Not So Sleepy Newborn Photo Session |Dylan

Not So Sleepy….

Well, there are “sleepy” and “not so sleepy” newborns I have the pleasure of photographing. Every parent who walks through my door tells me that they have a “sleepy” baby. You’ll always find me giggling at that.  In the newborn photography world most new parents tell me that their new little baby sleeps all the time, once fed.  By sharing this with me, they feel that they are providing me with comfort knowing that their newborn photo session is going to be easy and I’ll have no trouble posing their darling baby.  However, after many years of working with newborns, I’m afraid it’s just not that simple.

Newborns eat and sleep, cry a bit (or in my case … a lot), many diapers are changed but basically, eating and sleeping is what they do. After little tummies are full, mom or dad swaddles their tiny bundle and prepares them for the next step… a nice long nap.

At no time are the parents moving or posing them, right?  We even tip toe out of their nursery and hold our breath for the thought of waking them scares us to pieces. Why do you think monitors were created?  No one wants to risk waking a sleeping baby. Knowing from experience with two charmers myself, my little treasures could smell me as I walked near their nursery.  I actually saw one of them sleep with one eye open so he wouldn’t miss a minute attached by my side.  Now onto a newborn photography session…..

Naked and Posed

So now, after your newborn baby has a full tummy, give this a try: undress them and start moving their limbs in a cute and darling position. I can hear you now… not a chance, right? 😉  Starting to get the idea?  I know, it’s only a couple of hours that I am posing you beautiful baby.  You have a lifetime. But, every minute of our session is valuable. They get to decide what happens.  My job is to comfort them and help them be content ….naked and posed. It’s kind of a funny concept if you think of it but trust me when I say, it’s all worth it in the end.  It doesn’t come easy but having years of experience and education working with these tiny creatures, I have come to understand them. Very well.

Dylan’s Session

I share all of this information as I write about little baby Dylan. I adore her family and I had the honor of photographing their first child, Harrison. When Erin called to share the good news about of a second little on her way, I was crazy excited.

When Dylan, Erin, her mom and Harrison arrived the day of her photography session… we had lots of plans. The only one not involved in the planning was little Dylan… and Harrison too. Let’s just say that by the end of her session, we were all exhausted and each of us needed some time to ourselves. This was a tough little one, my friends. I can tell you this though, little Dylan slept the rest of the day for her mommy…. wink, wink.