sweet beginnings
I grew up around all things baby-related. My mom was a labor and delivery nurse before becoming a certified nurse midwife, delivering thousands of babies. It was a common thing for us to get a call from one of her patients during dinner and end up stopping on the way home to help a new mom with breastfeeding. Many years later I had my own two girls and was able to experience the joys and challenges of motherhood. My kiddos are now 9 and 11 and although I don't miss the middle of the night feedings, sometimes I do miss those early days of chubby cheeks, tiny toes and especially those unforgettable baby giggles.
So it was an incredible pleasure and privilege to document Helen and Logan's journey from pregnancy on to parenthood with their gorgeous new bundle, Eiley. We had a lot of fun incorporating their two fur babies into the shoot as well, who were super curious about their new family member.
Their beautiful home had unfortunately suffered a pipe leak and was under construction at the time of our session, but we still made it work by finding lovely natural light in the nursery. So don't think your home has to be perfect for an in-home session to work. And when homes are darker, I also bring my own set of lights to create a soft, flattering light in any setting.
3 Tips for Planning a newborn session
- The best time for doing newborn photos is within the first two weeks if possible, so the infant will be sleepy and we can capture all those tiny little details. So that means we should ideally be scheduling a session and penciling in a date at least one month before you are due.
- My sessions are baby-led, meaning I don't do posed or forced baby positions or elaborate props. I think babies are perfect just as they are. I recommend neutral, natural wraps and fabrics to let your child be the highlight.
- But the first weeks aren't the only time to be documenting your new little love, of course! Other good timeframes to consider are around 6-8 months when your baby can sit up by themselves but isn't yet crawling. And that first year birthday milestone as well.
