I loved planning this newborn session for this tiny baby boy with this sweet family, and it was such a joy seeing them again after their beautiful maternity session in Hampton Park. I genuinely believe that the best sessions start with intentional planning. So with that in mind, here’s a quick review of what you can expect for your newborn session!

Timeframe

When possible, I love to plan newborn sessions 10-14 days after birth, give or take a few days. Planning within these first two weeks ensures babies are still in that sleepy newborn phase. It also gives parents time to adjust to the lifestyle change (getting used to feedings, etc.) and allows Mom time to recover.

It’s not unusual to push this timeframe up to 4 weeks after birth though, especially for Mamas who have had c-sections or need a little more time to feel more like themselves.

What to Expect on the Day of Your Newborn Session

On the day of your sessions, I’ll bring all wardrobe options Mom has selected from the Client Wardrobe. I’ll also have your favorite coffee (liquid fuel!!) if you’ve shared your order with me during our pre-session questionnaire process.

Last but certainly not least, I will bring a selection of newborn bows for girls and neutral swaddles. I do prefer to use swaddles from my collection because, after years of working with tiny little ones, I know the fabric types and sizes that will work best for swaddling for the purposes of a newborn session.

Including Heirlooms in your Session

Please let me know if you have any heirloom items like blankets, a bassinet, or outfits that you’d like to use in your pre-session questionnaire. Those are so important and I love incorporating them to make your session special to your family!

Preparing Baby

I always ask that you feed baby about 30 minutes before the session starts. They will most likely be awake after that feeding, and that’s okay! The key is that full belly and a good burping session after the feeding. Don’t be surprised if baby needs at least one feed during the session, too!

As you can imagine, this will likely throw your little one a bit off schedule (if you have one) for the day. Not to worry, it’s just one day! They usually have no trouble getting back on track the following day, I promise.

Once I arrive at your home, we get baby changed into an outfit that shows off his or her hands and feet to ensure I can take those precious detail photos.

I always start newborn sessions with solo baby photos, so Mama and siblings have plenty of time to try on dresses and finish getting ready without feeling rushed. Baby will always be in natural positions and safe, without any complicated posing.

Locations in Your Home

If you’re planning an in-home newborn session, we will use the nursery (if it’s ready), your living space, and a bedroom with the best light and neutral bedding when possible.

For this session, I loved seeing all the care and attention to detail in this baby boy’s nursery. You could see they had poured so much time and love into it, and it was such a dreamy space with the most beautiful light. For this reason, we took the bulk of the photos in the nursery. Plus, how sweet are all the light blue and baby boy details?

After Your Newborn Session

I know how hard those first few weeks and months are with a new baby, so I always try to make this experience as easy as possible for Mamas.

After your session, I will deliver your gallery up to three weeks from our session day. Once you receive your digital images, you can order prints directly through your gallery, or I can help you design a custom album using your favorite images.

I know how easy it is to get caught up in the day-to-day life with an infant and forget to print your photos, which is why I highly recommend printing images and starting the process of a custom album within the first few weeks of receiving images. I will happily guide you through the experience!

Ready to Book your Newborn Session?

If you’d like to reserve your due date on my schedule, contact me to get the process started! I take a limited number of due dates each month to make sure my schedule is flexible enough to accommodate each session. For that reason I recommend reaching out to book at the start of your second trimester.

Caitlyn Motycka is an award-winning Charleston Family, Maternity, and Newborn Photographer based out of Charleston, SC. Service areas include Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, James Island, Folly Beach, and surrounding areas.