Newborn FAQ
It doesn't take long for your newly newborn baby to start to change. You don't want to forget that teeny-tiny (or chubby-wubby) baby you had for those first few precious weeks! Capture these memories today. Cherish them forever.
When should I book my newborn session?
The best time to book your session is as soon as you have a due date. :) Call or email me with your due date, and we will reserve a session in my schedule for about 1 week after your due date. Then, when baby actually arrives, we can tweak the date and time if needed to ensure we get your new little one in for a session during the ideal timeframe around 5-12 days old. But book now to ensure that I will have a spot reserved for capturing those sweet newborn photos for your baby!
What age is best for newborn pics?
Anytime in the first two weeks of your baby's life (5-12 days, preferably) is a great time for a newborn session. The earlier the better, while they are still very sleepy and before they lose their newborn characteristics. If you could bring them in on the way home from the hospital, that would be great! (I'm kidding...sort of...). We can schedule a tentative session date and time while you are still pregnant to reserve your spot, and adjust if needed once baby arrives.
Do you want my baby to sleep during the newborn session?
Yes, we want your new baby to sleep! Once a newborn is sleeping deeply, we can do all of the adorable, squishy-baby poses that most moms are looking for. Try to plan ahead for your appointment to give us the best chance of having a sleeping baby. I will send you further details on preparing for your session once your baby has arrived.
What should I bring?
I don't force a lot of my own props into your session. I would much prefer that you bring items that have some meaning or nostalgia to you: special baby blankets, the cutest stuffed animal the baby has received, the wagon that grandpa made, and things like that. You might also consider hats or headbands that you think would be cute in photographs. Having plenty of extra diapers and burp cloths is a must! I also suggest throwing in an extra set of clothes for mom and dad, just in case. Occasionally, a diaperless baby makes a clothing change for a parent a reality.
You might try looking at online kids boutique shops, or places like Etsy.com for ideas. There's no end to the adorable, hand-made outfits, props, and accessories out there! You can even get personalized onesies and accessories.
What should the baby wear?
For newborn sessions, nothing, really. I would prefer to have just a pure, naked baby. Even the cutest outfits can end up looking bunched up and frumpy on a newborn. If you've got one or two outfits that you'd really like to use, go ahead and bring them along, and we'll try to do some poses in those as well. Otherwise, depending on the session you choose, baby will be naked or snuggled into a newborn wrap!
Who should come to the session?
All I need is mom and baby, but a supportive partner or grandparent is welcome too. Sometimes it's just nice to have an extra pair of hands around. If you really want the siblings to be in photos, you will want to plan on them only being around for part of the session. (Note, it is a $50 fee to add siblings/family to the session). Just photographing the newborn alone usually takes at least an hour, and sometimes the toddler-aged siblings don't last that long just watching. I recommend saving full family pics until the 3-4 month session, and letting the newborn session be all about baby.
What should Mom/Dad wear?
Expecially with newborns, it's always nice to have the parents wear neutral shirts that coordinate. I sometimes use parents as a baby-holder, even if the parent isn't specifically going to be in the shot. It's sometimes helpful if baby is not especially happy to have parents snuggle baby and maybe sneak in a mom/dad/newborn shot in too.
What happens if you get called to a birth and my session has to be postponed?
Since I am a birth photographer, I am often on-call. If there is a chance that your session may be affected by a birth, I will let you know ASAP that it is a possibility and discuss the probability at that time. Then, if I do determine that we need to postpone, I will give you a $25 discount on your re-scheduled session.
© New Creation Photography: Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Birth and Newborn Photographer