As a mother I sympathize with anxious parents wanting to a schedule a newborn session for their
new baby, but are worried about baby crying, waking up or just not playing ball. Babies can
be unpredictable for sure! But there are so many soothing and calming tricks we can use to
make sure both parents and baby have an enjoyable session. Rest assured, I have been
shooting babies for a long time now and making sure baby is comfortable and happy has
always been the most important part of my Newborn sessions.
Preparation is key! Which is why I always like to prepare parents with what to expect from
their Newborn photoshoot and try to dispel any uncertainty around the session. Every baby is
of course different, but using some or all of these techniques really does make a massive
difference. I provide a prep guide before your session, so that you can prepare your baby the
best way possible to ensure he or she is sleepy.
Below are some examples of the ways we can keep baby calm during your Newborn
Session:
1. Keep baby warm
All Newborn sessions take place in my home studio, which allows me to have consistent
temperature, warm enough to keep the baby comfortable. Everyone (myself included) is so
much happier when we can feel relaxed and like we’re at home.
2. Lots of mommy & milk time
I allow plenty of time for feedings, cuddling, using pacifier: whatever you feel you need to
calm baby. Bring your breastfeeding cover if it makes you feel more comfortable, but remember this is a completely safe space, so there is no problem if you don’t use one, and/or plenty of bottles of formula.
3. Use white noise
Knowing how to soothe baby is so key, especially when it comes to capturing beautiful sleepy
poses. Playing white noise or sounds of the ocean can help to drown out any startling
sounds.
4. Swaddling
Every baby loves being swaddled; I haven’t met a baby yet that doesn’t. I usually shoot the
swaddled images last, but will do this first if baby isn’t sleeping when we start. We might also
decide to do this sooner in the shoot if baby isn’t staying asleep for the other poses. So there
are always options!
I use a questionnaire to gain parents’ concerns or questions once they have booked their
Newborn photoshoot with me. I pre-plan every Newborn session in advance, so
the questionnaire is a great way for me to customize the sessions to what my clients need.
This gives you an opportunity to let me know about any issues, the session is meant to be a
fun and relaxing time for you, so anything I can do to help, always let me know.
To find out everything you need to know about my Newborn sessions, please click here.
I love creating timeless newborn portraits for my clients to treasure. Email me at
megan@megancurrenphotography.com to schedule your newborn session.
