Newborn photography can be incredibly challenging, but it's so amazing to be a part of a baby's life in those first few days. There's some prep and planning involved to make the shoot more successful so we have compiled a list to help us get the most out of your newborn session.

Let's Pencil You In: I know that a baby's birthday can be unpredictable. It's best to contact us during your second trimester so we can pencil you in. It's great if you can add me to the "when baby is born" list of people to notify, too! That way I will have a better idea of when you'll need to book your session.

Booking your session: Newborn sessions are most successful when done within the first 2 weeks of birth. Most of the poses will be done while baby is sleeping and we will be posing them in those cute curled-up newborn positions. They must be sleepy enough for us to handle them. After the first 14 days of life they become a bit more alert and discover the joy of stretching! They're less likely to be sleeping deeply enough to be scrunched into those cute posing positions.

Loosen the diaper: About 30 minutes before your session, please loosen baby's diaper and any clothing with waist bands that could leave those little imprint marks on their skin. Loosening them before gives them time to disappear.

The Nitty Gritty: Poop happens! Please don't be upset or feel bad if baby decides it's time to go potty when he/she is in the buff and being photographed! This is totally natural and it's just part of the job. It would definitely be helpful if you had a stack of old towels, extra wipes and blankets available for when things get messy, though.

Hungry?: A well fed baby is a happy baby. Please feed and burp baby right before our session. This will ensure a nice sleepy "milk drunk" babe. I am also happy to take as many breaks as baby needs. If he or she gets hungry during a shoot it's no problem. It's tough work being a model!

Lifestyle session in your home: A lot of people decide to take a more candid approach to their baby's first photo session. These shoots take place in your home. I will arrive 30 mins before the session time so I can set up and find the best light and areas to shoot.

The most important thing? Relax! Bringing a new baby in the world is tiring and can sometimes be stressful. We are very experienced handling and posing newborns. Your baby is in safe hands! It can sometimes be helpful if mom steps away when baby is hard to settle. Their little noses know moms scent and it can be hard for them to relax if they want to be in your arms.

Warm it up: Crank the heat! It's super important that your babe feel all toasty when we are doing naked poses (if you so choose to have any). If they're cold they're likely going to be awake/upset. I ask that the thermostat be about at least 72 degrees. 

Volume: Manage noise. Please do whatever you can to keep the noise at a minimum during our session. If you have noisy pets please make plans to keep them quiet during the shoot. If you have other children it can be helpful to have a sitter or family member plan to take them out for a few hours. 

Clutter: Declutter the areas where you'd like the shoot to take place. We will also need some nice natural light so please make sure there are some windows nearby. Open all the curtains before our arrival. We can also bring some lighting with us just in case, but I prefer natural light when possible

Timing: It can typically take a little longer than expected for our lifestyle newborn sessions. Please make plans to spend at least 1.5 hours time with me. The baby is in charge so we like to give enough time for feeding, cuddles and calming baby. We want this experience to be as stress free as possible.