How to Prepare for Your Raleigh Newborn Session
You’ve scheduled your newborn session, and now you get to enjoy the exciting part: welcoming your baby.
The newborn days can feel like such a blur. There is so much happening at once, and the last thing I want is for preparing for photos to feel like one more thing on your list. My newborn sessions are intentionally designed to take as much of the planning off your plate as possible.
From wardrobe and professional hair and makeup to gently guiding your family during the session, I’ll walk you through the entire experience. You do not need a perfectly sleepy baby, perfectly behaved siblings, or a Pinterest worthy wardrobe. That’s my job.
Here’s everything you need to know before your Raleigh newborn session
When to Schedule Your Raleigh Newborn Session
Newborn sessions are typically scheduled within the first few weeks after baby arrives. I usually recommend photographing your baby around 7 to 21 days old, when possible.
That said, babies don’t follow calendars.
If your baby arrives early, late, or life simply requires a little more time before your session, please don’t worry. Beautiful newborn portraits can absolutely be created outside of that traditional window. Older newborns may be a little more alert and interactive, which can result in some of my favorite images.
If you reserved your newborn session before baby arrived, we’ll finalize your session date once they’re here.
Step One: Planning Your Newborn Session
One of the biggest differences between a full service newborn session and simply showing up for photos is how much planning happens beforehand.
Before your session, we’ll talk through the look and feel you’re drawn to, what you’d like to capture, wardrobe, your family, and where you ultimately hope to enjoy your photographs.
If you already know you would love an album for your coffee table or portraits for a particular wall in your home, tell me. Knowing that ahead of time allows me to photograph your session with the finished artwork in mind.
You are also welcome to schedule a wardrobe planning appointment at my Raleigh studio. We can look through the client wardrobe together, coordinate pieces for your family, and make sure everything feels cohesive without feeling overly matched.
The goal is not to create a perfectly styled family.
The goal is for everyone to look and feel like themselves, just with a little help pulling it all together.
Step Two: What to Wear for Your Newborn Session
For newborn portraits, I generally recommend soft, neutral colors and simple textures that keep the focus on your family and your connection with your new baby.
Think creams, whites, soft earth tones, muted pastels, and other subtle colors that photograph beautifully in my light and timeless style.
Try to avoid very bright colors, large logos, tiny busy patterns, or anything that will compete for attention with your faces and your baby.
Outfit Inspiration For Mom
Your Signature Newborn Session includes access to my studio wardrobe, with a curated collection of dresses and pieces chosen specifically because they photograph beautifully.
We can select something from the wardrobe, style something you already own, or use the style guides I provide if you would prefer to purchase something new.
Flowy dresses, soft fabrics, and pieces with a little movement tend to photograph especially well and are also comfortable during those early postpartum weeks.
Most importantly, I want you to feel beautiful and comfortable.
Outfit Inspiration For Baby
You really do not need to shop for your newborn.
I provide the wraps, blankets, simple clothing pieces, and other items we’ll need for baby during the session. My newborn work is intentionally simple and timeless, so your baby remains the focus.
If you have a sentimental blanket, outfit, heirloom, or other meaningful item you would love photographed, absolutely bring it. We can decide together whether and how to incorporate it.
Outfit Inspiration For The Family
Keep Dad simple.
Neutral pants or jeans paired with a soft neutral shirt, sweater, or button down usually works beautifully. I also keep several shirts for dads at the studio that we can use if needed.
For siblings, I recommend the same soft and simple approach.
I have wardrobe options for little ones through approximately age 10/11, or I’m happy to help coordinate something they already own.
Rather than having everyone match exactly, we want colors and textures that complement one another.
And please don’t worry about whether an older sibling is going to “cooperate.” I work with young children all the time. Some need a little more time, movement, silliness, or space than others. We follow their lead and make it fun.
Step Three: Take Care of Yourself, Too
Your baby is going to receive plenty of attention. This part is for you.
Professional hair and makeup for one person is included with your Signature Session. It is one less thing for you to plan on a morning when you are caring for a brand new baby, and it gives you a chance to sit down, relax, and be taken care of for a little while.
My artists create a natural, polished look that still feels like you.
