The sweet moments captured when your baby is just a few days old are pictures you will cherish for the rest of your life. Those first few days of life are perfect for capturing the sleepy innocence of your little bundle, but these photo shoots aren’t as easy as laying your baby down and snapping pictures. Most newborns prefer to be snuggled up in their mother’s arms and not lying alone with a variety of props. To have a successful newborn photo shoot, prepare your baby ahead of time.
Schedule the Photos for the First Week of Life
The first seven days post-birth, your baby will want to stay in a position closely resembling how they were folded up in their womb. Around day seven or eight, they start to stretch out and explore the use of their limbs. This is when they start to become a little more alert and are less amenable to being set down and positioned into various positions. Take advantage of the deep sleep your baby seems to constantly be in during the first seven days of their life. Not only is it easier on your baby, it makes for the sweetest pictures.
Warm Up Your House
Your baby has spent nine months in a consistent 98.6 degrees environment. All newborn babies want to be warm and snuggly, and who can blame them? Since your baby will be probably be in just a diaper or naked for most of these pictures, it’s important to have your home toasty. Turn the heat up a bit warmer than you normally do so your baby is cozy and warm for the entire session.
Start on a Full Tummy
The best way to get a newborn baby to sleep? Food! Fill that sweet little tummy up with plenty of milk. A well-fed newborn is a sleepy newborn, and this combination will help the photo session fly right by. Not only will they sleep better, what’s cuter than a milk drunk baby?
Plan Your Props Ahead of Time
Most photographers will bring a series of cute props to your session, but if you have special heirloom pieces or anything of significance for your photos, have them organized ahead of time. If you can let your photographer know ahead of time what you’re planning on including, they’ll be able to brainstorm ways to incorporate these items before your session begins.
Clear Your Day’s Schedule
A newborn photo shoot can take as long as four hours. This allows time for a hungry baby, messy diapers, or general newborn fussiness. Your photographer will be patient because they understand newborn babies have needs regardless of how sleepy they are. Make sure you set aside at least half of a day for your photo shoot so you don’t feel rushed.
Knowing what a newborn photo session entails makes the entire process go as smoothly as possible. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Remember to relax, smile, and cherish these memories!
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