How to Prepare for your Newborn Session

Preparing for a newborn photo session is essential to ensure a smooth experience and beautiful photographs. Megan Leigh Photography, based in Temecula, California, specializes in newborn photography and offers guidance to help parents prepare effectively.

Booking Your Session
It's recommended to schedule your newborn session during pregnancy, ideally in the second trimester, to secure availability. I advise booking early to accommodate the optimal time frame for newborn photos, which is within the first 3 weeks after birth. If your baby has already arrived, contact me for any last minute openings.

Timing of the Session
Newborn sessions are best held when the baby is between 5 to 21 days old. During this period, infants are typically sleepier and more amenable to posing, resulting in those serene and curled-up images. If your baby has already arrived and is getting close to the end of this time period or already passed it, we can still get some great photos while they are still little. They are just much more likely to be awake for the session. But older newborns have amazing expressions and eye contact. These are sometimes my favorites! Some examples are below...

Preparing Your Baby
Feeding: Plan to feed your baby right before the session to ensure they are full and content. You can choose to do this at home if you live close or you are more than welcome to feed baby at the studio when you arrive. A well-fed baby is more likely to sleep soundly, facilitating smoother posing and transitions.
Clothing: Dress your baby in loose-fitting clothes to avoid marks on their skin. Simple, easy-to-remove outfits are preferable. I provide a selection of wraps and props, so elaborate clothing is unnecessary unless it's something specific you would like incorporation into the session.

Environment and Family Involvement
The studio is designed to be warm and comfortable for newborns so dress lightly or in layers in case you get warm. Bringing a pacifier can help soothe your baby during the session if they are having trouble settling. I do have a room dedicated for clients to take over and make themselves comfortable. There is a TV for DVDs, toys and books to entertain siblings during the session. I have some seating in the shooting area so you to enjoy watching the process of the newborn photos being taken. Family participation adds a personal touch to the photos if you'd like to get family photos done. Coordinating outfits in neutral or muted tones without busy patterns ensures that the focus remains on your family's expressions and connections. I offer 3 backdrop colors for family images to coordinate with any house decor so you and loved ones can display them proudly. For younger siblings, I have them lay on a fluffy, wool rug to lay down with baby for safety.

Relax and Trust the Process
Newborn sessions can between 1-3 hours depending on the package you booked. This is to accommodate feeding, changing, and soothing. I emphasize patience and flexibility, ensuring a stress-free experience for both parents and baby. I will shoot both awake and/or asleep. If baby is content, I will be capturing all those opportunities. I do not guarantee any particular pose. I never force a baby to do anything that makes them uncomfortable.