FAQs to Help Your Session Day Go Amazing

What is the best age to photograph newborns?

Newborns are best photographed on days 7-17 after birth,  when they have been out long enough to loose a bit of their startle reflex, but young enough that they are still super sleepy.

Where do you photograph newborns?

I have two types of newborn sessions. Studio session and in home lifestyle sessions. If you are looking for organic, clean and an all white session, those are done in the studio. That is also where I have my bag for gentle posing.

What do my baby and I need to wear to our session?

For posed sessions, all you need is your baby! No clothes are needed unless you have something you would like he or she photographed in. Mom and dad should dress natural. Bring two outfits as one may get pooped on. For siblings dress them in natural colors as well.  Jeans (please wash before coming as my furniture is white), white or creme shirts., etc. Ask me for more details about this and we can discuss more options. I have everything in the studio you can possibly imagine for your newborn session. No need to bring anything unless there is something you really want photographed. Please take a look at my portfolio so you know what to expect with the simplicity of the session. I do not use many objects in my photos besides a simple basket, etc., as I believe the baby need to be the focus of the photo and not a prop. I tend to use more neutral colors, with of course the fun color pop or pretty headband, bonnet etc (which I have a ton of). I of course am happy to photograph something if you have something in particular you want to bring, just let me know before our session.

What days do you photograph newborns?

I photograph all newborn sessions on Monday-Thursday and we start at 10am or 1030am. This is the time where you can keep your baby awake long enough before you come to ensure they are sleepy for the session. I do not shoot newborns on weekends as those days are reserved for my family as well as newborn sessions where people are coming in from out of town.  About half of my clients have older siblings which are in school. While I understand you do not want your child missing school, I just ask that you pull them out for the end of the day for your session. I will for sure work around exams, etc.  I just can not accommodate everyone on weekends and we can not shoot later in the afternoon as we loose light. Thanks for understanding and your cooperation.

How do we pick my session day?

I ask that you call or email me in the first 2 days of life so we can pick the best day for your session. There are certain times of the year that I have an influx of newborns and I want to make sure I book them on the best day possible from when they were born.

What can I expect at my session?

When you arrive at your session, I will have the studio set up to start with the shots on the bag. It’s VERY important to read the below info before you come. We will typically do all of the organic baby shots of your baby then move onto family and sibling shots at the end unless we have discussed otherwise.

How long will my session last?

Shoots typically take 2-3 hours depending on if siblings are involved. I always say quality over quantity with newborn sessions. Some babies like to sleep, some do not! We just go with the flow.

On the Day of Your Shoot & a Few Days Before

If at all possible, try to keep her stimulated and awake an hour or so before the session. A bath usually helps in keeping them awake.

It’s best to start on a full belly so feeding her right before you put her in the car seat to head my way is best; please make sure your baby has a good burp before placing her in her car seat so gas doesn’t settle on the drive here. Please dress her in a white or creme solid (or ribbed) short sleeve onesie as we will start with those images.

If you are rushing out the door, I would much rather you be a tad late and feed your baby before you come instead of right when you get there as it helps the gas settle over the drive. Just text or call me and let me know.

Please file the baby’s nails to ensure that they don’t scratch their little faces. The best files are the cheap emery boards you can get Walmart, Target or Walgreens. Because baby’s nails are so thin and fragile, I don’t not recommend you clip them with clippers.

The room will be set between 80-85 degrees for baby so please dress accordingly. I will also play a white noise machine to help with sleeping!

I have water bottles there  but you may want to bring more food in case we are there for a bit. Sessions typically take 2-3 hours even with a very sleepy baby. I work VERY slowly with your baby to ensure she is always cozy and comfortable. There is a sofa in the studio for you, outside of the shooting room and all of our parents take this time to sit back, relax and enjoy having a babysitter for a few hours. 🙂

Feel free to bring your laptop or iPad to watch a movie or play on the internet. We also have a TV with netflix for the kids. We have Wi-Fi for you to use as well. Once you get there, I will totally take over, and only need you for skin to skin during the times your baby may not want to sleep, or for nursing.

Jaundice

If your baby has jaundice or is still yellow from jaundice it is best we wait until it is out of her system. Jaundice is very hard to edit out of skin due to the yellow/red blotchiness it causes as it is leaving their system. Jaundice is typically gone by week 2. If its not just let me know and we can push your session date out. I can photograph up to 4 weeks of age, they will just be a bit more awake.

Gas

If you are breastfeeding and your baby has gas issues (most do), please abstain from eating the following 72 hours before your session; dairy products and caffeine. Babies with reflux we move slower with as once they have an episode it can be hard to be the baby comfortable again. Anything we can do to reduce the chance is great!

Caffeine

Please DO NOT drink caffeine 72 hours prior to your session if you are breastfeeding. I have photographed MANY newborns and have seen a difference in those that are getting caffeine thru mother’s breast milk. Babies who are affected by caffeine tend to be very jumpy, tense and alert.

What to Bring to Your Session

• Pacifier – (if you are comfortable using one) Please bring a Soothie brand pacifier (no animal pacifiers, please). We recommend a Soothie pacifier so it does not leave red rings around baby’s mouth. Even if your baby does not take one from you (specifically if you are nursing, they can smell you and will want to nurse over soothing with a pacifier), they will usually take one from me. A baby’s natural born instinct is to pacify and typically not having a pacifier to help your baby soothe off the breast, will make or break a session. Don’t worry, they won’t get nipple confusion as it’s not a food source.
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Gas drops – To ensure your baby remains comfortable throughout their session, please pack a bottle of gas drops just in case, safe for the newest of babies. I will only ask for gas drops if baby is very uncomfortable and cannot release gas thru self-release or burping.
• Bottled Milk (not required) – If you have introduced a bottle to your baby, this is the preferred method of feeding during the session so we are certain how much baby is receiving (babies tend to wake a lot and root, and they really want to be pacified, not fed, so this way we know we are not overfeeding which causes extreme gas and discomfort). If you are pumping, feel free to bring your pump to the session. We have outlets located near the sofa for your comfort and convenience. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, that’s perfectly fine. We will take breaks as we need to! 🙂