Newborn Photos: What to Expect

I can't believe we are planning the little Man's first year shoot!  This year has seriously flown by.  In a true nostalgia moment, I took a look back at his newborn photos, and I couldn't help but laugh.  While we were able to capture some incredibly dreamy photos of the little Man, there were plenty of pictures that looked like this:

Having lived through the experience of a newborn photo shoot, I put together a few tips & realistic expectations for moms and dads.  Here are our tips on how to get through a newborn or first few months photo shoot:

1.  Keep the baby warm (turn up the heat, or invest in a space heater).  Alternatively, you could ask  your photographer, as they might already have one that they'll bring to the photo session.  You can even opt for a  heating blanket or pad to place under the blankets your little one will rest on.  So many of the little Man's photos where he was screaming was due to the fact that it was the middle of March and he was naked and freezing.

2.  Be patient and flexible.  I expected a newborn photo session to take an hour to an hour and a half, my expectations were a bit unrealistic, in actuality it was more like a half day.  Work around your baby's schedule: if it's time to feed, change a diaper, or take a nap, you need to take care of their needs.  A calm and rested baby will more likely tolerate a camera lens in their face.  Also, be ready for accidents, think projectile spit up, pee, or the dreaded poop.  We used a puppy training pad (extras from our pup) under the top most blanket, in case of an emergency.

3.  Timing: starting the day off early, allows for the best lighting and more time to capture your little one.  That being said, some of my favorite pictures of the little Man are when he's fast asleep.  Most photographers like to work around a baby's nap time, as in right before they take a nap.  Additionally, if you're looking for posed pictures those are easiest to achieve with a sleeping babe.  The best way to make sure your little one is on their way to a long nap is by getting your little one milk drunk, as they say, well fed and off to bed.

4.  Work with what you've got.  When your little one has about had it, try taking a break or swaddling them.  This is a great time to get photos with mom and dad.  Detail, details, details: when the little Man was not having any of it, we were able to get some great detail shots of his hands, feet, bellybutton, etc.

5.  Volume control.  We (read myself, the Mister, my mom) were all yelling "look here" and clapping our hands, which in reality just frightened the little Man even more.  Calm voices, so put away the dog if it'll bark, and soothing ambient noise is key.  White noise machines are great at soothing babies.  The little Man had one in his bassinet and we'd use it for nap times, I wish I thought to bring it out during his photo shoot.

Hopefully these come in handy, but the best advice is just to be able to roll with it.  Babies will poop, cry or scream, and you might only get 20 minutes of calm photos.  Odds are your photographer captured some incredible moments, and you and the little one survived. 

All photos taken by our talented friend: Niraj Gandhi.

Motherhood Mondays: Surviving Those First Few Weeks with a Newborn

As a new mom I knew bringing home our little Man was going to be quite the challenge.  I heeded the advice of some great mommies in my life and put some of these time and sanity savers into effect.  Leaving us with more time to get to know our little one.  Here's a few tips and hints to get you through those first few weeks.

No 1. :  Have your baby announcement (text or email) ready to go,  after the marathon known as labor, you'll be deliriously exhausted and sharing the news of your little one's arrival will seem like a chore.  We even completed our list serve, so that all we had to do was add his name, his stats, attach a picture, and hit send.  Here's a look at our baby announcement email:

  

His first breath took ours away...

The Mister and I are elated to introduce our son, Nehvin.  He was born on Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 at  1:23AM.  Weighing in at 1lbs  and 2 ounces & measuring 3 inches tall. 

Both mom & baby are doing great.  We are excited for everyone to meet the new addition #(insert fun hash tag here)

~the proud parents

No 2. :  Change your voice mail   You're a new parent and your friends will forgive you if it takes you 2 weeks to return their phone calls.  We suggest something along the lines of "Hi you've reached the XYZ family.  We are thrilled at the arrival of our bundle of joy, (insert name here), and can't wait for everyone to meet him/her.  (Name) arrived on XYZ date, weighing 1lbs 2 ounces & measuring 3 inches tall.  Mom, dad, and baby, are doing fine and adjusting to our new life as a family of 3.  Between diaper changes and feedings we hope to return you phone call."

No 3. : "What can we do to help?", please take your friends and family up on their offer.  Have a list ready, maybe you don't want your husband's best friend folding your delicates but he can go pick up some milk and bread.  From laundry, to dishes, to groceries, to picking up take out, or holding the baby while you shower; having something for them to do makes them feel useful and you'll be thankful for the extra help.

No 4. : Along the same lines, no one cares if your house is a mess, you have a screaming mini human that demands your attention 24/7.  So don't stress about it, and feel free to send family and friends packing 35 minutes in their visit.  That being said, if you're a friend looking for a thoughtful way to help the new parents, paying for a cleaning lady to clean earns you big friendship points.

No 5. :  Stock up your freezer with ready to heat meals.  The last thing you want to be doing is thinking of what to cook for dinner.  Also please don't be the friend that comes over without food.  Seriously, even a tub of store bought cookie dough, is the equivalent of a gourmet meal.

No 6. : With shows like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, now is the perfect time to get a Netflix subscription or stock up your DVR.  We went through all of House of Cards, Downton Abbey, and caught up with Breaking Bad on my maternity leave.  It's great for all those late night feedings.

No 7. : Breathe, you're doing a great job.  There really is no manual and all babies are so different.  So while your sister's kid might have been sleeping through the night at a month old, please don't feel bad or panicked if your child is not.  Your baby is developing on his or her own timeline.

No 8. :  Be prepared.  Stock up on Gripe Water, Baby Tylenol, the saline solution for their stuffed noses.  With a fussy or sick baby the last thing you want to be doing is running out to the store to pick up these essentials. 

No 9. :  You can not spoil a newborn.  I remember fussing over when to introduce the pacifier, because we didn't want him to get too attached to it.  It doesn't matter at that stage, he or she just needs your love and affection, so hold your child all day, rock them to sleep, and smother them in kisses if you like.  They are so tiny and new they need all your love, and you'll cherish the closeness.