5 Tips to Prepare for Your Lifestyle Newborn Session // Raleigh Newborn Photographer

In-home newborn sessions are my absolute favorite sessions to photograph. The beauty of an in-home or lifestyle newborn session is that it takes place in the comfort of your home! There is no packing up of diaper bags and changes of clothes but instead you get to keep settling in and enjoying life with you new little one at home.

As a lifestyle newborn photographer it is never lost on me how precious and vulnerable these moments are and I truly treasure that I get to capture families in this sweet (and maybe a little chaotic) season. With these 5 tips (and a few bonus ones) you’ll be all set for a stress-free lifestyle newborn session!

1. Book and schedule your newborn session as soon as possible. Start reaching out to the photographers you are interested in early on – this will ensure that you get the photographer of your dreams before they are booked up. It’s always better to reach out in advance than to risk their calendar filling up and not having space! Then, once baby is here let your photographer know as soon as possible so you can lock in your date and time.
2. Declutter your home in the spaces we will be using. Your home doesn’t need to be perfect by any means, but simply clearing nightstands and dressers or pushing some things into the closet for the morning can be super helpful and allow us to go where the best light is more easily.
3. Prep your little one. Keep baby awake until just before your session, then plan to feed them right before your newborn photographer arrives. The goal is for your little one to be nice and sleepy for your session. Have them in a fresh diaper and loosely wrapped in a blanket, ready to be swaddled for their session!
4. Plan ahead with siblings. If you have any older kiddos, it can be helpful to promise a treat as a reward at the end of your session. It can also be helpful to have something ready to give in the moment if needed (like marshmallows or chocolate chips).
5. Take a breath and relax! Just sit back and snuggle your precious baby and let your photographer worry about the rest! There will plenty of time to take a break for a hungry baby or give a break to a cranky toddler so please don’t ever feel stressed, this is all normal and built into your time!

A few bonus tips…
-Review your photographer’s prep guide and style guide to see how they want you to best prepare for your time together. They should walk you through everything in detail including how to pick outfits for the whole family.
-If you would like photos in your bedroom, getting a white or light colored duvet or quilt for your bed helps brighten those photos up. This will also reflect more light back onto your family for better skin tones in your images!
-Lastly, go ahead and start noticing the lighting in your home. When do you get the most natural light inside? Take note of when this is and plan your session around that time.

Have any questions? Let me know! I hope this post helps you feel a little more prepared for booking and working with a lifestyle newborn photographer. If you are in the Raleigh, NC area I would love to connect and see if we are a good fit to work together! You can fill out my inquiry form here. I look forward to hearing from you!

Anna Rudd is a Raleigh area maternity, family, and newborn photographer. If you are interested in booking your own lifestyle newborn session in the Raleigh area, I’d love to chat!