Newborn Photography Tips: How to prepare for your newborn session

When you have your newborn photography session scheduled, it’s natural to feel excited but also a bit anxious about making sure everything goes smoothly. You might find yourself wondering if there’s anything you can do to prepare for the session and make the experience as stress-free as possible. I have compiled a list of tips on how to prepare for your newborn photography session. As a Connecticut Newborn Photographer with over 15 years of experience, I provide these tips to all my clients.

Newborn Photography Tips

Here are a few things to do to help your newborn photography session run smoothly the day of the session:

– Before your newborn photography session, make sure your baby has a full belly. Depending on how close you live to the studio, your photographer may ask you to feed your baby before you arrive, or they may schedule extra time at the beginning of the session for feeding. This will help ensure that your baby is comfortable, well-fed, and ready to sleep during the session..

-Keep your newborn awake for 2 hours before the session. This can be done by engaging your baby, giving them a bath, etc. This will help to ensure the baby is very sleepy during the session.

-When breastfeeding, it’s important to be mindful of your diet as certain foods can affect your baby. Acidic and spicy foods have the potential to cause discomfort to your baby’s stomach during feeding sessions. Therefore, it’s best to avoid consuming such foods 24-48 hours prior to your session.

– Wear light clothing to the newborn photography studio. The studio will be warm, with a temperature of around 80-85 degrees, to ensure the baby’s comfort and to prevent them from getting cold. The warmth may cause adults to feel hot and sweaty if they’re not used to it. Therefore, it’s recommended to wear light clothing to avoid getting too warm while in the studio.

– Make sure to bring a pacifier along. Many babies may not be hungry but need to be comforted. One of the most soothing things for newborns is sucking. It calms them and allows them to satisfy their instincts while your photography gently poses them. The pacifier I highly recommend is the Soothie as it is less frills to have to juggle along with your baby.

-Plan your outfits in advance and lay them out the night before. Keep the outfits simple and coordinate the colors instead of matching. Avoid black, white, and busy patterns. For family photos, focus on the waist up. The baby will be naked or wrapped, so no need to worry about their clothing. Siblings should be barefoot.

–Lastly, the most important step: Relax. Babies can sense your energy, and if you’re stressed, they feel stressed too. Come to the studio ready to relax and enjoy watching your newborn being cutely posed and photographed. This is a moment to cherish.

After learning how to prepare for your newborn photography session are you ready to book your newborn session with Elizabeth Frederick Photography? Use the contact form below, or email me at Liz@ElizabethFrederickPhotography.com