One of my first sessions was a bit of a disaster- the baby would not fall asleep, so creating those cute little squishy poses was out of the question. The mom and I tried wrapping, swaying, bouncing, feeding, burping, you name it and this little girl was not going to sleep. It took almost 2 hours before she finally wore her self out and slept. For fifteen minutes. This is what we all felt like by the end:
I tried to view that session as a learning experience and then threw myself into gaining as much information about newborn photography as possible. Over the following months, I watched countless tutorials, read blogs and articles about newborn safety, joined facebook groups, and had many new little clients along the way.
Here are my 3 best secrets for getting newborns to sleep during a photo shoot:
1. Turn up the HEAT! Ideally, you want the studio to be around 80-85 degrees and have a space heater nearby for added warmth. Not sure your room is warm enough? Spend a few minutes in the studio prepping and organizing your props. If you start sweating, baby is likely to be a happy client.
Be sure to tell the parents that the room will be very warm so they can plan their wardrobe accordingly. Breastfeeding moms are more easily dehydrated so always offer something to drink when the session starts. (I always have a pitcher of lemon water or Vitamin Water handy)
2. HUSH little baby. While babies are in the womb they become accustomed to all sorts of sounds- heartbeat, digestion, mom's voice, etc. Once they are born, white noise can be extremely calming, especially those that mimic the sounds they have heard for the past 9 months. I use the white noise baby app, and keep it on for the entire session. I usually have it on my phone and place it under the blankets or behind whatever prop the baby is in. A shushing sound also works wonders, and don't be afraid to get kind of loud. "SHHHHH" near the baby's ear can be very relaxing to a fussy newborn.
3. Take a breath and RELAX. Babies are great at picking up queues in their environment, including stress and tension. When mom and dad (or you) are stressed, the baby will certainly sense that and show her frustration. New parents are understandably a little tense when they are asked to hand over their most precious cargo, but try to reassure them that the baby is in good hands. Make sure you have seating nearby so their little one is always in sight. I usually have mom sit in for the first couple poses so she is comfortable and then suggest that she go relax on the couch, catch up on some sleep, watch tv, or whatever she has been missing the last week since the baby was born. I have had quite a few moms take me up on my napping offer :-)
Every newborn photographer has had a session where the baby just does not want to sleep. Mom says something like "He is never like this!" and the frustration keeps growing. Take a moment to think about how you can make the environment more calm and soothing for everyone and the session will go smoother. While each baby is unique, the advice above can be applied in almost every session and will help you to create images that the family will cherish forever!
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