Welcoming a new family member is SO exciting, and what better way to commemorate this special event than with family photos with your newborn?


Your tiny new human won't stay tiny for long - and if this isn't your first baby, you know how true that is! "The days are long but the years are short." As a mama myself, I now know that from experience and I'm here to help you capture those tiny toes, baby soft skin, and delicate little everything so that you can look back fondly across the years to this very sweet time in your life.


I love lifestyle sessions because they often take place in your home, where you're most comfortable, making it easy for you to prepare for your session without having to pack everything up including your newborn! Also, because the space is truly yours, your photos will more uniquely reflect your beautiful family.


Here are a few tips I have to make your lifestyle newborn session easy, fun, and memorable!

Tip #1: Hire a photographer experienced with newborns and/or trained in newborn safety!


This is SO important. A cheaper photographer may be tempting, but your baby's life and safety are priceless and it's worth it to pay for someone who has taken the time to receive training on safely handling, swaddling, and posing babies. This is true whether you are opting for a posed newborn session or a lifestyle session. A trained photographer will know how to help your baby relax, sleep, and get through the session smoothly. And if any troubles do arise, they will be trained to look for those signs of distress and how to handle the situation.

Close up of mom's hand gently holding her newborn daughter's hand during newborn photos in Colorado Springs.

Tip #2: Try to have baby freshly fed and in a clean diaper by the time your photographer arrives.


If baby is ready to go when your photographer arrives, they can go ahead and begin doing photos with baby while you finish getting ready! If baby is going to wear a special outfit, have him/her dressed when your photographer arrives as this will save some of your session time. If you're opting to just swaddle, your photographer can begin swaddling baby while you finish getting ready.

In any case, having baby full and clean will help him/her to fall asleep and sleep deeply through your photos, ensuring those sweet sleeping newborn photos are a success and helping your session run smoothly!

Bonus Tip: Your photographer will provide you with swaddles! Photography swaddles are different than what you use at home.

Parents stand holding their newborn boy and kiss during newborn photos in Falcon, Colorado.

Tip #3: Don't worry about your space(s) being perfect.


As a lifestyle newborn photographer, I provide my clients with a special guide to getting your space prepared to make it quick and easy for you! I also jump in wherever needed on your session day - I've moved furniture and dog crates, stuffed random things into boxes and stuck it in the hall, organized cute baby things, made beds, and curated night stands - all with permission of course - so YOU don't have to! A good photographer will help you out with this (within reason) but it's rarely worth stressing over. Whatever is needed to be done can usually be accomplished in just a few minutes!

Parents sit on their bed and hold their new baby girl and smile at her during newborn photos in Colorado Springs.

Tip #4: Choose a special outfit for baby to wear!


I always bring a collection of photography-specific swaddles to your session to get baby all cozy in. You get to choose one that coordinates with your outfits (I'm happy to help you choose!). These look so, so good and are a classic look for newborn photos. But, I always recommend to my clients to choose a special outfit for baby, too! It's an entirely different look and can show off baby in a whole different way. Because swaddling keeps baby the most happy during the session, I'll usually have the parents dress baby for my arrival, and then we'll swaddle after some cute outfit photos, because - Bonus Tip! - baby is much, much happier swaddled in almost every case. It reminds them of being safe and snug in the womb!

Parents sit holding and kissing their new baby boy during newborn photos in Colorado Springs.

Tip #5: Include the whole family - including the furry ones!


If you have other children, we'll definitely get them involved in your photos! There will be special time for mom, dad, and baby together, but I'll usually start with younger siblings so they can get done quickly and be on their way, as young attention spans are quite short. :) We'll do whole family photos, photos of baby with all siblings and each sibling individually, and then they're off! If you have pets at home, it can also be very special to include them in photos with your family and your new little one. You are the best judge of how they are around your baby. It's also a good idea to ask your photographer if they are experienced with pets and comfortable with them being around. If not, they may not be the best fit for you, and that's okay!

Parents kiss the sides of their baby girl's head as she looks over their shoulders at newborn photos in Colorado Springs

Congratulations on your new addition!


I would love to document this very special chapter in your family's story and help make it an easy, fun, and sweet experience for you. Please feel free to inquire with me if you'd like to discuss having a lifestyle newborn session in your baby's first few weeks of life earthside!