Taking Your Newborn Into The World: A Newborn Photography Session Prep Guide
No one can disagree - newborn babies are such treasures! We love shooting newborns in our studio. We’ve created a little guide to help and guide you through our newborn session, so you’ll feel more comfortable and for us to have a more successful session. Hopefully, you’ll find this useful - and we’ve created a printable PDF file for your reference, which you’ll find at the end of this guide.
What can I expect from a newborn session?
Before Your Session
We recommend you to book us in your third trimester, ideally at week 34-37. This is for us to have a chance to build a comfortable rapport, so you (and your newborn!) will be much more comfortable with us come your session date. We also suggest conducting our newborn session when the baby is 7-14 days old, as this is the time when the baby is at it’s most flexible for posing, as well as being better sleepers.
In addition, we also suggest having your session in the morning, as newborns are most comfortable during that time.
2. During Your Session
A newborn session usually takes about two hours. We ask that you come 30 minutes before your session, so you can feed your baby before our session. Newborns generally feed between 2-3 hours, so feeding them right before the session can help us have a more successful session. If your baby is feeling hungry again during the session, or in any way uncomfortable, we will happily accommodate your baby’s needs and take a break.
Family photos are taken at the end of the session, or at the beginning, if need be, to accommodate your schedule.
3. After Your Session
Within 1-2 weeks after your session, you will be invited back to our studio for a viewing session. This is the time to make your selection, and to tell us any requests for the image edits, as well as any additions to your order, like prints and frames.
Within another 1-2 weeks after your viewing session, your photos will be ready, and any prints will be ready for collection.
This sounds great! Do I need anything else to prepare for in advance?
Things To Bring
We suggest you to bring a pacifier, even if your newborn does not use one. This is because it’s going to be a new environment for the baby, and a pacifier can help make your newborn more comfortable. Aside from that, we also suggest you to bring spare diapers, extra bottles, your baby’s blanket, burp clothes, and any other special items or keepsakes for your baby to use in the session, and/or to make them feel more comfortable. You may also bring your breast pump, and you are welcome to use your pump in our studio.
Nursing Food Guide
If you are breastfeeding your baby, we recommend to keep a bland diet for 24-48 hours before the session to avoid any discomfort for your baby. We suggest comfort staples such as breads, whole grains, potatoes, and pasta. We also suggest you to refrain from citrus / acidic foods (like berries, lemons, chili, and tomato-based products), caffeine, and gassy vegetables (like cabbages, broccoli, onions, and Brussels sprouts), as these can affect your baby and make them uncomfortable.
Family Outfit Guide
We have a collection of clean outfits ready for your newborn here in our studio! These include wraps, hats, bonnets, headbands, and stuffies. We also have multiple backdrops, rugs, wreaths, and an assortment of props. If you also have a specific vision in mind, let us know in advance and we will try to accommodate your request.
As for yourselves and the rest of the family, we suggest solid colours and simple clothing free of any distracting patterns. Keep the clothes in complimentary tones for the family photos. Long pants are suggested, and shoes are optional.