Newborn Session Information
Congratulations on your new baby! To book a newborn session, contact us 2-3 weeks before your due date. This allows room in the schedule to be set aside for you. Then, once baby arrives, contact us ASAP to finalize a session date/time. The best time to photograph a newborn is in the first 10 days of life, but within the first two weeks is ok. However, after 10-14 days, newborns aren't as sleepy and easy to pose. If you really want those adorable posed, sleepy baby photos, you'll want to schedule your session in the first week of life.
Congratulations on your new baby! To book a newborn session, contact us 2-3 weeks before your due date. This allows room in the schedule to be set aside for you. Then, once baby arrives, contact us ASAP to finalize a session date/time. The best time to photograph a newborn is in the first 10 days of life, but within the first two weeks is ok. However, after 10-14 days, newborns aren't as sleepy and easy to pose. If you really want those adorable posed, sleepy baby photos, you'll want to schedule your session in the first week of life.
A few tips for making the most of your newborn session:
- Sessions take place in Millis, MA unless other arrangements have been made in advance. There is a travel fee for on-location newborn sessions due to the large amount of equipment needed to photograph newborns.
- As soon as you arrive for your session, please loosen your baby’s diaper and remove all clothing. (Just wrap baby loosely in a cozy blanket to keep warm) This gives those little imprint marks time to disappear. (Your baby will be naked in most of the shots, but I pose them so that all private parts are hidden.)
- Most of the images we’ll be shooting work best if the baby is in a deep sleep. To encourage this, we recommend that you do whatever it takes to make sure baby is nice and exhausted. Keeping your little one awake on top of your own sleep deprivation might feel like torture, but it will be worth it in the end!
- A well-fed baby is a happy baby! Please feed and burp baby right before our session to ensure a happy, sleepy (“milk-drunk”) baby. We’ll also be happy to take as many breaks as needed to help him/her re-fuel. It’s tough work being a model!
- Newborn sessions typically take longer than traditional sessions. It all depends on baby’s mood and willingness to sleep. Unfortunately…this isn’t something we can predict! We ask that everyone remain calm, should he/she not want to sleep, since your baby will pick up on any frustration in the room. And if sleep doesn’t happen, that’s okay! Wide-eyed newborn photos are beautiful too.
- We're very experienced and comfortable holding and posing newborns. Your baby is in safe hands, we promise! So yes, feel free to rest and even leave the room for a bit if you’d like. We’ve had clients who’ve used this time to take a nap, check email, go for a walk…all totally acceptable! And if you’re most comfortable and relaxed watching the whole session, that’s ok too.
- In case you missed that, relax! Moms tend to stress out because this is a new experience…and they aren’t used to the waiting game that is newborn photography. They see their baby being fussy or having a difficult time getting settled and panic. “This is a disaster! They aren’t going to get ANY good photos!” It isn’t, and we will! We take the baby’s lead; getting them to sleep before posing takes time and they may need to be fed or cuddled a few times first. In fact, we'd say that a good 50% of your session will involve feeding, diaper changes, and cuddling to get baby comfortable. If that doesn’t work, we’ll take a break or we’ll work with what baby is giving us. Sometimes the best photos happen when baby isn’t doing what we want. Just remember: Babies can sense stress and anxiety (especially from their mommy’s!) It’s super important that EVERYONE remain calm and relaxed during this session. Keeping the environment as mellow as possible is pretty much the only way we’re going to get the shots we’re looking for.
- Your baby is going to be in the buff for the majority of this shoot. Please don’t panic if your baby decides to use our blankets (or us) as his/her own personal potty. This is natural and we expect it! When it happens, trust us, it won’t have been the first time. Please don’t feel embarrassed or worry when this happens, because they all do it. We wash all of our baby props and blankets between each session with non-scented baby detergent. (This is why we only schedule one newborn session per day)
- We have a collection of bowls, baskets, blankets and headbands that we’ll be using during your session. You are also, of course, welcome to bring any of your own props. Look for items with texture and color to help make your images unique. If you have any family heirlooms, toys, hats, props, etc. that you would like me to use in your session, please bring them. We may not get the chance to use ALL of the items, but we’ll look through them with you to determine what will work best.
- As a mother, your smell is so recognizable to your baby; it may be necessary for mom to step back for a portion of the session if baby is especially fussy (but has been fed well). This is not meant to hurt your feelings, only to allow us to help the get baby thinking sweet, sleepy thoughts…instead of “where’s my milk?!”
- Questions? Please ask!!! Having a newborn is a wonderful experience but also often a very stressful one. We're coming to your home to make it easier for you to capture beautiful newborn photos. It should not be stressful for you. If you’re worried about anything…even something that seems silly…please please please don’t hesitate to ask us. There is no such thing as a stupid question. We have a deep passion for newborn photography, so we love answering questions.
