Session Prep Information

Here are my tips for preparing for your at home newborn session with me!

First off, don't worry if you're running late, if when I arrive at your home, you are not prepared or are in the middle of getting dressed, please do not stress :) I know how unpredictable life can feel like with a newborn so I am not expecting everything to go exactly as planned.

How to prepare your home before I arrive:

1. Please remove all clutter and anything you would not like to see in the photos from the areas we will be using for photos. Majority of the time that means the living room, the bedroom and the nursery, if applicable. If there is anywhere else I will shooting in your home I will let you know in the email.

   • With a newborn clutter is so necessary, they need so many things! So I would suggest you get a bin or a bag to put the “clutter” into so then when I leave it is easy to put everything back where it needs to be. And, honestly, a pile in a corner is also doable haha! Whatever you have time for!

2. Also, please turn up the heat in your home, make it marginally warmer than you normally keep it. I am talking no less than 25 degrees at least, because while I am working with baby he will likely be in various states of undress, and the cool air will likely cause him to fuss between changes. I plan to bring a space heater for where I am working with him, but for the remainder of the session the home should be warm.

Now let me tell you what to expect for your session:

We run our session very baby led, if baby is super sleepy at the beginning we will start with the solo newborn posing, the family portraits tend to work well at the end of the session, but we are flexible. Mama, if you are having a hard time trying to pick what to wear, I can always bring a dress or two for you to wear instead - just reply to the email I sent this link in with a request for some dresses to be brought. Otherwise all of you dress in neutral colours like beige or grey or soft blue or pink or any earth tones :). Please do not wear any dark colours or patterns, I only shoot natural light and the dark clothing makes for very dark images.

If you have your older child joining us for this session I try to move the portion where older sibling is involved to the beginning of the session, in case one parent will need to leave with that child because of naps, or if they are getting restless. We have plenty of parks nearby, so if you are worried about your older child not being able to be present for the entire session, please let me know so I can adjust the plan for the session to complete all the family photos at the beginning so then Dad can take them to the park or to the nearby mall.

For your reference here are a couple of examples of the colour palette you may enjoy choosing from.

Here are a few tips for a sleepy baby!

Sleepy baby means more photographing time so I totally appreciate it if you can try out these tips for before the session, these are not a MUST (unless I have listed them as important), but they help the session go more smoothly. Every baby is different so if you miss one of these tips, don’t fret! They are just a guideline :)

- IMPORTANT do not plan to do anything before the session that would overstimulate your little one. No doctors appointments or family or friend visits. We want baby tired but not overtired. So just plan for a chill morning getting ready for your photos :)

- try and keep baby awake for their normal awake time until right before I arrive as this might make it easier for baby to sleep for longer, so we have ample sleeping baby time for posing haha :) A lot of clients achieve this by giving baby a bath before the session. If baby is super sleepy in the morning they may not sleep during their session, so you may have to disrupt their routine just a little bit with a bath to keep things working in our favour.

- IMPORTANT: have a pacifier for them to use - even if they aren’t taking one yet or you aren't planning on giving one to them, it is for the tiny moments where they may need to soothe suck while I pose them, this short amount of time will not ruin their latch if you are breastfeeding. 

- IMPORTANT Feed baby until they are completely full JUST before I arrive, again, just like the awake time just before you leave means we can have more sleepy baby time.

- Dress them in easy to remove clothing (I love those zip-up footie pjs because it doesn't go over their head, so when I undress them for their first pose, I am not bothering them or waking them up trying to take off the clothes you have them in.

- Keep in mind we will be keeping the rooms I am shooting in very warm as we will be working to keep baby sleepy and comfortable. Often this is a source of stress and worry, but please know that I am very vigilant in watching how baby is, and if they are getting too warm or too cold. I have methods to adjust according to baby’s need, but please remember - babies do not have any way to regulate their own temperature, and that they are most happiest and comfiest in over 30 degrees, because they were that warm in the womb. Normally we help out by clothing baby, but because I will be swaddling and unswaddling baby a few times the cool air will shock them. Hence why we need it to be warm in the rooms I will be working in.

Very IMPORTANT, please let me know if you are wanting to include any props or items for your session ahead of time by replying my email with photos of these objects or outfits. I plan your session ahead of time, so if you bring items last minute I cannot guarantee that I can include it in the session. I will be bringing a select amount of props and swaddles and I may also use some items from your home to enhance the photos as I am taking them.

Please keep in mind, while we LOVE to include pets in the photos, if you are wanting photos with your baby and your fur baby, that it will be up to my discretion on whether it is safe to do photos with your pets so close to your baby. Even the calmest animal can act unpredictably with a baby (even just as simple as moving too quickly), so we will be working to achieve these photos in the safest way possible. But, if your pet is too excited or will not follow direction, I may have to stop with that particular pose. Because you are home, there should be ample time and space to allow me to try for these photos a couple of times, but this is all based on keeping baby super safe.

Can't wait to work with you! If you have any questions at all please let me know!