Lifestyle Newborn Session: What to Expect
How do you decide if a lifestyle newborn session is for you, and what to expect once you do? Capturing images with your new arrival is vital to ensure you *do* have these memories forever! Thinking about a newborn session can be overwhelming. A lifestyle session with lifestyle baby photographers, Katie Corinne Photography, is the perfect solution–at home, in your comfort area, capturing life as it really looks! Once you’ve decided that this is perfect for you, here are five (5) simple tips to schedule and plan for the session!
Tip #1: Book the session BEFORE baby if you can!
Babies are so sleepy and squishy the first two weeks on the outside, it’s the prime time for these precious sessions! If you book the session before you give birth, you ensure that the session will happen, and that the photographer has allocated the time for the session! Just let your photographer know when the baby arrives so the exact date and time can be set!
Tip #2: Outfit selection
Another thing you can do before your lifestyle newborn session (or even before baby arrives) is pick out clothing for the family. With clothing, think simplicity. Solid/coordinated colors are good, and classic pieces will help these pictures feel timeless. Be careful of any jewelry (necklaces, earrings) or zippers/buttons that could hurt baby in snuggly positions. In the end though, the pictures need to look like you. So if you have a signature piece, or a specific look that reflects your family, do it. Also, make sure to have two outfits on hand…spit up (and more) happens! Baby can be in a special outfit, naked, or a coordinated swaddle wrap. This can be discussed when you book your session! Typically, the photographer will only bring just a few wraps to potentially use. For more ideas, see my blog post about: Newborn Session – What to Wear
Tip #3: Prepare Your Home
If you’ve decided to have a lifestyle session, you’ll want to remove any stress about the photographed environment on your session day! Don’t be afraid to ask for help from spouses, children, or inlaws. However, don’t overdo things if you don’t feel up to cleaning. The photos will likely center on three main areas, so focus on cleaning up these areas: the bed (Master, usually), nursery, and a couch/living space. The photographer will determine which spaces have the best natural lighting. Warming up the house (75 degrees!) is often a good idea if naked pictures are planned. Think about bumping up the heat 30-60 minutes before the session.
Tip #4: Prepare the Baby
This is the part that seems the hardest, but with a few simple guidelines, it’s easy! A few days before your session, if you are breastfeeding, try to avoid spicy, gassy or different foods and try to limit caffeine intake. On the session day, the baby will do best if it’s hungry and sleepy right before the photographer arrives. So try to time the feeding close to the appointment time. It is okay to start feeding the baby approx. 10 minutes from the start of the session, if you’ve verified the arrival time of the photographer. We’re looking for milk-drunk babies for the peaceful sleeping pictures! Make sure to have extra milk or formula on hand in case the baby wakes and is hungry later. Giving baby a bath the day before the session is a good idea (instead of on the day). This avoids any risk of skin upset or rash day-of, but make sure to do whatever will help baby relax and sleep best during the session.
Tip 5: Prepare yourselves!
These things can seem overwhelming, but by following the simple tricks listed above, you should be able to plan well for your session. Well-before your session, consider any momentos, heirlooms, or special activities you would like photographed. Make sure the photographer is aware of them before the session if possible. If siblings (or furbabies) are going to be in the pictures, those photos will be done first usually to accommodate short attention spans 🙂 Be sure to give any young siblings naps and have favorite snacks ready for incentives.
These sessions can sometimes be long, and it’s easy to worry about getting “the” picture. Instead, try to focus on enjoying the process and the session. If there is some down time, look for a way to relax or unwind while the photographer is working with the sleeping baby…this is meant to be as low-stress as possible for everyone. Lifestyle in-home sessions normally take around 90 minutes.
And lastly, please make sure to communicate any special circumstances to your photographer before they arrive…anything that might be a consideration to the session: mobility, c-section issues, birth trauma, surgery, oxygen, circumcision, etc.
That’s it, the next “step” is just to remember how sweet your little baby was each time you look at your precious pictures!
If you want a handy guide to save, here is a reminder newborn
guide for you
Katie Corinne Photography are lifestyle newborn photographers in Colorado Springs. I
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