As a new mama, I know you’re a bundle of worries and preparing for a newborn session is a big endeavor with such a little one at home. As a mom of three, former teacher, and nearly 10 years photographing newborns under my belt, I’ve heard lots of worries and one I always hear is:
What should I do if my baby cries?
Friends, I’m here to tell you that all babies cry. Yes, even the “good” babies (all babies are good!) And yes, it can and probably *will* happen at your session. I’m not only here to tell you that it’s no big deal, but that there are plenty of things we can do to minimize the misery and help keep your little one happy.
My favorite no-to-low-fuss tricks of the trade:
- Feed them and burp them. Some babies need to be fed several times during their session. Cluster feeding is a thing and your session isn’t the time to worry about schedules. Food makes everyone happy, sometimes even more so when it’s on demand. I think even adults can relate to this!
- Change their diaper. All babies like having a clean diaper and sometimes in the rush of preparing the whole family for a session, baby isn’t changed as often as usual. This is another go-to move, and a great opportunity to connect mid-session as well.
- Swaddle them. Babies just love the cocoon of a good swaddle. I recommend having a neutral swaddle nearby – it will photograph well and calm baby down almost every time.
- Pacifier. You may not be a big fan or maybe you are choosing not to use one, but it can make a difference during a newborn session. Sometimes the pure novelty of it is enough to shift baby from cranky and crying to quiet and engaged. And I promise it doesn’t have to stay in their mouth for long!
- Movement. I know what you’re thinking: “This is a photo session and I need to pose and stay still.” WRONG! Rock or walk the baby, just as you always would when baby needs comforting. Movement is dreamy in a photo session. You’ll see.
- Snuggles. I love capturing all the snuggles at a session and all babies love the warmth and security of being in mom or dad’s arms. Truth be told, this is calming for you, too. So snuggle up and do those things you always do when you’ve got a fussy baby on your hands. I love to capture all of these moments.
Final Thoughts on Crying Newborns
In my 9+ years of photographing newborns, I have never had a baby cry throughout an entire session, but nearly every baby I’ve photographed has cried! Crying happens, so please don’t sweat it. If it does, we’ve got this whole list of tricks up our sleeve. Still have questions or concerns? Please reach out! I’m always here to put your worries at ease!
