Just when the much-awaited pregnancy photoshoot is over, it’s about time to prepare for a newborn photo session. Parents can’t help but desire to capture their newborn’s precious, fleeting moments of the early days of life.

The current trend is to keep the snaps as authentic as possible. Parents are trading staged props and expressions for natural and candid moments. The concept of newborn lifestyle photoshoots is steadily on the rise.

It offers plenty of room for your family to document the truest version of daily life. You may even find your baby surprising you with adorably grumpy faces.

If you’re nervous and feel unprepared for your baby’s photoshoot, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ve listed five tips that will help you prepare for a fun and successful newborn lifestyle photoshoot.

Plan Your Baby’s Sleep and Bath Time

With a newborn baby, you never know what to expect. One would say that’s the beauty of it. In other words, you can get as candid as you want with your child’s photoshoot.

In case you’re uncomfortable without a bit of planning, start with their sleep and bath time. You want your little one to look as fresh and clean as possible. It’s best to give them a warm sponge bath about an hour before the session starts.

Remember that this will keep the baby awake for some time before they tire out and fall asleep. It’s great from the perspective of capturing those priceless sleepy shots. Otherwise, you may have to allow them to sleep after their bath and begin the photoshoot once they’re up.

• You can massage their shoulders, chest, arms, or spine.
• Stroke their face, right from their nose to chin and around the mouth.
• Change your baby’s position by holding them on your lap or lowering and raising them in a ‘sit-up’ motion.
• Lift your baby, talk to them, and move their arms/legs around.
• Mildly rub their cheeks or tickle the bottom of their feet.

Feed Them, But Be Prepared

It is generally recommended that a baby be fed an hour before a photoshoot to keep them calm and cooperative. However, it may not work for the entirety of the shoot, which normally lasts between three and five hours.

This depends on whether all photos will be clicked indoors and whether your baby is breastfed. For instance, formula-fed babies tend to stay fuller longer than breastfed ones because the former takes a lot more time to digest.

Then there are breastfeeding mothers who struggle to keep their newborns satisfied despite frequent feedings. If that’s the case with your baby, ensure that supplement milk is easily accessible.

On that note, supplementing with cow-milk-based baby formulas like Enfamil and Similac is discouraged. TorHoerman Law shares how these bovine formulas have caused Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC).

It is a serious gastrointestinal condition that can be potentially fatal. Over 600 affected families have filed a lawsuit against formula manufacturers. Because serious injuries have affected the most innocent, the NEC lawsuit payout can reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

To keep your baby calm and full, it’s best to supplement but avoid cow-milk-based formulas. Above all, plan to feed your baby should the need arise. You will need to do the following –

• Communicate any potential needs to the photographer before the shoot begins.
• Bring along a blanket or wrap for privacy and comfort.
• Wear a nursing bra for easier access.
• Carry a breast pump to extract milk, if needed.
• Bring along all props needed for supplement milk, like bottles, warmers, pacifiers, etc.

Be As Comfortable As Possible

A lifestyle photoshoot with your newborn is all about arresting the most natural loving moments of your life as a family. This means you do not have to overdo it, with your clothes, hairstyles, or makeup.

Your prime focus is to be as comfortable as possible. We would recommend dressing as low-key as you want, either in terms of color or pattern. It’s best to avoid bright plaid shirts or graphic tees.

Perhaps grab a cozy sweater or dress and pair it with some contrasting leggings. Since your baby may get hungry anytime during the shoot, ensure your clothes are suitable for nursing.

Think of it this way: what would you normally wear on ‘just another day of your life’ as a mother? That’s the key to a natural-looking lifestyle photoshoot. As a pro-tip, you can wear neutral and earth tones or any colors that vibe well with the hues in your home.

The same goes for makeup and accessories. Stay simple so that the pictures look like a piece taken out of your daily life. If you want a bit of fun and drama, there’s no harm in dressing up. The thumb rule is to be perfectly comfortable.

Prepare the Photoshoot Areas

A lot of folks believe that the only place a newborn lifestyle photoshoot works is indoors. In a sense, this is true because families spend a significant chunk of their time at home.

Over the past two decades, we are turning into a nation of homebodies. Also, home is often considered to be a haven against the chaos of the outside world. However, lifestyle does not begin and end there.

As mentioned previously, you can click pictures at a favorite local park or a restaurant too. It may not be possible to prepare these locations, so focus on your home and its surroundings.

From your baby’s nursery to your master bedroom even the backyard can be made ready for a photo session. What can you possibly do? Make space near large windows to make the most of natural light.

Clear the areas with any clutter so your family can easily fit into the frame. We know how meticulously you’ve designed your home and nursery for welcoming your baby. This is a classic opportunity to show off all your carefully selected decor!

Don’t Stress, Seriously Don’t

It’s natural to be nervous and want everything to go as planned. What’s best is to do the exact opposite of your natural inclinations.

Plan by all means, but do not overthink this day. Extend grace to yourself if things don’t go as planned. Make room for interruptions or ‘baby accidents’ since they often happen unforeseen.

One day in the distant future, such moments will become cherished memories you associate with your baby’s photoshoot. Moreover, if there are certain areas (like the kitchen) that look less than perfect, do not fret.

Unless you need to click pictures in a space, it’s not necessary to get everything in order. Keeping it all together can be challenging with a newborn as it is. A few dishes in the sink won’t hurt your family’s special moments.

The purpose of this day is to capture the love you and your spouse share for the little human you made. Those unplanned moments, like newborn yawns or the pup sniffing your baby’s head, will become precious tokens of love in the future.

Did you know that around 3.6 million babies were born across the US in 2024? With that, we’ve seen the final numbers of another generation. Babies born between 2025 and 2039 will become a part of Generation Beta.

Are you the proud parents of a Gen Beta member yourself? Ideally, a newborn lifestyle photoshoot should be done when the baby is 7 to 20 days old. So, what are you waiting for? Start making preparations already!

Images courtesy of Unsplash.