Preparing for your Newborn Photoshoot at home – Top 5 tips

So, you’ve booked your newborn’s photoshoot in advance, you’ve been able to chat with the photographer and you’ve discussed the details of the photoshoot and what you’d like … What next?

It’s time to prepare for your newborn’s photoshoot! This is such a lovely experience and one to be enjoyed, here are my top 5 tips to prep for your session and ensure you’re relaxed from the start.

Tip 1

Choose which room you’d like your newborn's photoshoot to take place. I recommend doing this one in advance.

Once you’ve chosen which room, usually the lounge or kitchen - as they usually have the most space, you’ll just want to make sure there is some clear floor space. Momma’s please don’t lift/move anything heavy after having a baby, your photographer can always move things around if needed. Remember your house does not need to be spotless, your home is lived in and with a newborn comes a lot of belongings that can seem chaotic or messy but is completely normal! The morning of the photoshoot you’ll want to pop the heating on to make sure the room is warm and cozy ready for the session to start.

You don't need much space for your newborn photoshoot at home, a small corner of your living room works great

You need less room than you might think, here is my set up in the corner of my clients lounge.

Tip 2

Dress your baby in a loose-fitting baby grow or have them ready in a nappy and blanket, this will save a little bit of time at the start and gets your little one ready for their photoshoot with as little disruption as possible, especially if they are already asleep.

Newborn baby wrapped and sleeping during newborn photoshoot at home with Staffordshire newborn photographer Tamsin Staples

Tip 3

Feed your baby around 20-30 mins before the start of your session. We’ve all heard the term ‘Milk Drunk’ but this is a great way to get baby into a deep sleep before the photoshoot and may give a bit of time for photo taking before they may want their next feed.

Tip 4

Plan for the fussy moments. Your baby’s needs come first, so if they need a feed or new nappy we will be pausing the session to take care of your little one, which is why it's great to get the usual items ready dummy, bottle of formula/breast milk, nappies and wipes. Your photographer will be led by your baby as each little one is unique and we want them to be as comfortable as possible as that then allows us to capture those beautiful portraits for you.

Tip 5

Plan for the end result. Ok, this one also needs to be done in advance, but should already have been talked about in consultations with your photographer. If you are having parent or sibling photos, you’ll need to plan your outfits, this does have an impact on the look of the final photos and if you need help with styling, chat with your photographer, this is something I have a whole section on in the newborn preparation guide my clients receive upon booking and they know I’m only  a message away.

plan for the end result when preparing for your at home newborn photoshoot

Whenever I'm looking for advice, I try to ask people who have gone through the same experience, so I thought it would be helpful for you to hear what other Mom's have to say about preparing for a newborn photoshoot at home:

 First of all, relax- it’s a very chilled time and because Tamsin allocates plenty of time you don’t feel rushed at all. You can feed, change, cuddle baby if that’s what you need to do. The only real prep I did was to get my nails done and wash my hair and get ready. The outfits for baby were provided and so we just wore plain clothes so he was center of the photos. It was all about capturing him and I think Tamsin can edit photos so well that you will look great on them anyway! We did clean and tidy an area to help with setting up but you only need a small space and when you have a newborn… the last thing you need is the panic of cleaning the house top to bottom… Tamsin works in one small area so that takes the pressure off too! Lastly enjoy the photos and the experience… you’ll want to buy them all… they are all so beautifully done and honestly it’s so magical to capture them so tiny as it’s sooo difficult to remember it once they grow even a little bit.- Louise C

My advice would be to enjoy the moment as its such a special time! Just makes sure you have all your baby supply's to hand such as dummies, muslin cloths, bottles/breastfeeding equipment and nappies in case of accidents make sure the room is warm enough too. No need to stress as Tamsin knows what to do and you can just sit back and let her do the work, maybe enjoy a bit of 'you' time and relax with a cuppa all whilst in the comfort of your home! Especially handy for c-section mamas like myself! I felt so comfortable as I didn't have to worry about getting out the house and being in pain and uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. Its such a beautiful experience and a real core memory that'll last forever What helped us prepare is for us is that Tamsin explained everything really well before the day and gave us tips on what to wear and colour schemes which put our minds at ease. We have had Tamsin round before so we knew how the setting up worked and its amazing how well the pictures turned out in the space of our home! - Bridie L

That's a hard one to answer because honestly Tamsin you were both so well prepared and easy to work with it just made the whole process so so easy and enjoyable - Joanne H

Joanne put together a super handy Checklist you can download

Newborn photoshoot Checklist

I hope you found this helpful in preparing for your own newborn's photoshoot at home. You've got this!

If you would link to learn more about newborn photoshoots with me or you're thinking of booking in have a look at my website, it's full of useful info including: testimonials, FAQ's, portfolio and how to get in touch to book: https://www.tamsinstaplesphotography.co.uk/newborn-photographer