"Do I really NEED newborn photos"

When it comes to hiring a wedding photographer, no one bats an eye, right? This is a huge milestone/event in your life that you wanna document forever, so you spend money and find a professional you love, to cherish this day. So why is it questionable when it comes to your BABY?! Your life is about to change, and I truly think it is SO important to document this time as your newborn will grow and change so fast. You created LIFE, a whole miniature version of yourself, shouldn't you want to document this milestone forever?!

As a mama of two beautiful babies and one angel baby, I look back their photos and can put myself back in those moments. I can remember every detail through photos, that otherwise may have been forgotten. The shape of their nose, the way they used to smile, etc. When you have a TANGIBLE item to look back on and hold in your hands, that once held them, it's priceless.

As someone who wishes she had more time and more photos of loved ones lost, to help spark those special memories, trust me when I say it's worth it.

The newborn photos are worth it. The milestone photos are worth it. The family photos with YOU in them, are WORTH IT

The Most Common Questions About Newborn Sessions

Children grow up so fast, and having photos of your little ones at their newest can help you remember years later how tiny they truly were.

As you’re preparing to welcome a new addition into your family, consider booking a newborn photo shoot to capture this wonderful moment in your life. And if you’re unsure what a newborn photo session entails, I’ve compiled this list of common questions parents have.

What’s the best age for newborn photos?

The ideal age for a newborn session is between 5 and 14 days. At this stage, babies still spend most of their time sleeping and often still snuggle up in positions that are similar to those they held in the womb. Remember that babies grow fast, and after two weeks, your little one will start stretching their arms and legs more and will be less comfortable with posing—and less likely to stay asleep for most of the session.

How early should I book my shoot?

If you want to have a newborn session, try to book it as early as you can. You only have a small window of time in which to take these photos, and you want to make sure your photographer is available. I would reach out to your photographer in your first or second trimester.

What if my baby arrives later than expected?

Your photographer will understand that babies come when they’re ready and not on any schedule. They’ll hold time around your scheduled session to make sure you’re guaranteed a space when baby arrives.

How long is a typical newborn session?

Most sessions last about three to four hours. If that sounds long, don’t worry—you won’t be taking photos the whole time. A large portion of your session will be spent feeding and comforting your newborn to make sure they’re content for portraits.

How should I dress my baby?

The majority of newborn photography involves nude portraits to capture the tininess of your baby, so you’ll want to dress your infant in something that’s easy to put on and remove. If you’d rather your baby dressed in photos, your photographer most likely has an array of tiny outfits and wraps to dress baby in for their photos. 

What should I bring to my session?

Your whole diaper bag, of course—pacifiers, extra diapers and wipes, and extra formula and bottles, if you formula-feed. You also want to bring a change of clothes for yourself—if you’re going to be in photos with a naked infant, there’s a good chance you’ll get pooped or peed on. And be sure to bring along any props you want included in the photos, like a blanket or a toy that has special meaning to you or your family.

Be sure to ask your photographer any other questions you may have and don’t be nervous! Your photographer has experience working with newborns and parents and will know just how to pose and photograph your baby and capture those precious memories of this special time in your lives.

Getting Your Littles to Behave for Photos

You don't. 𝑲𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒉𝒂.

Sometimes kids don’t listen.. for any number of reasons. Expecting them to have fun and smile for a total stranger will surely cause some tension, so here are my tips for getting kiddos on board for sessions!

𝗛𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠 𝗨𝗣!

Tell them you’re going to visit a crazy, fun lady named Sarah who is going to play games and take their picture! Get them comfortable with my face so I don't seem so scary when they meet me!

During the session try and focus less on the “perfect smiles” and “poses”. Let’s focus on candids and letting your kids be them. Tell them a joke, let them run, and have fun!!

𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗬 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗦

Does your kiddo get attached to certain toys? Buy them something you won’t mind having in photos! A neutral teddy bear, a vintage look toy truck, a special doll.. photos are scary for little ones.. if they have a comfort object they are more likely to feel safe and are less likely to cry.

𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗬

While bribery doesn’t work for everyone, if it works for yours, go for it! Promise a trip to the store, ice cream, a special treat, bring a few small pieces of candy (nothing that will stain their lips, so no lollipops, unless it's for after!)

𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘

Parents. This one is on you. You are your kids rock and source of comfort.. if you start to get stressed because your kids aren’t being perfect angels- guess what... it’s only going to get worse. So take a deep breath.. snuggle your babe (or let them run around.. whatever their goal is!) and let me just capture the moments. This is especially true with newborns as well! They sense our stress and cry even more, so just breathe mama! Let me handle it!

I expect all children to be wild and emotional. Photo day can be intense.. kids are put on a stage and expected to perform for a total stranger, they are bound to be a little extreme and that’s okay! So show up to your session mentally prepared to let your littles be a little extra... and maybe have a little wine ready for when you get home for yourself

7 Reasons Why You Should Take Maternity Photos

You’re counting down the days until your little one arrives! Depending on how you feel at this stage of your pregnancy, you may be unsure about whether you want to invest time and money into professional maternity photos. Maybe you’re self-conscious about the way your body looks or maybe you’re just not sure about the cost of a photo session. While it’s most important to make a decision that’s right for you and your personal needs, there are many reasons why maternity photos are definitely worth the investment and are a choice you won’t regret.

