Newborn Photoshoot

​When our baby girl was born, my husband and I knew we wanted to capture those early days with professional photos. Everything was basically a blur when we first brought her home, so photos were the ideal way to freeze that moment in time. While I was excited to have a mini photo shoot, I was also very nervous. Georgia is our first child and she came into this world with some serious pipes. I had no idea how this would go, but had my fingers crossed for a smooth session. Check out what I took into consideration when planning our first family photo shoot.
 
Timeline
 
The reality is, after giving birth, you may not be up for sitting pretty and having your photo taken. But a lot of photographers prefer to do the shoot in the first few weeks of your baby’s life as they’re mostly just eating, pooping and sleeping at that point. Georgia was an absolute star when we did our pics and I’m so grateful we got to capture her early days when she was so tiny in our arms.

Location
 
We chose to do the photo shoot in our home and I’m so glad we did. This is where we are most comfortable and we were able to get shots of the nursery and Georgia in her crib. Choose the space that will be the best option for you and your babe.  

Look at the photographer’s work
 
I personally had no great desire to see my baby girl sitting in a flower pot with some type of floral adornment upon her head. Or wrapping her in some type of pea in a pod-like swaddle and surrounding her with an assortment of produce. I wanted simple. Amanda of Welcome Arms Photography was the perfect choice for us. She is a natural light photographer who captured us, quite simply, swooning over our baby girl.
 
Pick the time
 
Amanda was completely willing to set a time that would be most convenient for us. We hadn’t really gotten into much of a rhythm by that point in Georgia’s life, but I knew we wanted time to slowly roll into the morning and had more than enough time to get ready. I did not want to feel rushed!
 
Enjoy a little primping
 
At first, the thought of doing my makeup for the first time in a handful of weeks and actually putting some effort into my hair sounded exhausting. But once I looked at the finished product, it was just the pick-me-up I needed. I felt beautiful (and clean!) and I knew it would likely be quite some time before I did that much grooming again.
 
Remember your NEW breasts
 
This seems like an odd reminder, but it’s one I didn’t take into consideration until after the photo shoot. I must admit that in some of the pictures, B1 and B2 (as I so affectionately call them) are seriously stealing the focus away from Georgia. I chose to wear the dress I wore for my baby shower and let’s just say it fit a little differently once she came into the world. Throughout the shoot, I was constantly adjusting the straps and moving around to try to make sure I wasn’t giving a free show.
 
Have fun!
 
Lastly, just enjoy yourself. Amanda was super relaxed with us and it helped me feel calm and comfortable throughout the shoot. It was a great experience and I love that we have these images forever. 

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