Babies aren’t tiny for long. Because they grow so quickly, a newborn photoshoot isn’t really one you can reschedule if you’re not happy with your photos. So I wanted to share today 5 must-haves for your lifestyle newborn session so can be confident you’ll have no regrets.

1. A New Outfit for Mom

It seems superficial, silly even now that your entire life is about this tiny little being, that the first thing on my list is for mom. But, you just had a baby. Everyone around you thinks what you’ve done is amazing and we all think you look awesome. But, many moms tend to feel a little self-conscious postpartum. Parts of you may not be as tight as they were 9 months ago, and clothes don’t fit the way they used to. And that’s totally fine! If you don’t walk out of the hospital fitting into your skinny jeans, then you’re like 99.9% of moms out there. I really hope you don’t feel down on your body after it performed the miracle of pregnancy and child birth. But, I’ve done it twice and I know its hard to feel gorgeous and picture-perfect at this point. When your body has changed, your nipples (and other places) are bleeding, and you’ve still got last night’s spit up in your hair.

So I would recommend treating yourself. After all – you deserve it. Treat yourself to an outfit that fits well on your postpartum body and that you feel beautiful in. Because even though these photos are about your tiny baby, if you don’t love how you look in them, you probably won’t end up doing much with them.

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2. Baby’s special something

Whether it’s something you bought or made for baby while you were anxiously waiting their arrival, or something you’ve had since you were little. If there’s something special you have for baby, include it in your photos! When they grow up and are looking through their newborn photos, they’ll appreciate seeing that special toy, outfit, or blanket and knowing it’s been with them since birth.

3. A space for baby

I know it’s not always practical for baby to have his or her own room in the first couple weeks of life, but I recommend baby has it’s own space for a newborn photoshoot. Whether that be a corner in your room where the bassinet sits, or a nursery that looks like it jumped right off of a Pinterest board. Details of the space baby came home to and spent it’s first nights and days are so special. These little details capture how your family made your house into baby’s second home, how you lovingly helped them transition into this big world. This is what makes lifestyle newborn sessions so special – these tiny details.

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4. A swaddle blanket or onesie

It’s exciting to finally be able to put baby in all the adorable outfits you’ve been hoarding for months. But keep these for a family session a few months from now! For a newborn photoshoot, it’s best to have baby in a beautiful swaddle blanket or neutral onesie so I can easily access their teeny tiny fingers and toes for photos!

5. The right photographer

This part is so important. I’m not just saying this so you’ll hire me, I actually mean, find the right photographer for you. Find someone you connect with, whose style you love and who you’ll be comfortable inviting into your home. I always suggest using someone who is a legal business as opposed to a hobbyist, and someone who is experienced in photographing newborns. Like I said before, you only have one shot at these images. I encourage you to do your research and choose a photographer you trust, so you can be sure that no important moment or detail is missed. Feel free to check out more of my portfolio to see if we’re a good fit!

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