As a Long Island newborn photographer, one of the most common (and maybe frustrating) challenges you might face is a baby who will not sleep during a session. While this can be something that is very frustrating, there are several ways you can ensure a successful newborn session, capturing those precious early moments beautifully.
Making sure parents are prepared
Before your session, communicate with parents about how to prepare their baby. Here are some helpful tips to share with them in a pre-session guide:
- Try to Keep Baby Awake: Encourage parents to keep their baby awake for some time before the session. Giving baby a bath, interacting with baby are ways this can be done. This will help baby to become more sleepy.
- Feed Baby Prior to Session: A full baby is a sleepy baby! Definitely suggest that parents feed their baby a full feed just before leaving for the session or as soon as they arrive. Newborns tend to get sleepy after feeds and stay asleep longer.
– Warm and Comfortable Studio: Make sure to make the studio warm and cozy. Babies love to be warm and cozy as it mimics inside the womb. They tend to sleep much better and stay asleep longer.
Create a calm and relaxing environment
A calm and relaxing environment is very important for a successful newborn session:
- White Noise: Using white noise machines to mimic the sounds the baby heard in the womb is a great way to help get babies relaxed, comfortable and sleepy. This can help soothe the baby to sleep and maybe even parents!
- Soothing Techniques: Gentle rocking of baby, swaddling baby, and pacifiers can work wonders with helping to calm a fussy baby.
– Make sure parents are comfortable – this will help keep them relaxed which will help keep you relaxed which then will help keep baby calm.
Be Patient and Flexible
Patience is essential when photographing newborns:
- Take Breaks: Be prepared to take breaks for feeding baby, changing a diaper when necessary, and for soothing baby. A relaxed and unhurried approach can make a significant difference within your session workflow
– Adapt Your Plan To Baby: Sometimes, babies just will not sleep. Be sure to have a variety of poses and setups ready as a backup, including awake shots which are super adorable. Capturing the baby’s expressions and interactions with parents can result in beautiful and memorable images.
Safety First
Always make sure baby’s safety and comfort is your first priority:
- Proper posing: Ensure the baby is always properly supported, especially in more advanced poses (Advanced poses should be done by experienced, professional newborn photographers). Newborns should never be forced into a position that would be uncomfortable or unsafe for them.
Capture the Moment
You have to try and remember, not every newborn session will go perfectly, and that’s okay!
- Candid Shots: Try and embrace the unpredictability and capture candid moments. Sometimes, the sweetest and most heartwarming images come from the unplanned moments.
On Long Island and all over the world, newborn photography is something that captures fleeting moments of a baby’s early days. By being prepared, creating a calm and relaxing environment, being patient, prioritizing safety, and embracing the moments that you can’t control, you can handle any situation where a baby won’t sleep during a session. Just remember, flexibility, patience and a positive attitude are your best tools in creating beautiful memories for families to look back on forever.
For more tips and professional newborn photography services on Long Island, feel free to contact Three J’s Photography today!
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