With Lemonshoots
It is my absolute joy and honor to take priceless, one-of-a-kind photographs of my clients and their newborn babies. Contact met at Lemonshoots to begin planning a day you’ll never forget. I’ll make sure you know exactly what to expect - and feel 100% prepared - so you can relax and be present for this momentous event.