If you are about to have or have recently delivered a baby, you are sure to want to capture those precious first days with great portraits!  Here at Martha Peoples Photography, we can handle all your newborn needs!  Here is a guideline for preparing for your newborn session:

How old should the baby be when first photographed?  

• The perfect time is 7-14 days old.  We want the baby to be sleepy and easily posable.  The baby is going to change so quickly, it will be hard to remember how small they started out! 
•  Be sure to schedule either before your delivery or right afterwards.

What do I need to do the day of the session?  

• Try to keep the baby awake as much as possible in the hours before your session.  Bathe the baby, play with them so they will be nice and tired when you get here.  
• Put the baby in a diaper with no clothes and wrap it in a blanket to put in the car seat.
• Either plan on a good feeding right before you leave for the studio or plan on doing that here. Be sure to burp the baby!  Gassy babies are not happy babies!   If you are breast feeding, do not eat spicy foods or anything that may upset the baby's tummy 2-3 days before your session.
• Bring a pacifer for comforting.
• The session will last 2-4 hrs. so be sure to bring plenty of feeding material and diapers.  You will probably feed the baby several times during the session.
• If syblings are going to be photographed with the baby, think about having someone bring them near the end of your session.  Small children get bored easily and will not sit still and be quite for extended periods of time.  Bring something for them to do while they wait.

• Bring any special mementos that you would like to have photographed with the baby.  I have plenty of props, hats and headbands but you may also want something that was especially made for your child.

• Come prepared to be in some of the pictures with your child.  You may not feel up to it, but you will always be glad that you took a few shoots with the baby.  Sometimes I use your body as a prop! Holding the baby's hand or feet is always precious.  Be sure to bring your and your spouse’s wedding rings for a prop!

• Be sure the baby's nails are trimmed.  There will be photos of little hands and feet.
• Wear layers.  The room will be warm for the baby's comfort, so you may need to take off some layers.
• RELAX!  We will be working with the baby's time clock so there is NO RUSH.  We will have plenty of time, so just relax and enjoy this time.
• We will probably be doing 3-4 different sets.  The baby will primarily be photographed naked or wrapped in swaddling cloth.
• THERE WILL BE POOP!  Don't sweat the accidents.  Poop happens!  Bring extra clothes since we will probably get wet.  Props and backgrounds may get wet, but everything will be washed after your session anyway!

• SAFETY FIRST!  We never leave the baby unattended and someone will always be right there to touch and comfort your child.  Any special props that are used are used with a bean bag underneath to insure saftey.

What happens after my session?

• A viewing will be set up approximately one week after your session.  Be sure to bring grandparents to this as I'm sure they would like to order too!
• Think about what products you want.  We offer birth announcements, books, photo cubes, phone cases as well as packages.

Having a new little one can be stressful, but it should be one of the most exciting times in your life.  Let me tell your story through timeless portraits!  Just come in and RELAX!  Let me do the work!