You tiny miracle has arrived! She opened her eyes and saw the outside world for the first time just hours ago and unknowingly changed your world forever. Whether this is your first time parenting a newborn or your fifth (or more!), the little details of those first few weeks should be captured. The wrinkles in her back. The baby fuzz on his arms. The wonderful way they still curl up like they were when inside you just days ago. Around 2 weeks of age, all those indicators of their journey into the world begin to vanish. The rapid development is exactly why it’s so important to have their newborn features captured as soon as possible after your baby’s entry into the world!
I always recommend that your photographer for your newborn is chosen before your pregnancy reaches the eighth month– I pencil in your baby’s due date and once your little one arrives we will finalize the session date. Because labor isn’t known for being predictable, I always keep a few different times available for my newborns so we can get your little one in during the first 10 days. If you haven’t scheduled your newborn photographer yet and you find yourself staring at that brand new gorgeous little one beside you, don’t panic! Like I said– I keep select session slots available for newborns (I set aside a few for each due date, and a few extras for last minute babies), and chances are I can find one that works for you! Contacting your photographer from the hospital ensures that you will be able to get your newborn portraits done within that first 2 weeks at a time that works well for everyone.
The day of your session… if this is your first newborn, plan to leave plenty of time to get you and baby out of the house! Most new moms are surprised by how much preparation it can take to leave the house for that first outing– and usually the first outing is either the doctor’s office for a weight check or to the newborn photographer!
Once you arrive, I will help you bring in anything you need for your little one from the car. Once you are inside we will get you comfy and take the clothes off the baby and loosen the diaper and wrap your tiny miracle up so he/she is comfy too. Then you can feed the baby until there are asleep.
I will squirt on some hand sanitizer a lot! I work very slowly with your little one– each movement is tiny and not rushed, making sure she stays as comfortable as possible throughout our time together. Please make sure you bring the pacifier you left the hospital with. Even if you do not plan to introduce a pacifier, a couple of hours with it available will not interfere with nursing or cause paci attachment– sometimes it is invaluable for returning your little one to deep sleep after shifting positions and it will only be used for a few seconds as a last resort.
I am always within reach in case she begins to shift or stir while I am photographing and I take all precautions to make everything safe as possible. There are some images that require a second set of hands to make sure they are done safely, and in that case I may ask for mom or dad to lend a hand (quite literally!).
The studio is warm! Dress in layers! The studio is warmed significantly to keep your little one comfortable.
Depending on the baby and her tolerance level, I will use up to 3 different fabric backgrounds and a variety of headbands or hats. We may add on a prop at the end of the session (bucket, basket, etc), but that is only if your little one is still happy to be here. If you have a vision of your little one in a prop hanging on your wall in the family room, please let me know prior to your session so I can get that set prepared to use first. I encourage you to bring special items with you as well to include in the portrait. Sometimes your favorite images will be the ones with the blanket grandma made. I also may include the parents in the photos so please be prepared to be in the photographs. I suggest bringing a black or white shirt.
If your little one grows hungry during our session, I will happily take a feeding break! If your newborn has an “accident” on my fabrics, don’t worry! Everything is washable, and every item used is laundered after your session — we simply clean the mess up and move on!
The session can will last approximately 2-3 hours so come prepared!
by Jamie Lange