5 Newborn Photo Session Tips

Having a newborn is special. Your days are filled with sweet yawns, happy smiles and moments of awe. But, the time you have with your newborn is short. Before you know it, you will be wiping peanut butter from your curtains and chasing monsters out from under your toddler’s bed. So, how do you capture that special three months when life is just beginning? With a newborn photo session, of course.

To help you with this process, I’m sharing 5 newborn photo session tips regarding what you will need to keep handy.

5 Newborn Photo Session Tips to Help You Prepare

newborn baby hands photography1. Light Clothing

Prior to the session, be sure your baby is dressed in clothing that is easy to remove and will not wake them upon removal. Better yet, have only a loose fitting diaper on and wrap them in a blanket. This way, the baby can be minimally disturbed when preparing them for the camera.

newborn baby and mother bonding

2. A Warm Space

Start by making sure your baby will be comfortable throughout the photo session. This means you should warm up your home and create a space that will be comfortable and warm for your baby. Doing so will help keep your baby relaxed and happy throughout the photo session.

newborn baby sleeping

3. Necessities

You will also need to have handy any necessities to care for your baby during the session. This could be bottles and formula, soft blankets and pacifiers. Diapers and warm wipes are good to have too. Cold wipes can startle babies.

newborn baby in crib and baby held by dad

4. Soothing Items

Sometimes babies can become a little fussy during the photo session. For this reason, I recommend having soothing items nearby, like a pacifier, toy, blanket or white noise sound machine. Also, I always encourage feedings during my sessions. Anything to keep baby happy and relaxed.

Newborn baby lips and hands

5. Relax

Along with all the things you need for your baby, make sure you remember to relax at the same time. Babies can pick up on tension so being calm is a great way to keep your your baby relaxed too!

Newborns grow and change so quickly. They really can look very different from one week to the next. These tips will help you have a successful newborn photo session and help you capture those precious first moments to enjoy for years to come.

Interested in an in-home newborn session? I would love to hear from you!

I'm Erika and I am a maternity, newborn, and family photographer based near Wilmington, NC. I'm also a mom to two cutie boys, lover of backyard gardening, candles, chocolate and Amazon Prime.

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