Newborn Session Tips and things to consider

Booking: When scheduling for your newborn session I reserve a time frame around your due date. I must know this in advance. Then once you have your baby, you or your spouse must email me and we will schedule a time and date. If your baby is born early we will wait a little bit. It depends on how early, but we will schedule close to it’s original due date.

 

When: Newborn sessions are usually taken when the baby is 5-10 days old. You do not want to choose a day when the baby will be having shots/going to the doctor, even the day before. If the baby arrives early and needs time to grow we can wait. But if the baby arrives early and is of good weight and healthy we can still schedule within the 5-10 day range. If you are choosing to breast feed, I am including a guide that can help reduce gas for its session.
 
Arrival: The time I arrive is based off of your feeding schedule. The time you choose for my arrival is when you will feed the baby. This gives me time to set up my equipment and be ready by the time the baby is ready to be wrapped and rocked to sleep. You typically will not know this until you’ve been home with the baby a few days. You’ll contact me a few days before your session to set an arrival time. On the day of I will be in contact with you to let you know when I am on my way.  
 
Length of Session: How long your session is depends on your baby.  Most sessions will last around 2 hours, but could depend on how well the baby sleeps and how well any older sibling cooperates. Babies get over stimulated during their session and will eat more than normal. Please plan for extra feedings. Hopefully we can time it right where we won’t need to stop and feed in the middle, but you just never know.
 
Calming Baby: Having a pacifier is really helpful during transitions. A regular pacifier is best. If you are choosing not to use a pacifier, I completely understand your choice, however your baby will not become attached to a pacifier during that short period of time. Some alternatives I can use are a bottle nipple or a parents knuckle.
 
Cozy House: You will want your house warmer than normal so the baby is comfortable and will sleep better.  You can shut the vents in the rooms we’ll be in and/or raise your temperature. 
 
Older Sibling(s): If have other children, it can be very helpful to have an extra person to be able to tend to your other children. That way you will be able to focus on just your newborn. It can take up more time than you think to stop and go get a snack or water or potty etc.
 
Baby Skin: Please try and keep mittens on your baby’s hands. This will help prevent scratches on the face or skin. All babies have skin that will flake. It can help to bathe your baby and then apply Eucerin or other natural oil to their skin to soften the flakes. If your baby gets baby acne, cool washcloths will help. Please keep lotion on your baby’s skin to help reduce dry skin, it will show in your photos.
 
Sleepy Baby: We want your baby to sleep through the session as much as possible. Some ways to help that are feeding right before we start, keeping the house warm and giving a bath in the morning of your session can help tire them out.
 
Clothing: I have several different colored wraps and a few newborn outfits. Any item used during a session gets washed in Tide Free & Clear detergent. I do not use newborn clothes unless it is an outfit important to you. They tend to bulk up and not photograph well. Please dress your baby in a button up onesie. Having to take clothes off over their head will upset them.
 
You are more than welcome to use/purchase newborn outfits if you have a special one you want to use. Most importantly please make sure it is sized for only newborn, no 0-3 or 0-6. Those sizes are too large for newborns, your baby will be swimming in it and that is not something I can photoshop out. Also, please limit the outfits to one or two, we won’t have time for any more than that.