How to Prep For a Newborn Session at Home
Milwaukee & Waukesha Newborn Photography
Preparing for your in-home newborn session shouldn’t be stressful, and by planning ahead you’ll ensure everyone is more relaxed to capture these ever-fleeting days of your family and newborn at home.
How To Prepare Baby
Your baby will be happiest if they have a full belly, please feed baby right before their session to assure they are content and sleepy. Also, dress baby in their “photo outfit” before your last feed, incase baby falls asleep after eating, then you don’t have to wake them again.
Your baby is essentially the boss of the photo session, if your baby needs to be changed or fed, we will take a break. We will go with the flow of your little ones and be flexible with their needs.
How to Prepare Your OLDER Kids
Well rested, well fed little ones along with a pre-session pep talk can make a huge difference. Most in-home newborn sessions are scheduled in the morning to make sure everyone is happy and not due for a nap soon.
Offering a healthy snack to your little ones before your session will help make sure they don’t get hangry during your session. I also recommend eating the snack before putting on their photo ready outfit to avoid spills.
Prepping your children with what we will be doing during the photo session, along with do’s and don’ts is very helpful in a smooth running session. I’m also not above a bribe/reward for good behavior. Assure your kids this will be fun and we will definitely laugh.
How To Prepare Your Home
The perk with scheduling a in-home newborn photo session is you don’t have to get everyone out the door for photos, you get to stay in the comfort of your home. Here’s a few tips to help make sure your home is ready for your photo session.
Determine ahead of time which rooms we will photograph in. I usually recommend a nursery, master bedroom and/or living room, also paying attention to which rooms have the most natural light
Declutter - Decluttering is more important than actually cleaning the house. Look at the main rooms we will photograph them and move clutter out of the way (even if it’s just hiding behind the couch temporarily) or anything that would be a distraction.
Warm baby = happy baby. The morning of your session, adjust the thermostat to make the rooms we will photograph in warmer than you may typically keep them.
If weather allows (along with lighting), I love taking a few photos outdoors, for example this springtime newborn session was complete with the magnolia tree in the front yard