Congratulations!
You just welcomed into your family a new member thence you decided to book a photographer to capture your newborn baby and you decided to go for a lifestyle portrait session, at home.
As excited as it can be, there might be many questions popping up in every parents mind when getting ready for it, therefore I thought to help you getting ready for your first photo shoot as a family.
1: Diapers, Diapers and… more diapers. Along with… wipes:accident can happen so it is always better to have everything ready at your fingertips at the room(s) where the photoshoot is taking place;
2: Prepare 3/4 different outfits: as previously said, accident may happen at any times, especially if you would like to have you baby portrayed naked with you, you never know when something could slip out. This doesn’t have to mean that you need to have your family session captured with stain on you, a quick change can save a lot of beautiful photos;
3: Keep the baby calm with a dummy/pacifier: between the noise and props, the baby could become a bit fussy. For this reason, even if you are not using dummies normally, it is better to have it at hand only for this time. It will really help the session go smoothly;
4: Have everything ready to feed him or her: whether you are nursing or not, it is always better to have few bottles next to you.
5: Make sure the baby is well fed when starting the session: this could be tricky but ideally you should feed your baby half an hour before the beginning of the session. This will make sure to have your baby as relaxed as possible (let’s be honest, even adults feel grumpy when hungry) and, especially when they are few days old, a full belly helps the newborn stay sleepy.
6: Prepare some props that are meaningful to you and your family: this could be a family heirloom, an accessory or even a whole outfit. Remember this portrait is important for you as parent but also for your baby when will be older to look back at, and I find it very sweet to freeze the memory of a teddy bear or that pair of socks the grandmother sent over as present.
Bonus tip: Newborn could have a bad rush flourishing within the first few weeks of their lives, this is caused by the sudden disappearance of some mother’s hormones, but fear not: there is no need to cancel or postpone, simply let your photographer know and will sort it out.
You are now off for a relaxed and comfortable photo session with your newborn baby, ready to have that teeny tiny hands and feet captured before they grow, and a positive experience is the best way to preserve such a lovely memory of your family.
