When you book me for your lifestyle newborn session, the last thing I want to happen is to add stress. I actually want the opposite and want you to have a relaxed newborn session!
You’ve just had a baby that has maybe been home for a week or two. You might have a toddler sibling that is still getting used to the routine and that there is this crying baby that doesn’t know how to control their voice or emotions. Maybe it’s your first child and you want to have this special time documented and want to be in the photos too. I am excited to share with you a few things we can do for a relaxed newborn session.
3 Steps to a Relaxed Newborn Session
capture the details
When you are preparing to have your new baby, you are also preparing the baby’s nursery. I’ve come across so many really amazing nurseries that have had so much time and energy put into them to look special. This can include special toys or handmade items from family members and friends, it can include a special theme, and it can also include special photos of family. With the wide range of what can be included in a nursery, I think it’s really important to make sure to capture the details, and I can’t leave the nursery details off the list.
Capturing the details also means making sure you know how small your child is in his or her nursery, or the way they stretch when they are getting out of the swaddle.
And of course, getting detail shots of the baby’s hands, feet, and their head of hair.
Don’t Rush
We know during our lifestyle newborn session we want photos. We want a photo of your new baby in her new dress or his new outfit. We know we want family members, and we know we want to document this special time. One thing that holds us back a little bit with our agenda is that
the baby will do what he or she wants to do, when they want to do it. We can’t rush! We have to be able to go with the flow.
Newborn babies need to be fed, they need to be changed, and they get cold. They are still figuring out this world and how to communicate. That is totally fine! We don’t want to rush these newborn sessions because they are lifestyle in nature. I like to allocate about two hours for newborn shoots which gives us enough time for the breaks. When these things naturally happen, I am there to photograph them!
Be Flexible
I am kind of already saying this as I’m thinking about how to be relaxed for your newborn session, we also have to be flexible. We might think that we are going to change the baby into his new outfit and realize he had another idea and needs to be soothed and settled before trying to put him into this outfit that he doesn’t really care about. What I like to do at this time is continue chatting with the family. If there are siblings, I like to spend time with them and get them engaged in an activity. Maybe big sister wants to show me her new bedspread in her room. I’m going to follow her and take some photos while I’m in there!
We definitely have a plan to have this lifestyle newborn session but sometimes things happen and being flexible will definitely help to be more relaxed at what can be this crazy time of your life!
Think you might be interested in booking a lifestyle newborn session? Check out my newborn portfolio and then send me a message on my contact form and we will get your session scheduled!
