Preparing for your newborn session with siblings
Congrats on your little one and this new addition to your family. You deserve major props. You are now caring for another human!
I like to slow things down a bit during my sessions and make things easy and stress-free. There is no need to rush. You’re at home with your crew and I encourage you to think of our session as a mini family date. It’s a chance to forget about all the things you need to do and just soak up every little bit of your beautiful family.
There are a few things you can do ahead of time to prepare - like have lunch prepared the night before so when we are done with the session, which will probably be around lunch time, you don’t have to worry about it the day of - but if you don’t get to them, no worries! I know you have so many things to think about right now.
HOW CAN I HELP PREP MY KIDS & FAMILY?
A few pointers here…
DO tell them it’s going to be so much fun and how they are going to have these great memories of their family together captured in photographs.
DON’T offer your kids a bribe. At all! This is a big one. It might hurt our chances of great attitudes and they’ll only be focused on getting done with the session to get their prize.
DO pick out outfits ahead of time, but DON’T stress about it. More about “What to wear?” is next, and if you need to send me pics to get my input I am more than happy to help.
DO have snacks ready if our session cuts into their usual snack schedule. I recommend dry, non-messy snacks so their little faces and clothes stay clean during the session. It’s not a bribe if it’s part of their usual routine.
DON’T stress about your home being perfect (you should see mine right now) but DO try and clear any noticeable clutter.
WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?
- First and foremost, be comfortable. Secondly, I always recommend sticking to neutral colors. Try and stay away from distracting patterns, prints, and please, no logos. What makes you feel the most beautiful? The most maternal? The most like yourself? Wear that. Start with your outfit and build everyone else’s outfit around it.
- Don’t match. Instead, coordinate your outfit by picking complementary colors and the same level of “dressiness”, like you’re all going to the same event together. Don’t worry about shoes since you’ll be home, bare feet or neutral socks (again, no logos) will do just fine.
- Remember to remove hair ties from your wrist and empty your pockets - the outline of cell phone and keys is not a good look.
- For baby, I am a huge fan of a simple, well-fitting onesie. We want to keep your baby happy and comfy but also we want to see their arms, little rolls, and tiny feet. If your baby likes to be swaddled, keep one handy that doesn’t have a busy pattern, unless it has a special significance to you.
- Your bed should be dressed too. Depending on the lighting in your home, we might do some pictures on your bed with the family or baby shots. So the same “rules” apply to your bedding; solid neutral colors will work best and avoid busy patterns,
WHAT IF OUR HOUSE IS A MESS, MY CHILD HAS A MELTDOWN, OR I NEED TO FEED DURING THE SHOOT?
Don't worry! I will find beauty in the mess. For your consideration, my favorite rooms to shoot in are generally any room with amazing, natural light and the bedroom.
If older siblings have a meltdown, don’t fret. I don’t expect them to be perfect and we’ll try to make the session fun for them to get back on track. We can take a break, let them cool down while I take photos of the baby.
You can definitely feed during the shoot - I actually love documenting mama's breastfeeding. I think it's a beautiful moment and if you're okay with it we can keep shooting. Otherwise, I can move on to a different family member.
Check out my NEWBORN PORTFOLIO here.