Crying that the newborn stage is over and Stella is 4 months old this week! It truly is the sweetest and most innocent phase. Some parents have said the newborn stage is the hardest, but I’m more worried for the terrible twos in our future! Those first few weeks are full of raw emotion, and just beautiful miracles! As cheesy as that sounds, I cannot recommend enough documenting that season with a newborn photoshoot! With that said, preparing for a newborn photoshoot takes some extra consideration and planning.
I’d love to share with you what I learned in our experience with Stella, keep reading to check out How To Prepare for your Newborn Photoshoot in 7 Easy Steps!
Choose a photographer you trust. You’ve just had a baby. You’re hormonal, and constantly teary-eyed. You’re probably still bleeding from you know where. You’re more sleep deprived than ever before. You may leak breastmilk onto your outfit. You need a guy/gal you feel comfortable in front of! Consider your wedding photographer if they’re also experienced in Newborn Sessions, they already know you! In our case, we chose a new photographer, but one who is so real and vulnerable on her social media accounts – I knew we’d get along great!
Purchase your outfit while you’re still pregnant. Life only gets crazier postpartum, and your forgetful mom brain is only getting worse. But, more so for the reason of body size! Even if you schedule your shoot 4 weeks postpartum like I did, chances are you’re not yet back to your pre pregnancy size. And you may still have a bump! Fit your outfit to your third trimester size, perhaps a little snug at that time, to allow for some fluid loss postpartum! Opt for a stretchy, flowy outfit; and one that is comfortable, friendly to a nursing bra and granny panties. Try out this Amazon find i wore!
Choose a location close to home. Or better yet, in your home! We wanted to capture our nursery in its new and pristine state, knowing that after a baby, it won’t ever look the same again! If not in your home, keep in mind how hard it is to get your family out of the house with a newborn! You don’t want a long drive with a screaming baby to put you in a bad mood before photos.
Consider scheduling at 4 weeks postpartum instead of the typical 1-2 weeks. I love a sleepy newborn photo, but I am so grateful we timed our shoot at 4 weeks instead of 2 weeks postpartum! Not only did this allow Stella all the time in the world to be born 10 days past her due date, but it also meant she was slightly more alert and awake for photos! Also gave me a few weeks extra of healing before I was on camera.
Don’t stress about baby’s outfit! More likely that your newborn will be in a diaper and swaddled up, with no cute outfit to show! And very likely you may have a dirty diaper during your shoot, so pick a swaddle or outfit that is quick for a change. My advice, pick your outfit first, and then coordinate your baby’s swaddle from there. Consider a neutral tone that contrasts from what you’re wearing, so that your baby pops! And isn’t lost in the color hues of your outfit.
Time your shoot just after a feeding. If you’ve taken a sleep training course like Tay and I did, you may have started a cycle of Eat-Awake-Sleep for your newborn. Arrange your photographer to arrive after a feeding! This makes for a happy, well fed babe, a comfortable mama with nicely drained breasts that hopefully won’t leak, and a sweet window of awake time for wide-eyed baby photos before some snuggly, sleepy ones!
Make a list of shots you want. Regardless of how experienced your photographer is with newborn shoots, they want to make sure they’re meeting your goal shots too! For us, my two unique shot requests were photos of me nursing Stella, and a photo of us with Stella’s Placenta Tree. Try to squeeze in the must-have shots at the beginning, instead of cramming them in at the end when baby (and mama!) may be fussy and over it.
Some last pieces of advice
Know that editing your entire shoot will take time, but ask your photographer for a few early sneak peaks if you’re wanting a photo to send out for a birth announcement! Or in our case, a baptism invite! The worst they can say is no, but in our experience, most photographers love sharing a mini mini piece of their work within a few days/week of the shoot.
Be patient! Tay and I are no strangers to photoshoots between engagements, bridals, styled elopements, vacation destinations, blog branding – but this shoot was, by far, the trickiest!! You’re at the mercy of a very needy new human, and often times, things don’t go as planned. Give yourself grace, and be patient! Even if there’s only ONE photo you’re in love with at the end of it, that’s a WIN in my book!
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Photography throughout this post by Meggy Weggy Photography.
