Preparing for your in-home newborn session with Halifax photographer

1. Feed your newborn right before the session

Try to time it so that you are feeding your baby just before I arrive. This will (hopefully) keep your baby happy longer during their newborn session. Although, we let baby lead the way and it’s nice to have some photos of you feeding them whether that’s by a bottle or if you’re breastfeeding. A fed baby is a happy baby!

2. Prep your home

We typically stick to the main areas where baby hangs out; the living room, your bedroom and the baby’s nursery. I suggest decluttering those rooms a little just so that your background in the photos is less distracting. Moving items off of nightstands and tables is the main thing. Don’t stress out about needing to deep clean or having the rooms look “perfect”. You’re a new mom! Give yourself some grace.

3. Let the light in

Before I arrive, I mention to clients to let as much natural light as possible into the room where we will be shooting. Open the curtains and the blinds as much as you can. Turn off any artificial lights as that can create an orange glow on you, your baby and anything in the photo.

4. Turn up the heat

Especially if you’re having a session during the winter months, I suggest turning up your heat! Keeping the heat a little bit higher will help your baby stay happy and sleepier. Plus if they’re warm, then their skin will have a much nicer warm tone rather than a cooler tone.

5. Choose your outfits

My best suggestion is to keep your clothing simple and neutral. Solid colors or softer prints are great choices. For mom, a chunky knit that’s cozy and loose or a flowy dress are both flattering and more comfortable after giving birth. Choose your outfit first. Once mom’s and baby’s outfit is picked out, it’s easier to coordinate for your partner or any siblings. Simple dark denim or khakis with a solid t-shirt or nice button-up (you could roll up the sleeves for a more casual look) work the best. As a client, you also have access to my select client closet. I have options for both mom, baby and siblings in a variety of sizes! If you’d prefer to purchase something, I have some links that I can send you for great baby outfits like this one. (disclaimer: I may earn a small commission by you purchasing from this link.)

6. Set aside blankets and swaddles

It’s totally fine if you don’t have a bunch of swaddled, but even just nice blankets with texture or neutral colors can help add variety to your photos. I also suggest beds have solid colors for bedding and to avoid busy patterns.

7. Prepping the siblings

Tell siblings that a friend is coming over to take some photos of the new baby and to get some photos of them together. Let them help get everything ready so they feel more involved in the whole process. They might be shy at first so this is a way to help them feel a bit more comfortable. If they need a break, we let them go do their own thing and call them back if we still want to get some more photos with them included.

These 7 ways to prepare for your in-home newborn session will make the whole process seamless! As a Nova Scotia newborn photographer, I always let the baby lead our session. We go with the flow, take breaks and make this experience comfortable for everyone involved.