Celebrate your pregnancy journey

Pregnancy may not be a phase of your life you enjoy, especially in the last few months. As your body grows larger, you may not want any photos of yourself taken and wouldn’t want to share images with friends and family. It can be a challenge watching your body change so much, and it can also be easy to forget just how miraculous and incredible pregnancy really is. A maternity photo session allows you to focus on the new life your body is working so hard to create, instead of the way you look, and can remind you of the excitement and joy that comes with bringing your child into the world.

Capture the joy and anticipation

No matter how you feel physically, pregnancy is a time of looking hopefully and delightfully toward the future. In the months and years to come, as you focus on raising your new child, you may forget what it felt like to be eagerly awaiting their arrival. Maternity photos can serve as a reminder of those feelings in the years to come. After all, most women only experience pregnancy a few times in their lives, and chances are you won’t regret having a memento of that special time.

Mark this moment in your family’s growth

I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many photos of your family. So much of life passes by in a blur, and we often forget more than we remember. Whether this is your first child or your fourth, your pregnancy is a great time to get some family photos with not just you and your partner, but your other children as well. If you take time to do photo sessions on a regular basis, you can chart the growth of your family over the years—something your future self and your children will definitely be thankful for.

Reveal the sex or name of your child

A professional maternity session can be a fun way to announce either the sex or the name of your child—or even both! There are so many fun and creative ways to announce your little one’s name or sex to the world with photos, and your photographer would be more than happy to help you make that announcement. Scroll through Pinterest for ideas or think about the interests or hobbies you and your partner share as inspiration for telling the world your news.

Have an excuse to get all dressed up

Let’s face it: during pregnancy, most of us don’t feel our most beautiful. You may spend a lot of time wearing whatever is most comfortable and a lot less time on your hair and makeup. But maternity photos are the perfect excuse to go all out on your beauty routine, whether that means doing your hair yourself or stopping into a salon to get the perfect hairdo. Pregnancy is a time in many women’s lives when they really need to feel beautiful because they so often don’t. A maternity session allows you to revel in your beauty and strength and to remind yourself of how absolutely stunning you are.

Take time to bond with your partner

One of the coolest things about maternity sessions is the interactions between couples as they celebrate the new life they’ve created. Your maternity shoot gives you and your partner a chance to reflect on the life you’ve built together and how much has changed in your relationship since the beginning. Plus, maternity images are a great way to mark a major shift in the life of your family and in who you both are as you transition to parenthood.

Get images worth displaying

A lot of people have their wedding photos hanging on the walls of their home, but imagine having images on your walls from every stage in your family’s growth—from marriage to your first child all the way down to when you become grandparents. Maternity photos capture a moment in time that’s just as important as your wedding day. You’re welcoming a new child into your lives and your home—that’s huge! It’s definitely a moment that deserves professional photography, just like your wedding day.

Honoring your Rainbow Babies | A story of Hope

The Rainbow Project

The loss of a pregnancy or child is a feeling that no mother (or father) should ever have to experience. It brings anger, and emptiness that is incomparable to any other feeling I've ever experienced.

I'll spare everyone the sappy, long story, but I suffered a still birth almost 4 years ago now. Our son, Aaron, was only 21 weeks when he took his last breath, and since that time, I promised myself I'd never stop talking about him. I'll never stop bringing awareness to infant loss and how I cope. I never want another to mama to feel alone through her own experience and I continue to spread the story of hope and joy that can be experienced after loss. Whether you have suffered a miscarriage, experienced a still birth, or have lost a child in any way, this gut wrenching experience is no doubt the most devastating event of your life...but you're not alone mama...and there's hope!

So...What is a rainbow baby??

A rainbow baby is a baby born after miscarriage, still birth or infant loss. A rainbow baby is that precious miracle a family receives after the "storm" they've just weathered.

They are your tomorrow, your hope.

Pregnancy after loss

When you finally fall pregnant again it can be scary. "What if something happens?" "What if we lose this baby too?" "What if I forget Aaron?" These are all thoughts I had after getting pregnant with my rainbow son, Jason.

In my experience, and I know every parent will see it differently, your rainbow is not a replacement baby. This beautiful new life was sent here to comfort you and offer hope after the storm. This new miracle doesn't replace what you've lost- it brings joy and comfort to you and your family. Your rainbow baby brings a sense of beauty that wouldn't be there had you not experienced the storm. Pregnancy after loss is hard. It causes anxiety that can feel overwhelming at times. These emotions can feel like a lot to take in. Feel them mama. They are intense but they are a part of your healing. 4 years later, I still feel these things. I don't think it'll ever go away, but you're not alone.

Every milestone you experience with your rainbow will be bitter sweet. You're so excited to celebrate these milestones with your baby, but they can be hard as it is something you never got to experience with your angel. It's okay to cry when your baby learns to walk. It's okay to be happy and sad all at once. Lean into those feelings and know you're the absolute best parent this baby can have.

If you've stuck with me this far, I appreciate you! If you're going through a loss, experiencing your first pregnancy after a loss, or if you just wanted to hang around and get in my feelings with me, I want to say thank you for listening and going through this journey with me. I put together this event to show other parents that they are not alone. Every pregnancy, and every child should be celebrated, of course, but there is just something so special about that rainbow baby. 1 in 4 women experience a miscarriage in their life time, most suffer silently alone. But you're not alone mama.

You'll get through this.

There is hope