HOW TO PREPARE
For your Newborn Session
I photograph babies between 5 and 15 days old. Please contact me when you know your due date and we will set your session date ‘in pencil’. This date is not set in stone as babies come when they want to. Call, text or email me when your baby is born so we can set your true session date. If you are breastfeeding then please avoid gassy food 48 hours prior to your session.
Session length
My newborn sessions take between 2 and 5 hours, depending on the package you choose.
It will be hot in my studio, I turn the heat up before you arrive and I also have a little portable heater I use in the direction that baby will be. Babies hate to be cold, many of the shots are of them naked. A warm naked baby is a happy baby. So please be warned that you may get hot as well, bring some light clothes to change into.
Feeding & Dressing Baby
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Baby needs to be fed as much as possible during the 12 hours before your session. This will allow them to sleep as deeply and long as possible.
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Play and interact with your baby to keep them awake for 1-2 hours prior to your session. Great tips to keep them awake are giving baby a bath or undress them and keep them naked. This will ensure they are very sleepy while they are here.
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Please don’t feed baby until you get to my studio. This works best because if you feed your baby before you come here they will start their sleep cycle while in the car seat. We don’t want that, we want baby to do that at the studio. If baby is formula fed then bring additional formula and bottles.
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Dress baby in loose fitting clothes to avoid any lines on the skin. Avoid onesies or anything that we have to pull over the baby’s head. Sleepers work best.
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Avoid putting baby oil on the skin before coming, as oily skin is very shiny and can not be edited. If the baby had dry skin just apply a small amount of lotion.
What to Bring
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diapers (available also in the studio)
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wipes (available also in the studio)
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2-3 receiving blankets to wrap baby in between sets (available also in the studio)
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pacifier *please do not forget this, even if you don’t want to use one for your baby, buy one just for the session. It’s needed during the shoot as sometimes baby just wants to suck for 2 minutes while in a pose and will fall back asleep. I recommend the ‘Soothie” kind, see below, as they don’t seem to leave marks on babies skin like the other types.
Props
In my little studio I have a variety of props.
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Blankets
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Wraps
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Headbands
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Tutu’s
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Knit animal hats and diaper covers
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Baskets
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Buckets
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Moon, plane, wheel barrel…
Clothing for Newborn Family shots
If you are including photo’s of parents/siblings into your session then please keep clothing simple. No stripes, patterns or big logos. Feel free to wear whatever color scheme you like. Both light and dark work well. I like softer colors but if you prefer moodier and darker images than dark tops work perfectly. Little girls in dresses and little boys, jeans and solid t’s. I like bare feet as well.
What happens after
It will take 2 to 3 weeks to edit the gallery. The gallery will contain enough images to let you have a choice. The viewing will be trough an on line gallery. The images will be delivered via We Transfer.