Let’s face it, it is NOT easy doing newborn photography, but it is definitely the most rewarding job ever! Getting to snuggle all the sweetest little humans, even when they’re screaming at me, I wouldn’t change it for the world! But I am always asked, “Krystal, how do you keep them sleeping?!”. Well, let’s get into it!

First of all, a baby shusher! This is KEY for my sessions. So much so, that I even downloaded the app on my phone because when my batteries die on my shusher, in an emergency, I NEED the shush! The key is a nice close, loud shush right in baby’s ear! You’d be surprised how well this works! Imagine how loud it is in mama’s belly, you’re trying to mimic that!

Second, is a really great space heater! The stuido itself stays very warm, but more importantly, baby is warm! Baby stays warm because of the heat that is directly onto him/her and myself. It’s a light breeze of nice warm air and it keeps baby’s calm. However, it also means that they are more likely to take a little wee on my stuff haha but that is totally normal and TOTALLY fine!! If your baby pees, do . not . stress! I don’t mind whatsoever, it’s all part of this amazing job! 🙂

Lastly, things that vibrate! My preference is the Lullavibe. I place this underneath baby’s on my table, or in a basket and let the Lullavibe do the work. It’s just a soft gentle vibrate. Again, we are always trying to mimic the feeling of mama’s belly while they were in there. They were not still, they were swooshing around and having a jolly old time! haha so, that’s what we want to do while they are now earthside!

In order to keep baby’s sleeping, it is very, very important to have an area that has everything needed to ensure the environment is calm and peaceful. Yes, it is extremely important for the baby to be comfortable, but you, as the photographer, must remain patient and calm. Getting frustrated when a baby won’t settle is not ideal! We need to ensure everyone in the room stays calm as babies can sense your tension :). They need all the love and patience as their world was just completely changed! So has mom and dad’s! Remaining calm during a newborn session is probably the biggest tip I can give any photographer who is just starting out. Sometimes these little ones can be FIESTY, but that’s okay! 🙂