Aside from that, there is very little “prep” required. If your hands are likely to appear in close up photographs, simple, clean nails are always lovely. But please do not feel like you need to arrive looking perfectly put together.
You just had a baby.
Come as you are, and we’ll take care of the rest.
What to Bring for Your Raleigh Newborn Session
A few things that can be helpful:
My studio is stocked with most of what we’ll need for your session, so there is no need to pack half of your house.
- Diapers and wipes
- Extra milk or feeding supplies if applicable
- A pacifier, even if baby only occasionally uses one
- An extra outfit for yourself, just in case
- Any sentimental item we have already discussed incorporating
- Snacks, comfort items, or entertainment for older siblings
That’s really it.
If you forget something, chances are we can figure it out.
Step Four: The Day of Your Raleigh Newborn Session
The most important thing I want you to know about the day of your session is that your baby is in charge.
There is no expectation that your newborn will sleep for the entire session. There is no schedule they need to follow beforehand, and you do not need to keep them awake all morning in hopes that they’ll sleep once you arrive.
Feed your baby as you normally would and follow their cues.
During the session, we will stop whenever baby needs to eat, be changed, soothed, or simply held. There is plenty of time built into newborn sessions for exactly this reason.
My background as a Labor & Delivery nurse has a huge influence on the way I approach newborn sessions. Baby’s comfort and safety will always come before getting a particular photograph.
Some babies sleep deeply.
Some babies are wide awake and want to know exactly what is happening.
Some want to eat every twenty minutes.
All of those babies can have beautiful newborn sessions.
What About Older Siblings?
Siblings are one of my favorite parts of newborn sessions because these photographs are about more than documenting how tiny your new baby is.
They are about documenting the way your family changed when this little person arrived.
I never expect toddlers or young children to sit perfectly still and smile on command. We may play, cuddle, whisper to the baby, pile onto the bed, take breaks, or completely change our plan.
Your only job is to stay relaxed and let me guide them.
The less pressure we put on children to perform, the more room we have for something genuine to happen.
If Your Newborn Session Is at Home
For families choosing an in home newborn session, please do not feel like your home needs to look like it belongs in a magazine.
It doesn’t.
I’ll look for the areas with the best light and help move or simplify things as needed. We may photograph in the nursery, primary bedroom, living room, or another beautiful pocket of light.
You do not need to deep clean your house before I arrive.
We are documenting your family and this season of your life, not your countertops.
Step Five: After Your Raleigh Newborn Session
This is one of the areas where my process is a little different.
Rather than simply emailing you a gallery and leaving you to figure out what to do with dozens of photographs, we’ll meet again for your ordering appointment.
This is when you’ll see your finished images together for the first time.
I’ll help you narrow down your favorites and decide how you would most love to enjoy them, whether that means an heirloom album telling the story of this season, framed artwork for your home, gift prints for grandparents, digital images, or a combination.
Part of my job is helping you figure that out.
You do not need to know what you want before we meet.
If you are considering wall art, I can also help you visualize your photographs to scale so you aren’t left wondering whether a frame will look too large, too small, or just right in your space.
Once your selections are made, I take care of the ordering and design process for you.
Creating Artwork From Your Newborn Photographs
Fine Art Albums
Deckled Edge
Matted Print
Printed Proof Set
Your newborn photographs deserve to become more than files you promise yourself you’ll print someday.
These are the photographs your child will eventually hold.
The album they’ll flip through and ask, Was I really that tiny?
The framed portrait they’ll grow up seeing in the hallway.
The photographs their grandparents will keep in their home and the ones you’ll look at years from now and somehow remember exactly what it felt like to hold them at that size.
I offer custom framed artwork, heirloom albums, fine art prints, and other carefully selected pieces designed to become part of your home and your family’s story.
You don’t have to figure out sizing, printing, framing, or album design on your own. I’ll guide you through all of it.
Because while creating beautiful photographs matters deeply to me, making sure you actually get to live with them matters just as much.
I hope this have covered any question you may have!
As always, please contact me with any questions you may have as you prepare for your Raleigh Newborn Session. I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
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When your memories live where life happens, they become part of your family’s story, seen every day, touched often, and one day, passed down. They remind your children where they come from and show them how loved they’ve always been.
On your walls, in your hands, always surrounded by love
I believe your memories should live where life happens
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