5 Tips to Prepare for your Newborn Photo Session

The key to a smooth photoshoot: prepare for your newborn photoshoot. The moment you saw your baby, you fell head over heels in love. Those chipmunk cheeks, teeny-tiny hands, and their little body have filled your heart with so much joy. You keep trying to remember every detail before they get bigger – their sweet smell, the way they smile when they’re sleeping, the noises, and the feel of their hands grasping your fingers. You want to remember every minute of these special days for the rest of your life.

As a new parent, you finally understand why other parents tell you to cherish these first few weeks. Your child will grow so quickly. It won’t be long before they transition to a toddler, and you’ll be struggling to remember how soft their skin was, and how their sleepy head seemed to fit perfectly on your shoulder as you rocked them to sleep. That’s where newborn photo sessions with Yasmin will come in handy – preserving these precious memories into photos you can show them when they are older. The key to a good experience: prepare for your newborn photoshoot.

Your newborn’s photography session will be an exciting time for your family. But parents often find themselves worried and anxious about preparing themselves and their babies for the big occasion. With a little planning, you can relax and enjoy the session, knowing all your bases are covered. Years from now, you’ll be glad you booked a newborn photo session so you can stroll back in time to the days when you didn’t have to share your child with the rest of the world.

Follow our top five tips to make sure you prepare for your newborn photoshoot with Yasmin, at her Hampshire studio.

CLICK HERE To have a look at examples of a newborn shoot.

SCHEDULE YOUR NEWBORN PHOTOSHOOT AHEAD OF TIME

Yasmin and the team will only do newborn sessions when babies are between 5 to 14 days old. That’s a small window of time, so you need to be thinking ahead!

By scheduling in advance with Yasmin you will be prepared for when your baby decides to make its grand entrance.

Also, scheduling your session ahead of time will make it less likely that Yasmin will be fully booked when you call. A good time to start the booking process is around your second trimester.  

KEEP YOUR BABY AWAKE BEFORE THE SESSION

It’s no secret that babies sleep a lot. But sometimes, their sleep patterns don’t cooperate with our plans. If you want your little one sacked out during the photo session, so you can get those adorable sleepy newborn poses, keep them up for a while before you arrive.

Making sure you keep your baby awake prior to a session is a great way to guarantee they will sleep through most of it. That will lead to peaceful pictures, instead of ones where they look enraged or red-faced from crying.

FEED YOUR BABY 20-30 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR SESSION

Newborns are some of the hungriest creatures on this Earth. You don’t want their photo session disrupted by their frantic cries for milk. Feeding and burping your infant right before your newborn photo session begins means less crying, better sleep, and relaxed parents.

Avoid giving them a full meal in the one to two hours before your session. If they seem hungry, try to give them a small snack to get them through. Then, slightly before your session, you can feed them a full meal and expect a happy, tired baby in return.

Most photo sessions last around two hours, which leaves plenty of time to refuel if your child wakes up expecting a snack. Just make sure to have an extra bottle on hand if you use formula.

UNDRESS TO IMPRESS

About 30 minutes before the session, change your baby’s nappy into a loose (but not too loose), clean nappy, and swaddle them. Yasmin prefers babies to be comfortable during their session, undressing them beforehand is a timesaver. It also means you won’t disrupt their sleep cycle by trying to get their onesie off. A loose nappy is best because it will avoid creating marks around the waist.

A great way to do this without waking them up once they’ve fallen asleep is to change their nappy, swaddle, and then feed them. You’ll be taking care of everything at once. By breastfeeding (or bottle-feeding), they’ll be able to calm down quickly, and most likely fall asleep immediately after (if not during) their eating time.

Are you worried your newborn is going to get cold? Keep them dressed until you arrive. Yasmin will be able to advise you on the next steps before they start taking pictures.

PREPARE FOR YOUR NEWBORN PHOTOSHOOT: TOP TIPS

These top tips will help you to prepare for your newborn photoshoot. You’ll want to have a few things ready — a pacifier, a bottle of formula/breastmilk, a swaddling blanket, and a few clean nappies. If nothing seems to be working to calm your bundle of joy, ask for a break in your session while you try to get things under control.

A few other things you should keep in mind when it comes to your baby’s newborn session are:

• Yasmin will include props, but if there is something, in particular, you want Yasmin to include, let them know.

• Try to keep the volume down to maintain a calm environment. When you get overwhelmed, you and your baby can both feel it. Staying relaxed and quiet will ensure a calm atmosphere.

• Make sure you come prepared to be in a few of the photos. You may not be feeling like a supermodel quite yet, but getting in the photos with your infant will create some lasting memories you’ll both treasure.

• Wear neutral colors like creams, mild tones, and soft hues for intimate portraits.

• It’s best to avoid chunky jewelry and watches, which can be distracting elements and will look dated years from now. Strive for timeless photos that will be staples in your home for decades to come.

• If you want to capture your entire family with your newest addition, the best time to do so is toward the end of the session. Consider having the rest of your family show up at the end, so the noise level from the extra people doesn’t disturb your baby.

Yasmin’s favorite shops for clothes:

Use my favorite shops to help prepare for your newborn photoshoot.

Kids and adults: H&M

Cute kid knits: Zara Kids

Beautiful dresses: Free people

CLICK HERE to contact me, to book your newborn photography session