Newborn Photo Session Preparation Guide with Grey Loft Studio in Ottawa, Ontario, hosts clients come from Toronto to Montreal just to capture their little one in our studio as we have trained with International Renowned Photographer, Ana Brandt who has taught 2 workshops in the studio in 2018 and in 2019.
Hiring the best
Nine months of eager anticipation has finally come to an end and your new bundle of joy has arrived and you want some amazing photos to remember this milestone. You will not want to miss the opportunity to have your little one photographed at this time. We delight in capturing the innocence and vulnerability of your newborn and creating beautiful images that you will forever cherish.
Behold what a miracle she is! See how he stretches and yawns; how a tiny hand reaches out to grasp your finger. These are the fleeting moments that you will wish to preserve for a lifetime!
Once the mother’s milk has arrived is the ideal time to capture those angelic sleeping shots, plus our outfits and props only fit babies who are about 7-12 pounds… We think scheduling morning appointments have the most success with sleepy babies, therefore we ask that you plan your doctor’s appointment in the afternoon after you have your session with us.
Also, babies are generally sleepier, and more flexible during this time, which makes them more amenable to posing as they have been tightly hugged in the womb for a while and love to be warm.
Things to consider
Feeding ahead of time or arrive 15 minutes early to feed before your session start time can help maximize the number of poses during a session.
When it comes to dressing the baby, we suggest nothing over the head, but a zip-up or snap-up onesie/sleeper is great. We know you have so many cute outfits, but they can be hard to get on and off.
Bring an extra bottle of milk and/or formula as some require more cuddling and feeding than others. The 2-3 hour timing for feeds may change as we are interrupting your little ones sleep. We have a fridge and bottle warmer available for use in the studio.
Please bring a couple of soothers for babies (even if babies don’t take them) as it helps soothe babies in between poses as they will often try to suck on anything. The best kind of soothers is the silicone soothers that have space for your finger in the middle, usually given out at the hospital.
If the baby is gassy, gripe water or similar alternatives are recommended at the parent’s discretion. A private room, nursing cover, and nursing pillow are available along with a changing table to change your babies diaper. We do have newborn sized diapers and dry wipes available in case you forget your own.
We know a new mom would like to stay close to the newborn naturally, but this can delay or distract the baby from falling asleep if they can smell she is very close. We have two couches in the studio for parents to relax during the session. We have photographed over 450 babies so we always try to calm baby first for up to a minute before handing the baby back, as long as the parents are comfortable with this of course.
Having a handy partner or friend come along to help is always recommended so you can sit back and relax. We promise that safety is our number one priority when it comes to handling your new baby, so whenever we need to step away, we ask someone to sit with the baby as we get ready for our next pose.
The temperature of the room: 80–85 degrees and we use a double-sided fireplace to heat our space, so it’s never cold, even in the dead of winter. We use a white noise machine and a “shusher” during our sessions to help keep baby calm and relaxed, and sometimes even the parent’s take a nap.
All of our items that touch the babies skin are washed with natural baby detergent to avoid any breakouts or rashes. We do however use all-natural sheep’s wool for a lot of our setups, so it can sometimes be found on the baby.
We ask that you arrive on time for your session as we know that this may very well be the first time you leave the house with baby, please plan ahead as we don’t want you to feel rushed or add any extra stress.
A few specific foods moms should avoid at least two days prior to the session as some foods can upset a newborn tummy, and it’s important to help ensure the comfort of the baby at all times. The most common foods to avoid include:
- Acidic foods, such as lemons, oranges, berries, pizza, spaghetti, chilli, and tomato products
- Gassy vegetables, such as asparagus, onions, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower
- Foods that should be restricted, such as soda, coffee, and beer
- Dairy products
We can’t wait to meet you and your new little one!
Hire us to capture your newborn baby photos! Check out our pricing here.
We have all our availability listed here as well, so don’t wait! We book up to 6 months in advance!
