After years of photographing newborns, I’ve learned that there are a few essential items that I use during almost every newborn session.
None of these items are fancy. They aren’t the things you’ll find at the top of a baby registry. The great part about them is they can make a huge difference when you’re trying to soothe a baby, help them to settle, or just get through those first few weeks at home.
As a newborn photographer on Long Island, I’m working with babies who are sometimes sleepy and sometimes awake, sometimes hungry, sometimes overstimulated, or are really just not sure what they think about this whole photography thing and a camera in their face.
Over the years, I’ve found a few simple items (tools as I call them) that help create a calm, comfortable environment in my studio. The great part? Many of them are just as useful for new parents at home!
So, if you’re expecting a baby, here are some of the newborn essentials I actually use in my studio that I think you’ll get plenty of use out of at home as well.
A Sound Machine
A sound machine is hands down one of my most-used items during newborn sessions.
When babies are in the womb they are surrounded by constant sounds and white noise which makes them surprisingly used to noisy environments. Actually, if it’s too quiet, newborns tend to have a harder time being soothed so complete silence isn’t what feels most familiar to them.
During a newborn session, I use a sounds machine that plays white noise to help create a soothing environment while I’m working with and posing babies. It can also help drown out other sounds in the studio and, for some newborns, makes it easier for them to settle into a deeper, more sound sleep.
So with all that being said – A sound machine can be just as helpful and essential at home while your baby naps and during the nighttime hours.
My Pro TIP – Choose one that can be plugged in and/or charged, that’s easy to use and has consistent sounds. I personally love the wind white noise option on my sound machine but having options that work best for you is key! (The EGG Sound Machine is a great option for traveling or on strollers).
Just remember – always follow safe-use recommendations for volume and placement, keeping the device away from your baby’s sleep space and at a volume that isn’t too loud for their tiny ears.
The Shusher
If you’ve never heard of the Shusher, I’m just going to say you’re welcome for introducing you to it now!
The Shusher is one of those gadgets that seems silly and pointless until you’re holding a newborn who just needs a little extra help settling and you’re too tired to do the soothing shushing sound anymore.
This is an item I use during every session as well! The Shusher creates a constant shushing sound that can be incredibly useful during a newborn session. I’ll use it while posing, transitioning a baby from one setup to another or when they are starting to stir. Basically it’s on the entire newborn session!
It comes in handy because it gives you that consistent soothing sound without requiring you to stand there shushing your baby for twenty minutes yourself!
This is one of those items that I think can be particularly helpful for new parents during those early weeks when you’re trying everything to get your baby to sleep or back to sleep. You can find this item on Amazon or at select stores here on Long Island with newborn and/or baby essentials.
Pacifiers
A pacifier is another little item that I will use from time to time during newborn sessions.
Not every baby takes or even uses a pacifier, and that’s ok! But for babies who do, a pacifier can be a great way to help them settle between poses.
Sometimes a newborn just needs a little help getting through a transition because moving them through poses can sometimes unsettle them. Or sometimes they’re just fussy and need a way to soothe.
At home, a pacifier can serve the same purpose when your baby is fussy, having trouble settling, or needs a little extra soothing.
If you do plan on using pacifier, I definitely recommend having a few around just in case. Because the moment you need one is usually the moment you can’t find it!
Swaddles and Wraps
Swaddling is a very big part part of my newborn photography style, and I personally have an extensive collection of wraps in my studio.
For newborn photography, wrapping allows me to create beautiful images while keeping baby feeling secure and comfortable. Wrapping also helps when babies get a bit fussy – it is another way of soothing.
When at home, a properly used swaddle (specifically for swaddling newborns) can also be incredibly helpful for those babies who are more content being wrapped up.
Just so you know, you don’t need tons of wraps like I have in my studio. A few soft, breathable wraps (muslin wraps, etc.) are more than enough. Even those swaddles with velcro can be a great option as well.
Also if you’re not sure specifically how to swaddle your baby safely, please be sure to ask a nurse to show you before you leave the hospital or your pediatrician or another qualified professional to show you.
Burp Cloths
This one is definitely not fancy, but it is absolutely essential in both my photography studio during newborn sessions AND for your baby at home.
I keep burp cloths within arm’s reach during newborn sessions because babies have interesting timing when it comes to spit-up and even pooping.
I’ll use them to protect posing fabric, they help to keep my hand from sticking to baby while doing table posing and they sometimes just keep baby comfortable during a session (draped over them)
At home, you’re going to use them for all this things.
Feeding. Spit-up. Drool. Diaper changes. Shoulder protection. Random baby messes you definitely weren’t expecting.
Keep them everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Have tons of backups.
Seriously.
Baby Wipes
Baby wipes are obviously great for diaper changes but aren’t just for diaper changes.
In my studio in Farmingdale, I keep baby wipes close by for quick cleanups throughout a session. Newborns can be very messy tiny people, and having something handy makes it easy to take care of those little surprises without disrupting the entire session. Wipes are also great for wiping my hands and my clothing if anything makes it way onto me.
At home, you’ll quickly discover that wipes are one of those things that should also be everywhere, in every room, in all spots.
Keep a pack in the nursery, your diaper bag (don’t forget this spot), the bathroom and wherever you tend to spend time with your baby.
Clean, Soft Blankets
I always have clean, soft blankets handy in my studio.
These can be used underneath baby, around baby, or simply as an extra layer to help keep them comfortable.
At home, having several soft, washable blankets within easy reach are definitely essential items.
You definitely don’t need a ton. Just enough that you always have a clean one available when the inevitable baby mess happens.
And it will happen. ALWAYS happen.
Patience
Okay, this is technically something you can’t buy but it’s probably THE most important thing I utilize during every newborn session I do.
Patience.
Newborns don’t care about our timelines.
They don’t care that we’ve spent a ton of time setting up.
They don’t care that we’re ready for the next pose that’s supposed to happen.
If they’re hungry, they need to eat.
If they need to be changed, then we have to change them.
If they need to be soothed, they we have to soothe them.
And sometimes they simply just need a minute to regroup.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned as a newborn photographer is that working slow and steady usually gets you much further than trying to rush through a session.
The same is true at home as well. They’ll test your patience but just remember, they’re tiny little humans with their own little personalities and we have to work with them.
You Don’t Need to Buy Everything
There are so many products marketed to new parents these days that it’s easy to feel like you need to buy every one of them before your baby is born.
Guess what? You definitely don’t.
The things I use most in my studio for newborn sessions are simple: white noise machine, a Shusher, a pacifier, soft wraps, clean blankets, burp cloths, and patience.
These aren’t magical solutions, and every newborn and newborn session is different. Something that works amazingly for one newborn may not work for others.
But having a few simple items available can make those early days maybe feel a little bit easier.
And that’s truly what I love about these items.
These are tools that help me create a calm and comfortable environment for newborns and they’re things that you can get at home and continue using long after your newborn session is over.
Planning Your Long Island Newborn Session
At Three J’s Photography, I bring a calm, baby-led approach into every newborn session that I do. My photography studio in Farmingdale has a wide variety of wraps, blankets, props, and little essential items that I use to create a safe and relaxed experience for my tiny clients while capturing the details of their earliest days.
You don’t need to bring anything, know how to pose your baby or worry about getting them to sleep before you arrive. That’s entirely my job and I love it.
All you need to do is simply show up, relax, and enjoy this incredibly fleeting stage of your newborn’s life.
Don’t wait – Let’s plan your session!
www.threejsphotography.com
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