Bringing home a new baby is such an exciting time! Booking a newborn session is such a great way to preserve these precious early moments of your newborn’s life and your new life as a family. There are two types of newborn photography you may be familiar with; studio and lifestyle. While studio session is on-location with baby posed with props, a lifestyle in-home newborn session allows you to capture timeless memories from the comfort of your own home. Lifestyle sessions also have much more interaction between baby and family. Whether you are bringing home your first baby or second, third, or fourth, here are some tips to prep yourself, your baby, your home, and your wardrobe to ensure you get gorgeous photos.
Prepping Your Mind for Your In-Home Newborn Session
First and foremost, book a newborn photographer well in advance! Don’t wait until after the baby is born to schedule your session. Let your photographer know your due date and make a plan! The last thing you want to do after you bring your baby home is try to hunt someone down at the last minute. Usually, I recommend having photos taken within 2 weeks of the birth when the baby is still very sleepy and tiny! Every photographer will handle the scheduling differently (as we know babies are unpredictable!), so be sure to ask when booking! Your future self will thank you.
Once the day of your newborn session has arrived, remember to be kind to yourself. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is do your hair and makeup and get dressed while you are not yet feeling like yourself and so very tired. If you can, have someone come over and help you and your partner prepare for the session. It will take time to get everyone ready so an extra set of loving hands to help is always great, especially if you have multiple children.
If that is not possible, no worries! Give yourself plenty of time to get dressed (like wayyyy more than you think) since you will most likely be interrupted multiple times for feedings and changes. If you are able to take some time for yourself to take a hot shower, use some eye gels, or just breathe it will help you feel more centered and ready to be photographed.
I know it's hard to do, but try to let go of all of your expectations. Try to just be in the moment and be yourself!
Prepping Your Baby for an In-Home Newborn Session
About thirty minutes before the session try to feed your baby and get them in a clean diaper. A full baby will usually be the happiest and sleepiest! During the session keep your home on the warmer side to ensure the baby stays cozy and warm. It is likely we will need to pause for diaper changes or another feeding during the session, and that’s okay! You know your baby best, so do whatever will help them be calm and relaxed! Whether it’s a bath, sound machine, or swaddling - I am here to help you along the way!
Every photographer will be different. My style is very natural and candid, which means I like you to be yourselves! While I’ll definitely guide you all through poses, it’s best if you interact with your family as you might on your most lovey day. However, I personally don’t swaddle or do lots of specific poses just for your baby.
Preparing Your Home for an In-Home Photography Session
You don’t have to have a Pinterest-perfect house to have beautiful in-home lifestyle images! Cleaning off end tables and making the bed goes a long way. We want you to be the focal point of your images and clear out any background clutter. I know this is so much easier said than done when you are trying to get everyone ready on time for photos, but having a few clean spaces in the nursery and your bedroom will give me plenty to work with. You don’t need to clean your whole house!
If you have any spaces in your home you would love to use or props you would like to include, be sure to have those ready and let your photographer know. We want simple and neutral backgrounds for timeless newborn photos. Look for the brightest spots with natural light.
Prepping Your Wardrobe for a Newborn Session
For in-home newborn sessions, I like to recommend everyone in the family wear soft and neutral clothing. Well before your baby arrives, think and plan some outfits for your family that coordinate, but aren’t matchy matchy. For early postpartum mamas, a beautiful flowy dress is usually best! However, I want you to wear whatever will make you feel the most comfortable and beautiful.
Look for blushes, tans, light pinks, faint blues, and light minty teals, creams, grays, and whites for the whole family. This will always result in more of a light and airy look in your images. These colors photograph softer and more wistfully! You can find great options for mama at Nothing Fits But, Pink Blush, Amazon, Piper & Scoot, and Morning Lavender. Look on Pinterest for some inspiration as well for outfits you like!
For your baby, select multiple outfits (in case of accidents!) that are neutral and comfortable. Aim for an outfit that is easy to put on and off so we don’t have to disturb baby too much if they’re sleeping. Have a few bows, toys, or props handy that you may want to include! Again, prep this before the baby arrives so you have it all ready to go when the time comes. No one wants to go shopping for the whole family while taking care of a newborn. I recommend shopping at Lou Lou and Company, H&M, and Old Navy for great baby clothes!
Your in-home newborn session will be so much fun with some preparations ahead of time! If your little one is crying, don’t worry or stress! Extra time will always be allotted for you to care for your little one and ensure we capture all the photos you desire. Use these tips to create beautiful images that you will cherish for a lifetime.
Looking to book an in-home newborn session in the Worcester area? I would love to work with you! Inquire with Tamara Merri Photography for more information.
If you're interested in photography for other milestones, check out my How to Prepare for your Maternity Session blog, 12 places to propose in Boston blog, and Best Wedding Venues in Massachusetts blog!
xx,
Tam
hello@tamaramerriphotography.com
