In home sessions are one of my favorite ways to capture you and your new baby! These sessions are timeless, comfortable and simple. This allows for you to stay in the comfort of your own home and not worrying about packing up and leaving your home just days after welcoming your baby. My focus during your in-home session is the connection between you and your newborn, your partner and the love your have for this new little one. I don’t want you to worry about cleaning your entire home for your session. Often times in-home newborn sessions take place in the nursery or in the master bedroom. However, there are times when the light doesn’t allow for this and I find the best place to photograph.

Below are a few tips you can have your partner or family member do prior to your newborn session to run smoothly.

1. Prep Clothing-Most newborns don’t fit in their newborn clothing very well at just a few weeks old. I recommend having a simple white light weight swaddle blanket available. I am more than happy to bring one along if you don’t have one (don’t stress about buying one). While most newborns are usually content being wrapped and swaddled I do suggest having at least two white onesies on hand also with a few all white diapers.

2. De-Clutter the nursery-Have your partner go through the nursery about 30-minutes before I arrive to move the diaper pail out of the nursery, remove any burp rags from the crib or rocking chair. Have them clean up the water cups, paci’s, kleenx, diapers or any other items off of the tables and changing table.

3. Warm the home-Babies like to be warm. Turn up the heat in your home a few degrees about an hour before I arrive. This will be a comfort to your baby while I capture them by themselves.

4. Prep the crib-Take out any extra items out of the crib. Extra blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, etc. Try to have a neutral or white crib sheet on this will allow us to focus on your little ones features and not be distracted by the patterns not the crib sheets.

5. Open the curtains-I use natural window light during in-home newborn sessions. Have the curtains and shades drawn open to let the light come in. We will be keeping all the lights off during the session in the nursery and bedroom as they leave a orange cast.

6. Feed baby-While this isn’t preparing your home or nursery for the session. I always love to remind families to feed the baby about 20 minutes before I arrive. A full belly equals a happy baby. You are always welcome to feed your baby anytime during the session but it is nice to start the session with a happy and full baby to ensure your session goes smoothly.

I hope this information helps you feel more prepared your in-home newborn session. I can’t wait to capture this special time in your lives.