Newborn Session Guide
Those first few weeks with your baby are such a blur. The tiny details, sleepy cuddles, little stretches and the way they fit so perfectly in your arms change before you even realise it.
Your newborn session is about slowing things down for a little while and capturing your family exactly as you are in this season. There’s no pressure for your baby to sleep, no need for your home to be perfect, and absolutely no expectation for everything to go to plan.
We’ll take our time, follow your baby’s lead and make space for feeds, cuddles, nappy changes and whatever else they need along the way. All you need to do is love on your baby — I’ll take care of the rest.
BEFORE I ARRIVE
You really don’t need to do too much!
 
Feed baby as you normally would and don’t worry about trying to keep them awake beforehand or changing their routine for the session. A happy, fed baby is much more important than a sleepy one.
Have any outfits, wraps or special items you’d like to use nearby so we can easily grab them when we need them.
And please don’t feel like you need to deep clean the house before I arrive. I promise I’m not looking at the washing pile or the dishes on the bench! I’ll find the best pockets of light in your home and we can quickly move anything out of the way if we need to.
 
WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?
Keep it simple.
 
Soft, neutral and earthy tones photograph beautifully at home and help keep the focus on you and your baby. Creams, whites, beige, browns, soft greens and muted colours all work really well.
Texture is always lovely too — linen, knits, cotton and soft flowing fabrics add a little interest without being distracting.
Try to avoid large logos, really bright colours and busy patterns.
You also don’t all need to perfectly match. Coordinating colours and tones will look much more natural.
And bare feet at home are always a yes!
 
FOR MUM?
I’VE GOT A FEW OPTIONS
 
Most importantly, wear something you feel comfortable in.
You’ve just had a baby... you absolutely do not need to squeeze yourself into something uncomfortable for photos.
Flowy dresses, loose linen, knits or something soft and simple usually photograph beautifully. If you’re not sure what to wear, send me some photos of your options beforehand and I’m always happy to help.
I also have pieces available in my client wardrobe, so make sure you have a look through those before buying something new.
 
FOR BABY
simple is best
 
A plain onesie, neutral outfit, wrap or even just a nappy can be perfect. Your baby is already the focus — they don't need an elaborate outfit.
I’ll also bring along some wraps and newborn pieces that we can use throughout your session.
If there’s something special you’d like baby photographed in, absolutely have it ready too.
 
FEEDING & SETTLING
Please don’t stress if baby needs to feed during our session.
 
Whether you breastfeed, bottle feed or do a bit of both, we’ll stop whenever they need us to. The same goes for winding, changing, cuddling or settling.
There’s no clock watching while your baby needs you.
And if you'd like feeding documented, let me know. Those quiet little moments can make some really beautiful photographs too.
 
OLDER SIBLINGS
BRING THEM TOO
 
There is absolutely no pressure for older siblings to sit perfectly and smile at the camera.
We’ll let them warm up to me, have a bit of fun and keep things as relaxed as possible. I’ll usually try to get the important sibling and family photos while they're still interested, then they can head off and play while we focus on baby.
The less pressure we put on them, the better!
Please don't worry if they're feeling shy, silly, clingy or completely uninterested on the day. That's all part of having a new baby in the family.
 
WHAT ABOUT PETS?
They’re family too!
 
If you’d love your dog or cat included, let me know before your session so we can plan for them.
Don't worry if they aren't perfectly behaved either. Sometimes the slightly chaotic photos end up being favourites.
 
YOUR HOME DOESN'T NEED TO BE PERFECT
Seriously.
 
You’ve just brought a tiny human home. I'm not expecting a perfectly styled house.
I’ll look for the rooms with the nicest natural light, which is often your bedroom, lounge or nursery. We might move a bedside table full of bottles or throw some washing into another room for five minutes — no big deal.
Your home is part of your family's story. It doesn't need to look like anyone else's.
Little things to have ready
If you have anything sentimental you'd like included, pop it somewhere easy to grab before I arrive.
This could be a special blanket, something knitted by a grandparent, a favourite teddy, an heirloom, baby's hospital bracelet or anything else that's meaningful to your family.
You absolutely don't need to have anything — these are just little extras if they're important to you.
Please don't put pressure on yourself for everything to be perfect.
Your baby doesn't need to sleep through the whole session. Your other children don't need to be on their best behaviour. Your house doesn't need to be spotless and you don't need to know what to do in front of the camera.
That's my job.
You just get to cuddle your baby, love on your family and enjoy having everyone together.
I'll take care of the rest.
 
BEFORE WE MEET
TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY
 
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