As a newborn and family photographer who serves Edina, St. Paul and Minneapolis, my in-home newborn photoshoots are a gathering of family, including toddler aged siblings. Parents often ask me how prepare their home for the session, and for ways we can safely incorporate toddler aged children side by side with their newborn. Below are my top tips on how to set expectations for your family newborn photoshoot, who gets to hold baby, shaking off the wiggles in active children, and my overall approach to capturing the organic moments of brand new siblings who are ready to explore childhood together.

Safety is Always the Main Priority

The in-home experience I offer families for a newborn photoshoot in Edina, St. Paul, and Minneapolis is a very intimate, curated experience. The beauty of planning a photoshoot this way is that your home is the place where memories are made, and where the days unfold into years. It’s a space that feels safe to your children, offering the quiet beauty of everyday life. But it can also be a place where exploration is encouraged. This makes the emphasis on safety the most important element of newborn sibling photos. Safety elements include your comfort level with moving through specific areas of your home, interactions between your children, and prompts (not poses) that drive the dynamic between you and your children throughout our time together.

Overseeing Toddler Energy During an In-Home Photoshoot

Toddlers are known for their boundless energy. Their curiosity about the world around them and their sense of adventure and imagination are shaped in the years that they are hard at work through playful exploration. As a newborn, family, and children’s photographer with over a decade of experience, I would never expect a child to sit still or pose perfectly. In fact, when I photograph young children, it’s usually quite the opposite. Before the moments spent with their new baby brother or sister, if parents are open to it, I encourage play. Again, keeping safety in mind. We can shake off the ‘wiggles’ by jumping on the bed, playing a quick made-up game, or by asking them to run around in a circle as fast as they can. That little bit of excited energy can be expended before it’s time to gently approach their sibling in a more calm, soothing environment. But rest assured, those fun moments, full of enthusiasm during active play, shaking off the wiggles, will be photographed as well.

Who Holds the Baby During a Newborn Photoshoot with Toddler-Aged Siblings

This is perhaps one of the biggest points of concern for parents during a newborn photoshoot with siblings: who should be holding baby. I understand all too well that different approaches work for different families. When we are ready to start incorporating your newborn into the fun, I will follow your lead on who gets to hold them, while offering gentle guidance on how to best position baby in your arms, on the bed, or in their crib. 

Typically, I will have Mom or Dad sit with the toddler sibling while the other parent holds the baby, and then we will switch and continue moving through different positions. The decision on whether or not big brother or big sister holds baby is up to you as the parent. If brother or sister is holding your newborn, then you are very nearby, just outside the frame, helping to ensure everyone is safe and comfortable.

If the sibling is not ready to hold your newborn during the photoshoot, there are a number of ways we can work around it while capturing beautiful photos of the bond they are beginning to forge as siblings. One of my favorite newborn with sibling photo ideas is to place baby safely in their crib or bassinet and ask their sibling to ‘spy’ on them. If your big kid has a favorite toy or hobby, we can also play with the idea of allowing them to show it off to baby, creating heartwarming images that capture the essence of who your children are at the cross section of this fleeting moment in their childhoods. 

Patience, Flexibility, and Allowing Children to Lead the Session Organically

My in-home newborn photoshoots with siblings are generally scheduled in the mid-morning. This time frame ensures everyone is fed and well-rested, without any interruptions to their daily routine. With the same notion in mind, we’ll take a flexible, if not somewhat organic, approach to your session, allowing children to lead through gentle assistance. The total duration of your photoshoot allows us to stop for a quick change or a feeding, as needed. All in all, making sure everyone’s needs are met while creating memories together as a family.

A Lifestyle Approach Means Finding Joy in the Candid, Unposed Moments

Experiencing joy and love through naturally occurring moments during an in-home newborn photoshoot with siblings is all part of a documentary, lifestyle approach. It’s about the moments shared and experienced together, memories that are yours to grab hold of, through lasting imagery of your sweet children. If you are preparing to welcome a new baby to the family and you’d love to experience an in-home photoshoot, you can find more details on working with me when you follow this link.