How To Prepare For A Newborn Session

Welcoming a new baby is such an exciting time for a growing family! A precious new baby brings so much joy–and yes, a whole new idea of what “well-rested” means for parents. New parents experience so many emotions, and amidst all of the joy of bringing home a new baby, there’s a whole lot of adjusting going on! That’s why it’s key to prepare for a newborn session, so that you can relax and enjoy it as much as possible. Over the years I’ve learned the best ways to help parents have the best experience you can.

Here are my best newborn session prep tips to help you and your family have a great time at your newborn session - and get images you’ll treasure forever!

Scheduling Your Newborn Session

First thing’s first! Scheduling is the step one to prepare for a newborn session. There’s no hard fast rule on when you should schedule your newborn session. But, I suggest planning your newborn session within the first 2-4 weeks after your new baby arrives.

I can’t stress enough, though, that baby and mama’s well-being come first when it comes to scheduling your newborn session. Setting up a tentative session date will put your family on my calendar and help you plan. But what matters is that everyone is doing well at home, first. Once your date is on the calendar, we can always adjust to make sure you’re comfortable.

Once the baby arrives, I’ll reach out to see how you’re doing and to touch base on our planned date. I’ve done sessions with newborns up to two months old - A ways out from that suggested 2-4 week window, but you know what? The family was just as happy, and everyone was feeling good and ready.

Your scheduled session will last about 60 to 90 minutes, allowing for plenty of time to break for baby feedings, diaper and outfit changes, or breathers for your family.

Mentally Prepare - and Give Yourself Some Grace

Like I said, to prepare for a newborn session, the most important thing is that you’re feeling comfortable and mentally ready. Bringing home a new baby is so exciting and wonderful, but at the same time, it’s a big adjustment period for your family! Whether it’s your first baby or your 4th, every family experiences some changes when you welcome your tiniest new member.

So, make sure you feel good about having me come over for your newborn session. It might be a long time before you feel completely well rested or totally ready, but the last thing I want is for a new mom to feel overly stressed or overwhelmed by a newborn session. We can always move our session around if needed.

Also, try to be flexible! The most perfectly laid plans don’t always go exactly as we want: Whether it’s a case of your baby spitting up on that gorgeous swaddle you got just for your newborn season, or your toddler just not having it that day. Give yourself some grace, and remember, I’m there to capture these beautiful chaotic moments.

I’m not there to photograph your home for Architectural Digest. and/or I’ve never had a toddler that fully cooperated. That’s part of the fun! There’s nothing we can’t work around, and what matters most is that you try to enjoy this experience.

Preparing Your Space

You don’t have to do a big deep clean of your home to prepare for a newborn session! You just had a baby and the last thing on your mind should be feeling like you have to prepare for company. (I’ve been there, I know!) Your house does NOT have to be sparkling and Pinterest ready by any means. I’ll move things around to capture the special space or part of your home where we do your newborn session.

When I visit your home for your newborn session, we will likely shoot in the nursery, master bedroom, and living room. Depending on which rooms have the best natural light, we might be in just one or two of those spaces. We’ll open your blinds and curtains to let in as much natural light as possible, so the areas by the windows are good spots to do a sweep for anything you don’t want photographed.

White or neutral-toned duvet covers photograph beautifully in those naturally-lit images: Especially baby portraits. so I recommend putting those out if you have them. Or, you can use a duvet insert instead of a cover, or relay a nice light quilt over the couch or bed. Reason being, those lighter fabrics reflect light on your faces and create that timeless and bright glow in your pictures!

Dressing Your Family

Please, please don’t stress about what everyone will wear in your photos. To prepare for a newborn session and plan your outfits, I recommend keeping things very simple and comfortable.

WEAR LIGHT & NEUTRAL COLORS With Darker Colors as accents

Light, pale, and neutral colors photograph beautifully. While it’s nice to coordinate colors for your family so everyone is in similar tones and styles, don’t worry about getting too matchy matchy. Try picking two main colors and then adding a third color as an accent or for a pop of color to add contrast or a deeper tone! Stay away from fluorescent or really bright colors, though. They tend to be a distraction from your faces in the photos!

USE LAYERS

A great way to add some depth and texture to your clothes is to layer your pieces and accessories. Once you’ve decided on those couple of colors your family will be wearing, consider how you can use vests, scarves, hats, ties, belts, and suspenders (among other items) to enhance your outfits.

PRIORITIZE BEING COMFORTABLE!

You have a new baby at home, you’re likely a bit tired or exhausted, and you’re at home with your family. Forget tight or uncomfortable clothing! High heels and restrictive pieces might look nice, but you’ll have a much better experience at your newborn session if you can move around and feel good. Plus, that comfort will show up in your images!

FLOWY PIECES ARE PERFECT FOR THE LADIES

Light and flowy dresses or tops are beautiful on women and girls. Not only are they comfortable, feminine, and pretty, but they’re perfect for your newborn session photos! Flowy pieces show motion and move with you, adding dimension and life to your images.

PLAIN PIECES ARE FLATTERING FOR THE GUYS

When it comes to the grownup and little gentlemen in your family, plain V-neck tees and sweaters are always flattering. Not only do they photograph well, but these simple pieces are also relatively easy to find and in a variety of colors.

STAY AWAY FROM BRANDED ATTIRE

Your family might love your Bears, or the latest popular Disney princess, but your newborn session isn’t the time to showcase your gear! You want your newborn images to be timeless, and the quickest way to date them is to wear clothes with words or logos.

DRESSING BABY

Your newborn’s sweet little face is the star of this show, so there is no need to spend too much time or money on fancy or trendy outfits for them. In fact, I prefer babies to be dressed very simply. Plain onesies, muslin swaddles, or even just a diaper are perfect for their newborn session. Here are a few of my favorite newborn stores you might consider shopping for the littlest member of your family!

USE MY STYLING SERVICE

All of my newborn sessions include access to Style and Select, a styling service. It’s a great resource for finding outfit inspiration and creating combinations for your whole family.

Getting Everyone Ready

Working with newborns can be unpredictable – they don’t know they’re the star of a photoshoot! But there are a few things you can do to prepare for a newborn session and make it a good experience for everyone.

First, be sure to feed the baby right before I arrive at your home. A full baby is a happy baby! Plus, then we can dive into getting started relatively quickly. Just don’t put on their outfit(s) until I get there: It’s a good way to prevent that spit-up scenario I mentioned before.

If you have other small children, give them some R&R time before the session begins. Let them have some downtime and relax so they’re (hopefully) in good spirits! It can also be really nice to have a friend or family member play with them for the last 30 minutes of your newborn session while I get photos of just parents and baby.

In fact, having a friend or family member around can also be nice before your session. Consider having someone there to help out while you’re getting ready, so that you can feel your best and ready for a great experience!

Don’t forget: There will be a lot of emotions during your session, and I know it can be tough for moms to not want everything to be “perfect.” I’ll follow your baby’s lead and adjust along the way! If they cry, poop, or puke, know this. 1. I’m a mom, I’ve been there. And, 2. All you need to do is focus on loving and snuggling your baby. I’ll do the rest to create the pieces of art you’ll cherish forever!

Schedule Your Newborn Session!

I’d love to help your family capture precious moments with your new baby. Contact me to learn more about scheduling a newborn session with me and documenting your family’s authentic life moments together!

A special shout out to my friend, Jen (@jen.naye), for inviting me to capture these beautiful moments with her family!