It is easy to feel anxious for your upcoming session with worries of how you will look in front of the camera, how newborns or siblings will behave, in addition to the many other worries of the day. It is important to me that you enjoy your session which is why I have a few maternity and newborn photography tips to help you prepare for your sessions!

1. First and foremost, book as soon as you decide you want portraits to ensure availability of your photographer. Knowing you have secured your photographer ahead of time will instantly reduce your stress, especially if you locked in your first choice!

2. I know it is easy to feel stressed about your appearance with the baby weight, but hey! There is a little one growing in you! Be proud and enjoy the experience fully because as cliche as it might sound, it passes all too fast. I STILL find it hard to believe that it has been almost 4 years since I was pregnant! Looking back you’ll cherish how beautiful the photos are, and I promise, you’re your hardest critic!

3. Pick clothing that fits well. It’s is okay if you have a newborn and your pre pregnancy clothing doesn’t quite fit yet (you can still rock those maternity jeans, especially if they have a firm elastic panel which helps tummies appear firmer!). Clothing that pinches can create bulges whereas clothing too loose has the ability to make us appear bigger.

4. I recommend a little pampering! Getting a mani, pedi and/or hair and makeup done is a must! I personally believe having these things done helps us feel more confident AND takes the stress of having to do it our self. So go get pampered!

5. Don’t worry about complexion issues, especially when it comes to your newborn. I am often asked if we should wait for complexions to clear. It is normal for newborns to have jaundice, flaky skin, baby acne OR all 3; BUT it is OK! I take my time to help even skin tones and smooth large blemishes or flakes of skin that may be distracting. Below you can see a sample of an edit that was done on a baby with flaky skin and a little redness.

6. If you are nursing, try to avoid foods that cause gas. This can cause uncomfortable gas for your newborn and make them irritable. Check out this article to see some of the common culprits.

7. If you are bringing small children to participate, I recommend bringing two vehicles. Newborn sessions are typically 3-4 hours, which allows for diapering, feeding and soothing of baby. Little children tend to get antsy during this time and want to play or may be tired and just want to snuggle up in the comfort of their own bed. Once the little ones are done they can be on the way with dad or another family member while their new sibling finishes their session. This limits noises that may startle baby and give mommy a nice little break 😉

8. Lastly, if you have any questions, ask! I try to provide as much information as possible and quite honestly it may be a little overwhelming, but I want you to know what you will be experiencing upfront. This is the reason I try to meet with all families in person prior to their session or talk to them over the phone. If the information you received from your photographer doesn’t answer a particular question or something new has come up, don’t be afraid to ask. It is important to feel comfortable and any questions can be cleared with a quick email or phone call!

I hope these tips have helped, but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at al@pleasantlycaptured.com.

Thanks for reading,

-Al