When to Schedule: Newborn sessions MUST be scheduled within the first 7 days of life. The Sooner the better! After day 8 most babies tend to be more alert making some poses difficult to accomplish. Once baby is born, please have someone text me from the hospital and I will set up your time and day. Sessions take place Monday-Thursday at 11am. Exceptions may be made for special circumstances.
The Day Before: Do not schedule vaccinations the day of or the day before. This can lead to cranky & unhappy baby on the day of the session.
Session Day:
*Please dress baby in loose clothes in order to prevent marks on the skin. NO hats or socks before the session please. Please loosen diaper on the way to the session. If possible please dress baby in outfit that does not require me to remove over head. This will help keep baby asleep.
* Room will be heated to make baby comfortable. I encourage parents to please dress in light fabric in order to be comfortable in the warm room.
*Most of the images work best if the baby is in a deep sleep. To encourage this, I recommend that you do whatever it takes to make sure baby is nice and exhausted.
*A well fed baby is a happy baby! Please feed & burp baby right before our session to ensure a happy, sleepy (“milk drunk”) baby. I will take as many breaks as needed to help him/her re-fuel.
* If you have children, and would like them to be included in some photos, I recommend bringing them in at the beginning or end of a session, and then having someone take them. Only those being photographed should be present to help maintain a calm environment.
What To Bring:
*Extra milk/formula
*Extra diapers & wipes
*Pacifier
*Any special blankets or props
*Snacks & water for parents
Mom:
*I know! You just had a baby and aren’t feeling your best. If you will be in the photos, then this is the perfect time to pamper yourself! Go have your hair & makeup done! Looking super relaxed & at your best will make you feel more comfortable during the session. This is the most exciting time of your life, and I want to capture it. As far as clothing? Keep it simple. Please skip the busy patterns. For moms, I suggest white or cream cotton knit cami, and knit tops. Skin-on-skin portraits are beautiful and timeless with you holding your baby against you. For portraits like this, I suggest a strapless top or tube top as an alternative.
Dad:
*Your hands will play a major role in this session, so it’s important that you have them clipped & cleaned. Please use lotion on dry hands and arms. Also, white or cream long or short-sleeved knits are best. (Make sure shirt isn’t too baggy in the sleeves.) Undershirts also work well. Please make sure your t-shirts are free of logos or busy patterns. *Wrinkles do show up in photos, so please make sure all clothing is ironed or steamed.
PATIENCE IS KEY:
*Newborn sessions can last anywhere from 2-3 hours. It all depends on baby’s mood, and willingness to sleep. Unfortunately…this isn’t something we can predict. If sleep doesn’t happen, that’s okay! Wide-eyed newborn photos are beautiful too.
*I 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.