Photo by Megan Menegay on Unsplash

The birth of your baby is exciting and life-changing. Wanting to capture this moment and the smallest your baby will ever be again is natural and amazing. Scheduling a photo shoot during a time with limited sleep and after giving birth can also cause stress. You want pictures that turn out well enough to blow up and put on your wall, but you don’t know how to make sure that happens. Here are several tips to help you have the best photoshoot ever. 

Don’t Forget Yourself

It may be counterintuitive to focus on yourself for a newborn photo shoot, but if you are going to be in the pictures, then you need to think about yourself as well. Make sure you pick out comfortable clothes that you can feel comfortable in after giving birth. 

You also want to figure out where you are going to take the pictures and that you have recovered enough from giving birth to be comfortable in that location. If you wear glasses, you may want to update them. You can visit this website to virtually try on several pairs from the comfort of your own home. 

Temperatures

You should take into consideration how easily newborns get cold. Naked babies make for cute pictures, but if you want to go that route, you need to make sure that the baby is warm enough. Turn up the heat in your house to 80 fahrenheit the day of the shoot or use space heaters to keep the area warm. A warm baby is a happy baby! If you are doing naked baby pictures, then loosen the diaper a few hours before the shoot to eliminate diaper lines. 

Feeding Time

Newborns need to eat and take breaks frequently when doing a photo shoot. Don’t stress about this. Be prepared to snuggle your baby during quick breaks and give them a little meal if they are fussy. Feeding and snuggling can also be a great way to capture some more moments between you and your baby. 

Extra Supplies

Babies are messy, and there can always be accidents. Be it a blowout or spit up, you want to make sure you have extra outfits prepared, just in case. You should also have plenty of wipes, extra diapers, trash bags, and blankets nearby for easy cleanup. You don’t have to feel frustrated or embarrassed when accidents happen. Your photographer understands and has seen it all!

Props

You should plan to have some props in your photos. Props can make your pictures unique. Wedding rings, knitted hats, fuzzy blankets, toys, family heirlooms, or stuffed animals are all great ideas to add into your pictures. If you want to use props, let your photographer know beforehand so they can plan to use them. 

Venturing Out

If you don’t want to do the photo shoot in your home, it is possible to go to a studio or do one outdoors. Outdoor pictures can be a great opportunity to capture your newborn, but you need to make sure it is warm enough. If you do venture out of your home for these pictures, make sure you bring plenty of backup clothes and things to clean up with from your house.