The minute you saw your baby, you fell head over heels in love. Those chipmunk cheeks, wrinkly hands, and their tiny little body have filled your heart with so much joy. You keep trying to memorize every detail before they get bigger – their sweet smell, the way they smile when they’re sleeping, the grunts, and the feel of their hands grasping your fingers. You want to remember every minute of these special days for the rest of your life.
As a new parent, you finally understand why other parents tell you to cherish these first weeks. Your child will grow so quickly. It won’t be long before they transition to a toddler, and you’ll be struggling to remember how soft their skin was, and how their sleepy head seemed to fit perfectly on your shoulder as you rocked them to sleep. That’s where newborn photo sessions come in handy – preserving these precious, fleeting days.
Your newborn’s photography session should be an exciting time for your family. But parents often find themselves worried and anxious about preparing themselves and their babies for the big occasion. With a little planning, you can relax and enjoy the session, knowing all your bases are covered. Years from now, you’ll be glad you booked a newborn photo session so you can stroll back in time to the days when you didn’t have to share your child with the rest of the world.
Follow our top 4 tips to make sure you and your baby have a great session that documents this special time in your lives.
SCHEDULE YOUR SESSION AHEAD OF TIME
Most photographers will only do newborn sessions when infants are between 5 to 14 days old. That’s a small window of time, so you need to be thinking ahead! By scheduling in advance, you and your photographer will be prepared for when your baby decides to make its grand entrance.
Also, scheduling your session ahead of time will make it less likely that your photographer will be fully booked when you call. Waiting until the last minute to schedule your session might mean you won’t get your preferred photographer, and you’ll be stuck shopping based on availability instead of finding a professional who fits your preferred style.
A good time to start the booking process is around your second trimester. Reach out to Deanne Mazzanti Photography and tell us your due date (and answer any other questions they might have). Then, once your sweet baby is born, let us know the exciting news, and you’ll get an exact date for your session.
KEEP YOUR BABY AWAKE BEFORE THE SESSION
It’s no secret that infants sleep a lot. But sometimes, their sleep patterns don’t cooperate with our plans. If you want your little one sacked out during the photo session, so you can get those adorable sleepy newborn poses, keep them up for a while before your photographer arrives.
Making sure you keep your baby awake prior to a session is a great way to guarantee they will sleep through most of it. That will lead to peaceful pictures, instead of ones where they look enraged or red-faced from crying.
FEED YOUR BABY 20-30 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR SESSION
What’s cuter than a milk-drunk infant? (Hint: the answer is nothing!).
Newborns are some of the hungriest creatures on this Earth. You don’t want their photo session disrupted by their frantic cries for milk. Feeding and burping your infant right before your newborn photo session begins means less crying, better sleep, and relaxed parents (and photographer!).
Avoid giving them a full meal in the one to two hours before your session. If they seem hungry, try to give them a small snack to get them through. Then, slightly before your session, you can feed them a full meal and expect a happy, tired baby in return.
Most photo sessions last around two hours, which leaves plenty of time to refuel if your child wakes up expecting a snack. Just make sure to have an extra bottle on hand if you use formula.
UNDRESS TO IMPRESS
About 30 minutes before the session, change your baby’s diaper into a loose (but not too loose), clean diaper and swaddle them. Since most photographers prefer babies to be naked during their session, undressing them beforehand is a timesaver. It also means you won’t disrupt their sleep cycle by trying to get their onesie off. A loose diaper is best because it will avoid creating diaper marks around their waist.
A great way to do this without waking them up once they’ve fallen asleep is to change their diaper, swaddle, and then feed them. You’ll be taking care of everything at once. By breastfeeding (or bottle-feeding), they’ll be able to calm down quickly, and most likely fall asleep immediately after (if not during) their eating time.
Are you worried your newborn is going to get cold? Keep them swaddled until your photographer arrives. They’ll be able to advise you on the next steps before they start taking pictures.
Source: nycnewbornphotography
